How I Got My Literary Agent

I’m psyched to have this be official. After getting five different offers for representation from top literary agents, I signed with Stephanie Tade who got me a 6-figure book deal with Penguin Books!

Tonight I should sleep well!

Getting multiple agents interested in my work was really important to me. I’ve dealt with agents before and gotten screwed on things contractually so I wanted to do it differently this time. I wanted choices. Having you help me create that, and navigate my options, was really helpful.

I heard other authors talk about their great relationships with their agents and it made me want the same thing. I felt like, ‘Really? You can have that? I want an agent who gets what I’m doing and is really in my corner.’ Now I have that.

When Stephanie first contacted me, she was very excited. She said, ‘I can’t get your book proposal out of my head. It’s brilliant – I mean, really, it’s fantastic. Editors should be salivating by the time they get to the chapter outline.’

My work with you, Mark, was super helpful. You got into the nitty-gritty of positioning me in the right way and making my presentation saleable. We added the right details, punched up my promotional platform, and made everything better organized.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

As far as the query letter itself, it’s hard for an author to know what to include and what to leave out – what’s most important. You added and cut things so it was tighter and flowed better. You know what queries are supposed to look like, so I trusted your point of view.

Our calls were really helpful, too. Having someone in my corner that got what I was doing and answered my questions was important to me. The whole process of getting an agent is overwhelming but you gave me systematic steps to follow, and you sent me support materials for each phase we were in – everything was useful. That alone was probably worth the investment to work with you.

If I had researched agents on my own, it would have taken me five times as long, at least. Weeks. But I was able to go through the personalized agent list you sent me during a 5-hour plane ride. There were more than 700 agents on the list you sent me that you said might be interested in my book. I was like, ‘Holy $%*&#@!’ But you made it easy for me to find what I needed.

Investing in myself to get your support was completely worth it. I’m a coach so I totally understand the value. It wasn’t just about my book. It was about the bigger picture of the work I’m here to do. It was about me getting on the right path with the right person to develop my entire career and create the right platform.

If I had come across your website on my own I would have been like, ‘Who is this guy?’ Your old website felt ‘in your face’ and uber masculine, but you’re not like that. You’re laid back and even-keeled, smart and easy going, and you don’t take things too seriously. I also trusted you because you were referred to me by Robin Collucci, and I respect her opinion.

If I hadn’t worked with you, I might have gotten an agent anyway, but it wouldn’t have been my dream agent. To me, it was completely worth it to have someone like you share all your insider knowledge and experience. Thank you.

A M Y . J O . G O D D A R D – HOW I GOT MY LITERARY AGENT

Author of Woman on Fire (Penguin Books) and Lesbian Sex Secrets for Men (Penguin Books)

Mel Berger with William Morris Endeavor Entertainment responded to my query in five minutes! After he started shopping the book he said, “You’ve got a bite.” Then, “You have two more, one from Random House and another from Harper Collins. Bidding war.”

It’s every writer’s dream.

Harper Collins/Hanover Square Press expressed the most interest, and they committed to publishing the book hardcover, so I went with them. Their distribution is enormous, everywhere, including Walmart and Target.

My literary agent is a giant in the industry, and he was my number one pick. Other agents were interested, but as soon as I got on the phone with Mel, that was it. I wanted someone like him and a big agency like William Morris Endeavor Entertainment that handles film and foreign rights.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Trimax Media has since acquired the film rights, with Stephen Campanelli—who’s worked with Clint Eastwood on many films—to direct. Harper Collins is now planning a second edition with a movie tie-in. They pushed back the release date to accommodate a larger press run and more time for marketing.

My head is spinning.

I worked on this project for more than ten years, and I queried people before I met you, but I never got an offer. The query letter and proposal you helped me create were dynamite, as was the agent list—and your encouragement.

Thank you for your support.

J O H N . S T A N S I F E R – HOW I GOT MY LITERARY AGENT

No Bullet Got Me Yet: The Relentless Faith of Father Kapaun (Harper Collins / Hanover Square Press)

Jeff Herman offered me representation, and I signed a contract with Red Wheel/Weiser this afternoon! My husband and I just got back from celebrating in Mexico. The timing of the offer was perfect, the weirdest thing. We were leaving for Mexico one day after I got the agent contract. Before we left, I spoke with my agent and signed the papers.

I was on my way to Pilates when I parked my car and saw the email on my phone, saying he wanted to set up a call. It was an out of body experience. I was like, “This can’t be happening.” It was exciting but hard to believe. When I got home, I looked at the email again and asked my husband, “Does this mean he wants to represent me? I have no clue.” I was cautious and felt like the agent must have made a mistake since I’d gotten a lot of rejections. I tried to contain my excitement because I didn’t want to be disappointed.

Other agents had asked to read my proposal, but they kept saying I didn’t have a big enough platform or that my book didn’t fit what they were looking for. Some agents wanted me to make the book more of a business book, while others wanted me to make it more of a memoir. One of my friends wanted me to change the book as well. But, you said, “Just keep going. We’ll probably find someone who will like it just the way it is.” I was ready to rewrite the book or quit, but you kept me going.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Jeff saw the value of my book the way it was meant to be. I really appreciated that. He also said the proposal was well done, very professional. He really liked it. He realized how much hard work went into it and didn’t see much that needed to change. Another thing he loved was the way the manuscript was presented, the introduction you helped me revise. You switched the sequence of things around and you took a line from the middle of the content and made it the new opening line.

I had a query letter before I met you, but it was nothing like yours. The old query wasn’t as captivating or attention-grabbing. Yours really told agents what they needed to hear, which I would not have known how to do. You said everything about me and my book in a much more powerful way. I also didn’t have a platform when we met, but you helped me with that, too. At first, I thought, “That’s impossible,” but it was fascinating seeing it come together.

I’ve been really impressed by your strategic process, your ability to see the big picture, and the way you execute everything. You also have a human side, you really care. You go out of your way, far beyond what you need to do for your clients, and you’re prompt. I know how busy you are, but you’re always there. We only had a one-year contract, but you didn’t care about that. Your commitment, professionalism, and responsiveness are things I’ve rarely experienced in my thirty years in the corporate world.

I don’t remember how I found you. I think it was LinkedIn. The testimonials on your website sounded too good to be true, but something pulled me toward you. I thought, “You know what? One coaching session isn’t going to break my bank.” It wasn’t a lot of money considering how much material you reviewed. I remember saying to my husband, “He’s asking for all this information for only a one-hour session, and it’s [not that much]. That’s amazing.” It made me feel like you were really devoted.

After our first coaching call, I was sold on you, but I was also concerned because signing up for your bigger coaching program wasn’t cheap. It was a significant investment, and, even though I had a great call with you, I didn’t know if I could trust you. You just never know. So, there was a lot of worry. I thought, “Oh, my goodness. I don’t know this person. I could lose all that money and make nothing.”

But then I reached out to one of the authors who gave you a testimonial – I forget her name now – and she said, “You need to invest in yourself. He’s the best.” That really helped, but I was still afraid to mention it to my husband. So, I talked to our son instead. I said, “Do you think this is going to be worthwhile?” He said, “Yes, you deserve it.” I was turning 65, so I then told my husband YOU were going to be my birthday gift!

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

I had wanted to share my message with the world for a long time, but I don’t know how I would have done it without your help or the list of agents you gave me. You made it easy to see their interests and all the information about them I needed. That list is fabulous. I used to do searches on the Internet, and I used to visit sites like Publishers Marketplace and QueryTracker, but they didn’t make it easy for me to see everything I needed.

Another good thing is you give your clients realistic expectations. You don’t just say, “Oh, you’re going to make it, no problem.” You really prepare people for it to be tough. You make sure authors know getting an agent is hard work, it might take a long time, and, that a lot of times, authors won’t get agents. By doing that, you increase the probability of your clients getting agents by pushing harder than planned.

Without you, there’s no way I would have gotten representation. Not even close. When I started, I was wondering if I was just an amateur who needed to forget my belief that my story might be shared in our divisive world. I’m so grateful you held my hand. It’s been an amazing process, and it’s been an honor getting to know you. I’m looking forward to staying in touch as we go forward.

Thank you and thank you!!

S O O . P E E R

Author of The Essential Diversity Mindset: How to Cultivate a More Inclusive Culture and Environment (Red Wheel/Weiser), foreword by Clarence Page, Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist and senior member of the Chicago Tribune editorial board

Things have been moving fast here and I finally made it. I got a top agent with Trident Media Group, and it took less than six weeks after that to get a book deal.

Before I contacted you, I’d done various versions of my book, and one version had been shown to UK publishers by a UK agent. It was met with a dusty response. I had worked carefully on the book for a year, maybe two years. It was annoying and I felt quite let down. But, on the other hand, I felt the book’s potential hadn’t been exhausted.

So, when I contacted you, I had a project which I’d put a lot of work into, but I knew more could be done to improve it. Part of what was very helpful to me during our time together were your comments about the actual manuscript, which I substantially changed after we talked. The book has a completely different feel to it now.

The manuscript changed from being very episodic to more of a connected whole. That was crucial. We also shifted the book to have more of an emphasis on my expertise as a philosopher and social scientist, instead of a nutritionist. We used that as a frame, instead, and put everything in that voice, since I’m a PhD, not an MD.

That was a misstep that caused me to stumble. I ended up writing a book that wasn’t the best fit for me, and I wasn’t the right person to promote that book. That shift in perspective caused me to do a line by line edit of the manuscript. Not a total rewrite, but I changed about twenty percent. I went through the manuscript carefully, several times.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I’ve published books previously and I’ve worked directly with agents and publishers. I now realize, that, before I worked with you, I was creating outlines, book proposals, and marketing analyses in a superficial way. I didn’t know better. You steered me in a better direction. With the wrong influence, authors can make their books worse.

You helped me realize the point of an outline and proposal is to introduce and “sell” a project from the point of view of an agent and publisher. That’s what’s needed. It’s a completely different perspective, and although in a sense it should have been obvious, at the time it was an eye-opener for me. It took me fifteen years working in the business to finally see, “Oh, that’s how I should be doing it.”

For example, I had scarcely thought about author platform. My most successful book, the first book to treat philosophy as a fun set of riddles, was really successful somewhat by accident. I didn’t realize the book required me to be a philosopher. I was oblivious to that, because I was just thinking about writing a fun book. That’s all that mattered to me.

What you most successfully managed to do was to alert me to the PUBLISHER’S perspective, which has very little to do with the content of books that are so dear to us authors, and much to do with locating them in the market. It’s really a kind of Copernican Shift, as philosophers might say: the book revolves around the market, not around the author’s research or interests.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

When I moved on to other books about other subjects, I dimly realized you have to persuade people that you’re knowledgeable about those areas. You can write about topics in articles—in a journalistic or experiential way. People will accept that, but they don’t want to buy and read a book where the person doesn’t have deep knowledge about the topic.

Having those epiphanies during our process together caused the various parts of my book proposal to improve and fall into place—despite having done so many proposals in the past. That training, to me, even if I hadn’t gotten an agent for the book I worked on with you, would have been worth more than the fee I paid, which was very substantial.

When I started writing books, many years ago, it seemed much easier to persuade publishers. In a way, I’m a bit surprised. But now I’ve learned to psych myself up to do a proposal and get into it, so it becomes interesting. Not just for agents and publishers, but for me. It’s quite hard because that doesn’t come naturally. I’ve never been good at selling myself.

I liked my phone calls with you, too. They were very motivating. I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but being an author is quite lonely. Authors are typically quite reclusive, but talking to someone who’s interested in your project is helpful. So, the personal contact we’ve had has been a very important part of our work together.

Sending out the query letters, as I expect other people have said, is quite a grind. But, on the other hand, having done things on my own, I appreciated the power of having a proven system to follow for that. So, though I didn’t like doing it, in a way, I was still positive about it, because your system takes an impossible task and breaks it down.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 4

You’re a very structured person and the way you’ve modularized everything—made the complicated process of developing book projects, researching agents, and pitching them—is incredibly powerful. My partner is an artist, and she was terribly enthusiastic about me working with you as well. She latched on immediately to what our work together might lead to.

She intuitively saw that if you want to be an artist or anything else, you have to train yourself a little bit. You might have to put some money into that process, too, and do some things that will get you further. Authors, perhaps, are a little bit reluctant to do that. We often think all you need is some paper or something to type with.

There’s a bit of a myth that you shouldn’t need any training. You should just be able to write and sell well, off the top of your head. There’s this lingering belief amongst writers that they don’t really need anyone else. It’s convenient and simpler to think that way, but it’s also shortsighted and inaccurate.

Your writing, your pitch materials, and your platform can all get better if you let other people contribute. Most authors, like me, don’t have a big income. But, nonetheless, they should see the value of the training you provide, whether they get a deal or not. I am quite happy, and it’s been really nice working with you.

Cheers…

M A R T I N . C O H E N . P H D

Author of many nonfiction books including Philosophy for Dummies, The Doomsday Machine, I Think Therefore I Eat, 101 Philosophy Problems, and 101 Ethical Dilemmas, which despite being originally aimed at the academic market, has sold over 250,000 copies and been translated into 20 different languages

I just signed with my dream agent!

I already had a well-known agent interested in my book when I met Mark. I was really excited about the offer for representation, but I wanted an objective expert to help me make the best decision. I didn’t want to be a naïve author who (like a naïve girl), just says yes to the first guy who likes her. Mark helped me see that my first prospective agent wasn’t a good match—the contract I was being offered wasn’t in my best interest.

After that Mark helped me identify a better hook, so I could differentiate myself from everyone else in a very crowded marketplace. And he gave me a customized list of literary agents so my team could execute everything and get my submissions out for me. It was fast and easy. We sent out a lot of query letters all at once so I could have more leverage, too. That’s the only way to find the best literary agent… one that really understands you, your book, and your business.

I had no idea that you’d have a greater advantage if you sent out a lot of queries at one time, but now it makes perfect sense. It’s like being the most popular girl at the dance, with a bunch of guys trying to get your attention. I’m a dating coach so this is the perfect metaphor. It’s much better to have a lot of guys asking you out… instead of you being desperate, hoping one person will pick you.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Another thing I loved about coaching with Mark is he kept telling me I’m awesome. I swear everyone in publishing just wants to tell you how hard it is. Right at the beginning Mark told me that he believed in me, but he also told me why. Then he came up with a plan. That was important for me because my mindset has always been that this is my dream and I’m going to publish my books no matter what. As an author, you want someone who says ‘I believe in you. Let’s make it happen.’

Mark is off-the-charts knowledgeable, super authentic, incredibly generous, creative, and loyal. He’s just a solid guy, the real deal. That combination of expertise and support is rare. I’ve interviewed a lot of other people who do what Mark does. He’s the only one who was a champion for me. You can’t put a price on that. If you go to Mark but don’t have all your ducks in a row, he’ll focus on your strengths. He might not work with you if you’re not ready, but he’ll come up with a plan to keep you moving forward. That’s why Mark is credible; he doesn’t just say yes to everyone.

Mark is a million percent different from other book marketing coaches. He takes time to get to know his clients and their work. Investing that time is important because that’s the only way to write a kick-ass query letter and/or book proposal. The way Mark gives personalized attention: you know he really cares about you as a person. He isn’t just doing it because you’re paying him.

The book publishing business isn’t what I’m an expert at, and it’s probably not what you’re an expert at… or else you wouldn’t be reading this testimonial. If you want to be successful, do what you’re good at and pay other people to do what they’re good at. If you try to get a literary agent on your own, 6 months will go by and you probably won’t have achieved your goal. If you want to get your book out there, invest in yourself and work with Mark. He’ll care about your dream as much as you do, and that’s hard to find.”

M A R N I . B A T T I S T A

Your Radical Living Challenge
(Hay House)

HCI Books bought my book and they’re publishing it in March, the same month that the happiest country is declared every year! I got offers from two publishers, but HCI has a lot of bestsellers and they seemed like the best fit.

The rejections were very hard for me to take. I did very well in school, always scored high, and my papers were used as examples. So, after all the work you made me do, I wasn’t expecting to get so many rejections. There were bleak moments and it was devastating, but then I got a very good literary agent, Steven Harris with CSG Literary Partners.

I can’t tell you how happy I am.

Completing your program was like getting another diploma, an affirmation about working hard. I’m grateful though, because completing your assignments has made me a better writer and marketer. I feel better about my ability to promote my book when it comes out, and my next book will be even better written.

You’re unusual in that you do two things together that are not easily compatible: You encourage writers but simultaneously tell them there’s no guarantee. Usually, when you think about those two things, they’re opposites. Not complementary. As a result, I knew it might be a long walk with you, and if I hadn’t gotten an offer, I wouldn’t have had a complaint.

We did one step at a time, and there were always more steps. (laughter) You suggested I reorder the content and change my title, which was The Mathematics of Happiness. You said that sounded academic and boring, and you suggested I change it to The Happiness Formula. You also helped me with formatting my manuscript, which I had no idea how to do.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Your coaching is kind of an exposé that tells authors what agents don’t say or want authors to know. I put everything into my book, and I knew how different it was from other books on happiness, but I didn’t know how to help agents understand that. You helped me talk about my book and myself in a way that made sense to agents.

You helped me see that more things from my past were important for promotional purposes, things I was taking for granted. You helped me bring it all out, and you taught me how to write to people to tell them about the book, before querying agents, to get them to say they’d support my book when it’s published. That surprised me.

Working with you was a hefty financial investment, but I knew you’d show me exactly what to do, and that you’d help me do everything in the least amount of time. If I could have done it myself, I would have. So, anything you told me, even when I struggled with it, I did it the way you wanted. I’m glad I did.

When I called you, you were always on it. You’re very organized and always knew what we talked about the last time. It’s really amazing. And when you sent me the final query and book proposal, I read it back to myself and said, “Wow.” The query and proposal were very, very effective, as were your notes about the agents.

The self-help book market is very competitive. There were things I was planning to include in my query that I should not have included, things that would have hurt my chances with agents. I might have been one of your least polished clients, but you were able to help me get a great agent and publisher anyway.

I’ll always be grateful.

A L P H O N S U S . O B A Y U W A N A . P H D

Author of The Happiness Formula, published by HCI Books, named the #1 self-help publisher by Publishers Weekly, with many national and New York Times bestsellers

I have a fantastic relationship with my agent, my book deal with Hay House is inked, and their president and CEO just interviewed me for a Writers Group event. I’m thrilled and beyond grateful to be a published author!

Hay House said they really like my proposal and underlined “really.” Now I’m preparing everything for my book launch.

Six literary agents wanted to sign me. I really connected with the first one, but you very wisely counseled me that she didn’t have as impressive of a track record as I really needed. This was super helpful because as a first time author we can be ready to take the first offer but you saw more promise in me than I saw in myself and thank goodness I didn’t sign with her! A second agent offered to sign me, then withdrew the offer–a terrible thing to do to an author.

A third agent wanted me to pay an editor to revise my book proposal, but you said I didn’t need that. I was twisting myself into knots trying to please that agent, starting to feel bad about my book, like nobody was going to get it.

You encouraged me to trust the quality of my writing and platform, and to make sure I went with the best agent. You didn’t want me to settle, and then two other agents offered to represent me, including a highly legit one who was very excited.

Instead of signing with him, I went deep inside myself and then contacted Bill Gladstone, who was and is my dream agent. I didn’t think I was at his level, but I listened to my Angels–I’ve learned not to argue with them–and they said I should contact him

Bill signed me! He then negotiated a two-book deal for me with Hay House which is highly unusual for a new author. I think part of the reason Hay House is treating me so well is I have a top agent. You knew about the agents I interacted with, you were candid with me about them, and you were absolutely right.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I have a Doctorate in counseling. 99% of the pros I’ve hired has been from direct referrals. I have not just looked for someone on Google in perhaps a decade, but that’s how I found you. Every time I looked for anything about agents, your material came up. 

I liked your material a lot, but I connected even more with you during our introductory coaching call. I really got your caring, and I’m not being corny–you genuinely want to help authors get agents, and you care about them.

I talked to other people before working with you, but I wasn’t excited about them. You’re really successful, but your main motivator isn’t money–at all–and you were so sweet during my crazy process of, “I have an agent. No, I don’t. Yes, I do. No, I don’t.”

Our time together has been hugely valuable. Even if an author isn’t going to do anything more than your introductory coaching call, they should absolutely do that. It gives authors a much more meaningful experience than just spending time on your website.

You connect well with people, and quickly, a skill that not everybody has. You’re also savvy and persistent for your authors. You started one of your calls with me saying you’d had a crappy day because one of your clients had had a crappy day.

I love that…you take it personally.

During my recent Hay House interview, the host said, “You’re almost an overnight success.” I was like, “Exactly, after 30 years!” Yes, I had a fairy tale experience getting my dream agent, but it was after several rejections.

Now people are constantly asking, “How did you get your agent, who should I work with?” I’m not going to refer them to anybody but you!! You gave me value, and it didn’t feel transactional. Sending heartfelt gratitude and blessings. 🙏💜

A L I S H A . D A S
Your Archangelic Ancestry
(Hay House)

Mark, when we found out Jeff Herman was going to be our agent, it was exhilarating. He offered to represent us the day after we sent him our ‘enchanting’ proposal. His word, by the way, which he said he rarely uses. It’s been a whirlwind and Jeff is exactly what we were hoping for: an enthusiastic, experienced, committed agent. After we got the news, since our book is about how couples can have better sex, we celebrated by practicing what we preach. We spent hours in the crucible of love and passion!

Before we found you, Mark, we sent out query letters but only got rejections. Other agents, we didn’t hear from at all. That’s when we realized how daunting the process was. As good as we are at learning new things and researching, we knew finding an agent was going to be a big job with a huge learning curve. You have such a small window of opportunity to get the attention of agents. We also realized that we might burn a lot of bridges along the way if we approached the process from a weak position.

Our old query was like an Oreo. We like Oreos, but that type of query isn’t going to attract and seduce a top literary agent. You helped us write a query that was more like a fine pastry from a top chef in Vienna. That query instantly appealed to the refined palates of agents and made them salivate. Your understanding as a former agent, one who’s been barraged with queries and proposals, means you know the criteria: how to craft a query and proposal of the highest quality, in the top 1-2 percentile of what will appeal to the current publishing marketplace.

We have decades of experience and expertise in our field, but we were also myopic, in our own self-created tunnel. It was a successful, creative, and productive tunnel, but it wasn’t one that would allow us to see the larger scope of our work… how it fit into the marketplace, and the best way to position it. You made suggestions that didn’t dramatically change the content of our book, our teachings, or our writing style. But they did dramatically improve the positioning and commercial appeal of our work.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Initially, we described our book as ‘a guide to guide to lovemaking and sexual intercourse’. You said that words and phrases like “lovemaking” and “sexual intercourse” wouldn’t go over well, that, ‘They sound old and antiquated, and they’d make readers think about their grandparents and the sex education classes they took as teenagers.’ You suggested that, instead, we put more focus on a chapter that used to appear near the end of our book, about the many different types of orgasm that men and women can have.

You said that material was the most unique/important part of our book. We followed your advice to move that chapter to the beginning of the book and make it the focal point. By pressing the ‘button’ of orgasm and shifting our focus to the twelve types of orgasm, our book became more interesting and marketable. It also reinforced our position as cutting-edge experts and trendsetters, because no one else has done anything like that. Other books about orgasm simply help women have more/better orgasms, and they only talk about the couple/few types of orgasm that are most commonly recognized.

You also encouraged us to tone down some of the sensational language and innuendo in the book, to give it broader appeal. And, you helped us see that we could broaden the book’s appeal even more by speaking to every type of lover. The original book was geared toward experienced/advanced lovers in committed relationships. Now the book speaks to lovers of all types including: advanced and inexperienced, committed and uncommitted, young and old, spiritual and unspiritual, straight and gay, etc.

What you did reminds us of what the big advertising agencies do when they look at the best way to position a product in the marketplace: the best name, tag line, target audience, etc. Everything is clearer and more exciting now, with broader appeal, but it’s still true to who we are, what we teach, and what’s important to us. We did feel a loss at first, talking less about the mechanics and energetics of sexual intercourse, as there’s a big gap in that literature, but that type of language isn’t very sexy or palatable for the average person.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

We didn’t fight you on your suggestions. It was just an emotional reaction, we trusted you, and now we’re glad we did. You were very sensitive and cautious about hurting our feelings, which we appreciated, but we hired you to tell us those things. It was a judgement call, but it made sense for us to base our decision, in large part, on your experience, knowledge, and understanding of the publishing world – not just our experience, or feelings.

You also taught us the importance of having an author platform, and showed us how to improve our platform. We already had a good platform, but you helped us figure out the best ways to improve it, in the least amount of time. The advice you gave us about social media and getting famous people to accept review copies of our book were particularly helpful. And the agent spreadsheet you put together blew us away. There was so much information in there. Everything we wanted/needed to know about the agents we were pitching. That allowed us to easily dig in and get a feel for who would be the best fit.

The world of literary agents was pretty foreign to us before we started working with you. There’s a culture, a unique way of doing business. We didn’t grasp the mentality of that whole world, and we still don’t. But you do, and we’re thankful that we had your guidance, particularly when we needed help responding to the agents who were interested before we went with Jeff. We were anxious about the process though, at times, even though we believed you were going to get us there.

When it comes to the different psychologies of buyers, we’re shoppers and do a lot of research. So, we checked out your background. We usually look at three to six competitors whenever we’re making a big decision. You have a lot of material on your website that helps authors be more self-sufficient, so they can operate with their own knowledge and intelligence. That’s a competitive advantage you have, because you’re so on top of the industry. And, after the Introductory Coaching Call with you, we really knew you were an insider. We thought, ‘This guy knows the business.’

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 4

Obviously, there’s no guarantee about what’s going to happen when you work with a coach, but we got the feeling that working with you would be a good investment. We knew that we would get a better outcome, everything would go faster and be easier, we would avoid embarrassment and burned bridges, and we’d have the best potential to go big. You were the perfect stepping stone. So, we took the money out of pension plan, our IRA account, and we never do that. We’re very strict about that, unless it’s a business investment.

We also liked working with you. You’re knowledgeable, organized, and disciplined, but you’re also warm and fuzzy at times, diplomatic, and have a quality that is rare in the world –one that I was taught and used to teach others – an awareness of other people’s point of view. Many people in business, life, and relationships only talk from their perspective, with blinders on. They don’t have the ability to see things from the other people’s perspective. Or they don’t bother. You do.

Our work together was hard but always hopeful. When we were doing things on our own, before we found you, we were just blowing smoke, starting and stopping, not knowing if what we were doing was right. You got us on track and kept us on track so we stayed productive and constructive, and we had the greatest chance of success. Like so many others, we have to say, we really couldn’t have done this without you!

Thank you!!!

S O M R A J . & . J E F F R E

Authors of Female Ejaculation and Tantric Pathways to Supernatural Sex
(published by Llewellyn, the world’s oldest and largest independent
publisher of books for body, mind, and spirit)

Thanks to you and your valuable information, I got a very reputable agent and my book was acquired by Harper Collins. You shared excellent advice regarding how to make my title and subtitle more alluring, and you explained how I should reduce the word count and rewrite the first part of the book. It came out beautifully.

You also asked me to wait a year before querying agents and build my platform, so I started a podcast and it did very well. I then posted a story I wrote on social media and, the very day I put it up, an agent I’d queried previously saw it and said, “Shall we have a call?” When we talked, she said she was fascinated by what I was doing.

Once I knew we would be working together, I screamed and ran around the house. I was so excited. Months later when my agent asked, “Can I set up a call with HarperCollins?” I couldn’t believe it. They loved my book.

It took a while for the deal to become final, so I was drained by the end of it. I wouldn’t wish that process on anyone. There are many challenging emotions, but the joy you feel when you finally get that confirmation is indescribable.

Before my first call with you, you had me answer a lot of questions in your author questionnaire. It took a lot of effort, but it developed more clarity in my mind about how my book is unique. That is still helping me today, and it will help me promote my book.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

You also gave me confidence because you said the writing was good. I saw so many articles on the Internet and other places about how most manuscripts are rejected, and that if you’re a first-time author you can forget getting published.

If I hadn’t worked with you, I think I would have given up before I even started. It’s too easy to assume you’re never going to be successful. So, it was very helpful to have your hope, reassurance, and motivation.

You were honest and told me bluntly what I should change. It wasn’t like you were just being polite. You have that beautiful balance between sharing honest critique and not destroying an author’s belief that they can get published.

There was an element of destiny in me finding you. I was planning to self-publish and told my husband one morning, “My vision tells me that this is not the path to take.” Half an hour later, he texted me a link to your podcast.

I listened and told him, “How did you know this was exactly what was on my mind?” At that time, I was in so much debt that I couldn’t work with you. I had to wait, but it was worth it because you provided answers to all the confusion in my mind.

My time with you transformed everything. Thank you for your belief and kindness and all the excellent advice. I would not be here today if not for you.

D E E P A . K A N N A N

Author of How to Sleep Bettter
(Harper Collins)

Mark, after you helped me land a top literary agent, I got publishing offers from THREE well-known publishers: Amacom, Palgrave Macmillan, and McGraw-Hill (they’re publishing my book in hardcover)!

I was at Disneyworld with my family, in the Haunted Mansion, when I got the call. I went outside and listened to the voicemail message from my agent. A huge smile came over my face. It was a fantastic feeling. For a moment I felt like life was perfect and the angels were singing.

You helped me understand the market for agents and showed me how to present myself in a more straightforward fashion. Before I worked with you I sent out 30 queries, but they were kind of blind up to that point… and I wasn’t feeling very good about the responses I was getting. I had a generic query letter, something I got from a book that didn’t really resonate. It didn’t have that pop of a great hook up front. It felt like a form letter.

The most important thing I got from working with you, by far, was refining my query letter (making it crystal clear) because agents don’t read past the first 2 sentences unless you’ve done that. You have to communicate what you’re about and how your book is different. You also showed me how to talk about my unique experience and process, increase my credibility, and take advantage of my credentials. I think you said, ‘Approach it like you’re selling it to a business investor and give them something they’ll believe is worth investing in.’

That’s important.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I first found you when I was researching agents online. Your website was one of the first ones that came up. I said, ‘Holy cow!’ I poked around your website and saw a lot of information that seemed very informative. Then I saw you had a promotion for an introductory call and said, ‘This guy seems like he has a grasp of the market.’ That’s why I reached out to you.

At that point I just wanted to speak to someone who had been in the industry and had some knowledge of how agents think, because you can’t get that from a book. You can only get it from someone who’s been an agent. I don’t know how to say it, but it was one of those moments where my thinking changed. I said, ‘You know what? I’m not just sending out a bunch of proposals. I’m sending them out to people. I have to quit thinking of agents as gatekeepers and start thinking of them as human beings with motivations and desires just like everybody else.’ I didn’t have that prior to us talking. You showed me how agents think.

Before I signed up to work with you I have to admit that I did have thoughts like, ‘Am I being taken here?’ I think that’s just natural. Any time there is money involved, whether or not it’s a nominal amount, you still have skepticism. What helped me get over the hump was the ton of information on your website. That helped me overcome my reservations. The other thing you did that helped was your well-constructed emails that you send out. You talk a lot about branding, and you seem branded well. That, to me, denotes a level of competence as well as dedication. That comes through on your website as well, and all the testimonials you have make everything feel successful.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

When we talked, you had a voice that felt informed but friendly and approachable. You gave me insight and perspective about the publishing industry, but also the confidence to keep pushing. I learned that even if you’ve already sent out lots of queries, you can rewrite your query and agents won’t even recognize the book the next time it comes to them. The opportunity isn’t dead. You showed me that at a good time because I was wondering: ‘Is this ever going to happen?’ And in talking to you, I said, ‘This isn’t the end. There’s a lot of potential here. I believe in it, and I just need to rework it.’

Authors are driven people and, at the end of the day, if you can give them information in the right form and in the right place, they can run with it. That’s what you’re seeing with me. I’m probably no different than anyone else and my book is probably as good or bad as anyone else’s, but you gave me what I needed and boom… it hit.

If we hadn’t worked together I might have said, ‘Let me shelve this for a couple of years and work on something else.’ To every other author out there thinking about contacting you, Mark, I want to say, ‘Weigh it all out. Don’t go in with any reservations. And make sure you share everything with Mark. You know: those fears you have about the publishing industry, your concerns, maybe a lack of confidence, or a lack of understanding about your author platform. Whatever it is, lay it all out there. Mark will help you understand everything, and make it better.

Thank you Mark, for helping me make it all happen.

D A V I D . H A M M E

Author of Customer Focused Process Innovation (McGraw Hill)
Business Consultant, North Carolina

When a top agent called to say that he wanted to represent me, shortly after I sent out my first round of queries, I stood up and did the Toyota cheer where you’re jumping up and down! Do you remember that commercial? I’m probably dating myself saying that, but it was a proud moment because I had put so much work into my book and getting it done. I chose my agent because I wanted someone who was hip and hard working, and the agent information you sent me helped me figure that out. Now I know that what you say on your website about it being a decision to get published, not luck, is spot on. It’s one of those things where you have to roll up your sleeves and get it done. I made that decision when I found you, that my book was going to be published, come hell or high water.

Before working with you, I sent out my old query and proposal to test the waters. I followed someone else’s template for a book proposal, but didn’t get anywhere. I had no idea what I was doing, no clue. After I went to your website and realized how little I understood about the industry, I started to get educated and then signed up to work with you. I soon found out that my original query letter stunk because it was all about me and I wasn’t writing from the perspective of agents. The success ratio of the new query was fantastic, and my updated proposal one had twice as much detail as the old one. I didn’t even consider putting half that stuff in, and I’m pretty good at selling things! But you’re a former agent so you know what’s important. Even though I had a hint of what was mattered when trying to find an agent, I didn’t really know. You do. The proof is in the fact that I now have an agent!

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

When you sent me the revised query I was like oh my gosh is this it!? It was so casual and simple I was like I don’t know if this is going to work or not. But I trusted you and sure enough I was blown away at how easy it was. I don’t want to say easy, but you made it as easy as possible for me. I really appreciate that. I can’t remember how many agents requested my book proposal but it was really impressive. What was even more impressive was the response I got back from the famous authors and experts you told me to contact for possible testimonials and other promotional opportunities. That was ridiculous! I got a total of 14 heavy hitters, including bestselling authors in my genre such as Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Daniel Pink, Jon Gordon, and Astral Teller who just did a TED talk. He’s the head of Google Moon Shots. That was huge! And I was impressed with how gracious the authors were. It was fantastic.

Before I began working with you, I thought an author just kicked a finished book over to a publisher and it magically all got done. You know, all of the promotion. I didn’t realize how important your platform is, especially if you’re a nonfiction author. Now I know that publishers want you to be able to help get exposure and sell books. But getting good promotional partners is something easy that any author can do, if they know how to do it. You also helped me to get on Forbes.com and start lining up speaking engagements, which also helped my platform, and you told me what I needed to do to get a website online. I’m still figuring it all out but, again, it’s about rolling up your sleeves and simply deciding to make it happen.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

You also helped me so much with revising my manuscript. When I started writing I threw everything up on paper, which was actually useful to me because sometimes you have to get the ideas out of your head. When you started giving me guidance on the corrections, I was really upset because it had already taken so much work to get to that point. But everything you gave me in terms of constructive criticism was spot on and made me better. It also made me narrow my focus, which is exactly what I needed. Your coaching program was a lot of money for someone like me to invest in. I had to move money around to save up enough. It was like, where am I going to get this money? But I wanted your expertise and so I found the money. There are a lot of people who promise literary success on the Internet, but you gave away so much knowledge for free on your website that I thought, if you already gave away all of this for free, you must have stuff you’re holding back.

Working with you was a big investment, but I was committed to bringing my book to life so it was well worth it. I had so much self-doubt that, even to this day, I can’t completely believe what I’ve accomplished. But it’s because you were my support system. I had a man who is a billionaire tell me to flush my book down the toilet. I actually had a number of people tell me that I would never be successful, but you always believed that I would get it done and I appreciate that. Given the nature of publishing these days, you need all the help you can get. It’s hard finding an agent and getting published! It’s also a commitment, but if you follow Mark’s process and believe in the work, it can be amazing. I’m very pleased.

N A T A L I E . N E E L A N

Author of Rebel At Work: How to Innovate and Drive Results When You Aren’t the Boss, published by Diversion Books, a leading independent publisher in NYC, committed to the discovery of new voices and the rejuvenation of yesterday’s bestsellers

My agent said, “Bravo for putting such a thorough proposal together. It may be the most carefully crafted one I’ve ever received!”

I was fortunate to get four offers from top literary agents, including one at the last moment. You encouraged me to try and get her reading ASAP, since other agents were interested, and she did. I appreciated having multiple offers, and time to ask them professional and interpersonal questions. It’s important that I work with people I like, trust, and feel I can have a great interaction and relationship with. It was actually that fourth and final agent who checked all my boxes regarding likability, competence, and resources.

I’ve had two previous agents, but my most recent one retired. Since that time, I’d written a number of books. The one you and I worked on together is exceptionally important to me. I wanted to do everything I could to get a top publisher, which meant I needed a top agent. I knew that would be a challenge, so, when I came across your website, it seemed logical to hire you if I was really going to go for it.

My time with you was an education about what’s involved with getting an agent, the odds of getting a top person, and the necessary pieces to put in place to do so. For example, essential elements such as filling out your platform and other areas that might be weaknesses. I didn’t know enough to know what I didn’t know, and I didn’t know enough to ask. You moved me through everything in a step-by-step process of putting all the individual building blocks in place to construct a compelling proposal.

It was a hell of a lot of work, but, when we were done, I had everything a top agent would want and need to provide to publishers. I was also surprised and pleased at how many well-known people such as bestselling authors, media people, etc. made promises to review and promote my book once it’s published. In the past, I’ve only done something like that when the book is about to be published, or after it’s been published. Now I understand the value of having those things in advance to show agents, and I know how to get them.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

You’re very savvy, competent, and knowledgeable about the publishing industry. What first made me want to work with you was the sheer amount of valuable information on your website. That made it clear you knew what you were talking about. And, when we first spoke, I liked you and enjoyed our interactions. The money for your program was a lot, but I thought, “Okay, if I’m really going for a top agent, I need to do what’s required to make that possible.” I have most everything in life, except time.

For people thinking of working with you, the main point I would suggest they consider is that there are nuances and specificities that come out in working with someone 1-on-1. So, even though you have an enormous amount of information on your website, working with a coach is absolutely key. The personalized database of agents you make available to your clients, in which various categories and criteria are organized and clear, is also helpful. Without that, who knows how many years it would have taken me.

The reality check you give throughout the process, and your feedback about agent responses, is also useful. And you give the sense—which I’m sure is true—that you don’t give up on people. Once you take someone on, you’re there for them, willing to do what it takes to help the author be successful. It’s not, “Great, I got the money. I put in as much work as I said I would. Good luck.” It’s clearly, “Okay, you’ve made this commitment. Let’s do everything we possibly can to get you published.”

I wouldn’t call you extremely flexible because you have a proven way of doing things, but that approach has its strengths—and you’re willing to work around different types of issues or resistance your clients have. It was a pleasure working with you.

R O G E R . W A L S H

Author of Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind (Wiley), The World of Shamanism: New Views of an Ancient Tradition (Llewellyn), The World’s Great Wisdom: Timeless Teachings from Religions and Philosophies (State University of New York Press), and Wisdom: What Sages and Scientists Say about Life and Living Well (not yet published)

I was absolutely shocked when a publisher contacted me within one week of submitting my work, saying, “I love this. When can we talk?” This is my fourth book, and I’ve never had that kind of immediate response. Everything about the experience was unthinkable. I couldn’t believe it. I kept reading the email, saying, “This can’t be real.” Especially since it was a publisher that produces wonderful books, treats their authors well, and has integrity. I’ve had a variety of relationships with publishers in the past, so I wanted to find a good one.

My book bridges categories, but when I had the first conversation with my publisher, he understood the book, thanks to you. That was most valuable part of our work together. You helped me understand how to position my book, and identify the audience. I’d been struggling to dumb down my content for a younger audience. You made me see my book differently, and helped me write at my comfort level. I also had confusion on the difference between a query letter and a book proposal, and you delineated the difference.

You prepared me for success, and you gave me a lot of helpful things for finding and contacting people to promote my books. Nontraditional strategies. Although I started with you to go through the process of finding an agent, the reality is that your process is much broader than that. I like that you build on what people have to offer. You take wherever the author is and create a customized roadmap for them. And you do it without judgment. I never got any sense that you were critiquing my ability. You just showed the way, and seem like a pretty nice guy.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Your whole setup is very professional, extremely well done. One of the things that impressed me was the questionnaire you send to an author before you have a phone call with them. That questionnaire was so valuable because it allowed me to organize myself, focus, and go through everything in a logical and thoughtful sequence. It was a lot of work, but I’m sure that part of why you use it is that it’s a good screening tool. If an author isn’t willing to put in the time to fill out the questionnaire, they’re not a serious candidate for your services.

I also liked the questionnaire because, by the time we had our first conversation, we weren’t starting at ground zero. You had thoroughly read everything, so we were able to get right into it. Everything was very targeted, pointed, and valuable when we talked. You absolutely make the most of every minute on the phone with someone. My time with you was incredibly helpful on so many levels. Thank you for this invaluable experience. You are truly gifted, and I’m thrilled I could be the beneficiary of your wealth of knowledge.

L I S A . S . R O B E R T S

Author of What Is Good Design? (Schiffer), DesignPOP (Rizzoli), Mr. Waffles Loves Design (Canoe Tree Press), and Antiques of the Future (Stewart Tabori & Chang/Harry N. Abrams

We were looking for a way to break into the trade publication market, and knew the way to do that was through an agent—but we had no idea how to find the right agent. There are more than 1,000 of them. That’s when we found you, not through a referral but an Internet search. We started with your introductory coaching call, and that was extremely captivating.

You tried to tell us your long-term coaching was going to be intense, but we had no idea what that process would look like. Once we got into it, we realized how thorough it was, and how necessary it was to be that thorough. We came out of the experience with an excellent query letter, which gets your foot in the door, and an excellent book proposal.

You said we had to have everything ready, because agents sometimes respond quickly—and that was our experience. We got a good response to the first round of queries. Six agents were interested in seeing our proposal, and we had dialogue with all of them before settling on one. We didn’t go out and have a champagne dinner, but we certainly had a lot of high fives.

Our agent has been very valuable and helpful with his knowledge, and in making sure we ended up with a high quality book. All that prep work with you took more than a year: finishing the manuscript, improving our platform, choosing agents, and creating the book proposal and query. It was very necessary, and very valuable.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

We’d heard of a query letter, but didn’t really know how significant it was. A good agent can get 10,000 query letters a year, and only pick five or six people to work with. So the query letter better be good. You don’t have much time to make an impression. The agent may not even read the written manuscript, but they read the query, and—if the query is good—the proposal.

One of the reasons our query and proposal were so good is that  you helped us with another absolutely essential thing: our platform. What we thought was a reasonable platform is much bigger now. You had us reach out to more than 100 influencers. Approximately 50 of them got back to us, saying we could send them a review copy of our book when it was published.

You’re very direct telling authors what needs to be done, and you guide your authors step by step. You also do things incrementally, instead of getting authors to bite off more than they can chew. You’re also realistic, professional, and knowledgeable. This industry is mysterious to people who don’t know. You help them work their way through that, and you give great advice.

You know what the game is, and we’re grateful.

B O B . D E K O C H . & . P H I L . C L A M P I T T

Leading with Care in a Tough World: Beyond Servant Leadership
(Rodin Books, distributed by Simon & Schuster)

An agent just offered to represent me—she called my proposal “beautifully done.” Her literary agency, Waterside Productions, has sold more than 10,000 titles and their authors have made more than $500 million dollars in royalties.

She replied to my query immediately, which was very exciting, and asked, “Can we talk?” I had a lot of high hopes and the anticipation built until I was able to talk with her. Two days later, on a Sunday morning, we had a beautiful connection. It felt amazing to have someone that excited about, and aligned with, my work. At the end of the call, she said, “Okay, I’m going to email you a contract.”

I hung up the phone and said, “Wait, did that just happen? I think so. Yes, it happened. I have an agent!” It took a while to sink in. Actually, you had to tell me it was real because I thought that maybe it wasn’t done until the contract was signed. I come from real estate where there’s no deal until there’s a signature on the line.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

My husband was still asleep, so I just walked around the house saying, “Oh, my gosh.” I thought I’d be more excited, but it took a while to land. It was a strong yes though. It reminded me of the first date I went on with my husband. It’s one thing to get an agent, but it’s something else entirely to get one you feel strongly aligned with.

The timing was also interesting because my family had a trip to Europe planned. So, that trip turned into something of a celebration. My husband is my editor and he’s believed in me and the book all along. When he finally came out of the bedroom that morning, kind of groggy, and I told him, he started crying.

We both did.

Before I started querying agents, you gave me a lot of suggestions to make my book better: how to open and close the chapters, organize it using a seven-step structure that readers could implement over seven weeks, consistently include stories and anecdotes to make the book more engaging and effective, and include more of my own story as an additional teaching tool and to help readers relate.

My query and proposal were up-leveled significantly as well. So was my author platform, though I didn’t like doing that part. I won’t say I “hated” it, but it made me feel very vulnerable, reaching out to people, especially those I didn’t know, to ask for promotional support. The way you explained it made it easier, but it was still challenging. However, my response rate was very good. I don’t know if it was your tactics or divine intervention.

Maybe a bit of both.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

Three New York Times bestselling authors said they’d review my book, and many others were excited and positive about it. I can’t tell you how many times people said, “This is so needed.” Those responses made it easier to keep going. I was surprised how gracious people were. I expected way more rejections or ghosting—not replying at all.

The whole process of working with you was interesting because I really just hired you to help get me an agent. I didn’t realize you were going to help me make my book better. You’re extremely knowledgeable and intelligent but also caring, excellent at communicating, and extremely clear about expectations.

I came to you with high expectations and little hesitation—mostly just excitement—because you were referred by two successful people I know in the publishing industry who’ve done coaching with you. My husband and I had some fear we might pay and you might not deliver, but we’re spiritual. We turned it over to God and slept on it, and it was a yes.

I’m so very grateful for your integrity and belief in me.

V I C K I E . F A L C O N E

Author of Buddha Never Raised Kids and Jesus Didn’t Drive Carpool: Seven Principles for Parenting with Soul, published by Jodere in hardcover with a 19-city speaking tour (20K copies sold), and Heal from the Affair (not yet published)

After you helped me get a top agent for my first book, I received three offers from publishers: Harper Collins, McGraw Hill, and BenBella Books. You’ve been included in my “Acknowledgements” as I couldn’t have gotten the ball rolling without you. My agent is excited about my next book as well. She said she’ll start pitching it as soon as it’s ready. Now that I’m started, I’m going full blast!

It all began with following your advice for the query letter, book proposal, promotional platform, and prioritizing agents—along with getting more rejections than I want to remember. I kept thinking, “Oh, my gosh. Here comes another one. I don’t want to look at it. I know it’s a no.” But then I found one that was a maybe, which eventually turned into a yes.

I should probably describe the maybe. My agent was in my very first batch of mailings. I’d never heard from her at all. It seems she was working of a few other projects and decided to put this one on the shelf until she had time to investigate fully. Her first conversation with me began, “I need to see an edited version of this. Are you willing to pay for an editor?” I found one and she did a fine job. If anyone needs an affordable one with a proven track record, I can put you in touch.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

She then asked, “Do you have a problem with me taking this book to publishers and seeing what we can accomplish?” I tried to be professional and control my jubilation, and, one week later, we got the first offer. Three days later, we got the second offer, and, about a week after that, we got the third offer. I chose McGraw Hill, and the experience has been amazing.

You have to go through so much rejection, and I had to keep everything in perspective, which I’ll do from now on. My agent only takes a couple of books per year because she gets involved from day one and sees everything through to publication and beyond, continuing her efforts to market each book and develop her authors’ careers.

What’s really fascinating is I signed the contract two months ago and I’m still getting rejections from old submissions. When that happens, I reply, “Thank you but I’ve already received three offers from publishers. When you see my book on a bestseller list, you can say, “Oh, I screwed up!” Okay, I haven’t done that, but I’ve sure as hell thought about it!

When I was querying, some agents asked, “Have you written anything before and what was your selling record?” I said, “No,” and they weren’t interested. I thought, “You lazy people.” They just want to find someone who’s already published, pick them off from the agent they have now. I mean, do your own damn work [insert laughter]. My agent was willing to do the work, and my experience has been remarkable.

My wife and I haven’t celebrated yet, but we will when the first check arrives. My advance ended up being three times larger than when we started, because my agent got three publishers bidding. She also negotiated a better royalty percentage for subsidiary rights such as audio and foreign sales, and she pushed for the book to be published earlier than the publisher had planned.

None of it came easily.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

I started by following your advice about reaching out to influencers, and I got nothing from people but rejection and more rejection. I felt like Snoopy on top of his doghouse, opening more and more mail that said no. I started second-guessing everything and figuring I’d made the biggest mistake. I began thinking about how I could have gotten a job and earned money, instead of wasting money…and my time and effort.

I was also afraid the #1 organization in my industry would destroy me because my book talks about how they don’t go far enough to accomplish anything. But I sent pre-publication copy of my book to the most influential person in that organization. I didn’t know how bad it was going to get, but I prepared for a crucifixion.

Instead, the man I critiqued turned out to be an amazing human being. He read my book, which trashes a lot of what he’s promoted, but he said, “Oh, my God. This is exactly what everybody needs.” He then volunteered to write the foreword and said, “This should be the Bible for project management,” which was previously the “PMBOK” or Project Management Body of Knowledge, that he’s now completely changed.

The man is closing in on retirement and actually said my book should replace the PMBOK, and that, if that happens, “It will fulfill his legacy.” So, this is my way of saying that an author might start out with huge negativity, but, if you keep going, your book might get published. Fears, feedback, and rejection are things we all have to learn to put up with. I had to learn that lesson again when I started querying agents.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 4

Like before, while building my platform, I got a lot of rejection. But then I reached out to an agent—it only takes one—who was the person because she’s marvelous. She’s easy to work with and serious about making my book successful. In the end, everything turned out the way it was supposed to. I’ve gone from being swallowed up by negativity to swimming in opportunity.

During my coaching with you, I actually got to the point where I’d decided it was no longer worth it. I didn’t want to hear anymore. I backed off, but you initiated contact with me again, after a while, and said, “Why aren’t you pushing this?” That’s when I decided to get back on the masochism wagon, as I’d already paid for the experience. Soon after that, I got my agent.

Opportunity grows by itself. I don’t understand fully, but will accept this axiom. As I was pushing the book to university professors, overnight I had seventeen universities wanting to use it as a textbook. Since McGraw Hill has an education department, they got on top of this one immediately. However, my book has no chapter questions and huge examples of work for students to learn and practice from. My contract with McGraw Hill was signed in August and the book will be available in February which is like lightning fast. I’m also just finishing a workbook to be sold on Amazon through my business, which I will send a copy of to every university so they can choose to use the book as textbooks. This way, I will perhaps double my income.

I’m in process of building up my consulting business so we’re capable of performing training and professional services like no other company can. Every day I wake up more excited than I was the last. When I mentioned my second book to my agent, her response was, “Don’t do anything with it now! The first book will be so successful it’s hard to imagine the deal I’ll be able to negotiate for that one!” So, I’m concentrating on the workbook for the first book. Life is good!

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 5

I like having more time to write, now that I have an agent. I’ve also enjoyed that my agent and publisher have essentially become a team with me. We’re working together, looking at how to turn nebulous ideas and dreams into concrete action. It’s a joy. I’m also building my own team to market the book, and I’m building my business around what’s in my book. I’d been sitting on some ideas for about five years, thinking, “Eh, nobody will listen.”

Now they are…

Having a well-known publisher with the endorsement of a well-recognized figure in my industry is opening all types of doors. And, as an expert on project management, I can tell other authors that following a proven process to get an agent, like I did, is smart. I spent time Googling how to get published but couldn’t find anything as thoughtful and thorough as what Mark provides. He will help get your book in the hands of agents, instead of it falling through the hole under their inbox…into the trash barrel or shredder directly underneath.

Agents are inundated with thousands of submissions, so many that some agents will say they might not get back to you for six months, if at all. Mark won’t promise you a top literary agent or offer from a good publisher—or three offers from publishers—but working with him will give you a great advantage.

It’s like when I wake up each morning and look out at the world, then put my glasses on so I can suddenly see more. Things start to come into focus. Working with Mark is like putting on your glasses.

D U A N E . P E T E R S E N

Author of Transforming Project Management: An Essential Paradigm for Turning Your Strategic Planning into Action (McGraw-Hill)

I now have an agent… the president of a New York boutique agency with many bestsellers and award-winning titles!

I’d published books with a traditional publisher before, but my old publisher didn’t want my new book. They passed on it. I didn’t know what to do at that point since I’d lucked into my previous book deals—the publisher had approached me. So, when my new book got rejected, it was clear that a book deal wasn’t going to just fall into my lap again.

I was out of ideas and frankly bewildered about selecting agents, at a very low point when I went on to the Internet to see what I could find. Mark’s websites came up everywhere so I decided to give him a chance, and I’m very glad I did. Mark was supportive and encouraging at a time when I was questioning my writing ability, and my sanity. That meant a great deal to me.

In terms of practical help, Mark helped me with valuable revisions to the manuscript that made it more accessible to a bigger audience (including agents). I had no clue about how to write a query letter or book proposal, either. Mark helped me get a clearer picture of what I was doing so I could communicate everything better.

Mark also helped me choose the best agents for my work. I had no idea and it would have been impossible to approach that part of the process, on that scale, on my own. If you’re sending your work to the wrong people and you don’t get the right responses it can get really depressing. When I started sending out the query letter Mark revised for me, I got a couple of requests the first week. Then I got more requests and signed with Helen a short time later.

Since I’ve always done things myself, it didn’t occur to me to hire a coach or consultant. When I saw what Mark was offering I was torn. I knew it might be a wonderful opportunity, but I also knew it might be a scam. There’s a lot of stuff on the Internet that would be a real mistake to get involved with. There’s the fear you’re going to be taken advantage of. This guy looks good on paper, but who is he really?

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I didn’t read Mark’s website very carefully before I signed up for my first call with him. I wanted to go by my own inner guidance, and it just felt right. After I committed to the first call, however, I looked more carefully at Mark’s websites. Everything they said was so valuable and sensible. They were also very sensitive to the issues that were concerning me. At that point I knew there was a good chance Mark was who he said he was.

During my introductory coaching call with Mark, I got a sense of him as an honest person who was going to do what he said. I could also see a path with him going in the direction of publication. I couldn’t see the point of just sitting at the edge of that path, not walking down it, so I was relieved to have Mark to rely upon, to know what to do in an area where I frankly didn’t.

New authors have a fairly naïve idea of what it takes to get published, and it’s easy to become discouraged when it doesn’t work out. Years ago I saw statistics showing that most people who start writing a book never complete it. And most people who finish writing a book never get an agent. That’s partly because authors who don’t have contact with an expert in the publishing industry are inclined to think a little magically about it.

As my stepdaughter (also a consultant) pointed out, in business and any other enterprise, people understand they don’t know everything about some aspect of the business they’re operating in. They need to call in someone who has the expertise they lack. I think it’s realistic. If you can’t afford to pay Mark, you’ll have to try and do it on your own. But if you can afford it and hold back, it implies a lack of seriousness getting to your happy ending.

I was glad to put myself in the hands of someone who knew what to do. Mark is smart and honest and knows what he’s talking about.

C A R O L Y N . M I L L E R

Author of Creating Miracles: A Practical Guide to Divine Intervention (H J Kramer Inc/New World Library), Soulmates: Following Inner Guidance to the Relationship of Your Dreams (H J Kramer Inc/New World Library, Novato), Creating Miracles: Understanding the Experience of Divine Intervention (C.G. Miller, H J Kramer Inc, Tiburon)

I now have an agent!

When Lisa Hagan offered to represent me, I had three other agents interested. You suggested I follow up with them because I might have liked one of them more, and I agreed to that. It gave me more time to study Lisa’s portfolio as well, but it was also a bit of a conundrum since I was already excited about Lisa.

She had sold books to major publishers, she was really enthusiastic about my book, and I had a sense we’d have a good, long-term relationship, one I would enjoy. In her emails to me Lisa showed the capacity to embrace more dimensions of myself than I thought possible in an agent: the engineer, the activist, the spiritual person, and the person who tries to walk my environmental talk (with my wife). I thought “There’s nothing else I am looking for in an agent.” So, I wrote an email to her, expressing the reasons why I really wanted her as my agent. A final “YES!!!” message.

It was hard letting those other agents go, but I wrote the difficult emails to them saying I’d made my decision. They responded with gracious, well-wishes. THEN, I was able to feel that joy that comes when you’ve made a HUGE step on a journey to your dreams! Upon reflection, I felt like I chose the agent rather than the agent choosing me.

As you know, it took a lot, including a lot of queries, to get to this point. Sending out submissions is not a job for the faint of heart. When you sent me that Excel spreadsheet with all the agents who might be interested in my book, it was a learning process. There was a lot of information and I was clunky about using it at first. That was challenging given my limited experience with spreadsheets, figuring out the system and how to send out a lot of queries.

You didn’t suggest I send out a few email queries here and there, but in big batches. I wouldn’t and couldn’t have done it that way without you. I didn’t get much response for quite a while, but the sheer numbers of queries you had me send out were good for my psychology. It shifted me from being the victim of a highly competitive industry to being in control of my circumstances. That was significant.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I probably wouldn’t have gotten to that “popcorn popping” of requests from agents if I hadn’t worked with you. There’s a phrase I read in a business article that basically says, “Hire people that can ship.” It speaks to the idea that you just need to send things out at a certain point. It isn’t going to be perfect, but you’ve got to send it anyway and get on to the next one and the next one and the next one. I didn’t start out with that kind of discipline, but I started doing things faster when I realized how long I was taking.

You helped me stay focused on a proven strategy. Rejections just became noise, something happening along the way to “Yes.” Stepping stones. A “No” answer was better than a non-answer because I knew the agent had read my query. It was a definitive step closer to the next agent that might want my book.

One agent asked for my book proposal the morning after I queried her. She was encouraging but felt I was trying to do too much. Another worried about the market. Another just failed to fall in love. However, I was surprised that not a single agent complained about my platform. Considering I’m not well-known, that is extraordinary.

The things you did with me to build my platform were a major part of our work together. I recognized my platform deficiency early on, and you were very diplomatic about saying, “You need to work on that.” I was surprised you didn’t ask me to do things outside my skill set. You didn’t ask me to become a social media butterfly or do a whole lot of public speaking engagements. Those things would have been really hard for me. Instead, you played to my strengths.

I didn’t see the path to building a platform until you showed it to me. It was more like, “Yeah, I’ve done a lot of stuff but it’s not going to bring me up to the point where my message could get out to lots of people.” Even at the end of our process, right before I started querying agents, I wasn’t convinced my platform was good enough. It was just a compilation of things I’d done and things I planned to do in the future. But it communicated my capacity and ability to promote a book.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

As you’ll recall, it was hard getting to “yes” related to your fee. My wife and I had to cash in savings bonds to do it. As an author, you think, “If I knew I was going to make a million dollars, of course I’d invest in the coaching.” But the odds of making a million dollars on a book are low, at least at the outset.

I’m not much of a gambler, so I worked with you to increase my probability of success. Writing has been a passion of mine for a long time, but if I’m serious about making a difference in the world, I need to learn what it really takes to publish with a mainstream publisher. I’ve passed up opportunities to get a second master’s degree and a PhD, not because those things wouldn’t be nice, but because the payoff for didn’t make sense at this point in my career. I thought, “How am I going to get $60,000 back from a PhD?” I couldn’t see it.

When my wife and I looked at the investment to work with you, we said, “Okay. It costs less than a PhD, and it’s a teaching tailored to what I wanted to do. My intention was to learn a very specific set of skills that I would need to share my book with a large audience. You offered a customized curriculum for imparting those skills, and you only accept authors for coaching if you see they have real potential for success.

Your coaching program is essentially a tough “school” that prepares writers for a tough business. The reason I say that is to put your fee in context. People pay fees of the same order – and more – to learn robotics, writing, designing games, and political science. I can say it more brazenly than you to other authors: “Do you want to publish a mainstream book, or just say you tried?” Having ongoing interaction with you in coaching is a lot different than just getting advice from a book or conference or hiring an editor.

You have an excellent process, you’re patient, and you pace things according to what your clients need and are capable of. I’m slow, with a lot of other things going on in my life, but that didn’t stop us because your process didn’t depend on me coming back at a specific moment in time. That’s really a plus. I also appreciate that you worked with me for 18 months, even though our agreement was for just a year. You read your clients pretty well. The experience has been transformative.

Finally, I want to thank you for your valuable guidance regarding the manuscript itself. You suggested I improve the beginning of my book and add an important chapter. You also showed me how to present the spiritual part of my message in a way that felt good to me and wouldn’t be off-putting to readers. With your experience and perspective, those types of things are normal for you, but, for someone like me, they’re gold.

Thank you, from my heart.

J O N . B I E M E R

Author of Our Environmental Handprints: Recover the Land, Reverse Global Warming, Reclaim the Future, published in hardcover by Rowman and Littlefield, a leading traditional publisher of many bestsellers that produces both trade and academic books, and one of America’s largest book distributors: National Book Network (NBN)

MARK, MARK, MARK!!!!!!!

Holy smokes…I just signed my book deal.

First, two well-known literary agents asked to represent me. One of them responded to my query letter in less than 4 minutes!!

Then THREE different publishers wanted my book and started talking about making offers. The publisher I chose is perfect for me because they produce titles for the trade, educational, and scientific markets. And they agreed to publish my book as a hardcover!!!

When I met you, Mark, it was a pivotal time. I was under the belief that I could self-publish my book with a vanity press and then seek a publisher. I didn’t know what a literary agent was, why I needed one, or how to get one. I was wandering in the dark. You guided me in the right direction and gave me a solid plan.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I needed to get my book published by a legitimate publisher to help grow my business. You took a personal interest by taking extra time to get to know my book and I. That way you could discover exactly what I was trying to say, and do it the best way.

The query letter you helped me write captured the essence of my voice in a tight, professional format that allowed agents to get everything they needed in four short paragraphs. It wasn’t blather, or omissive in any way; it was complete and concise. You also brought in more of my personal experience and credibility to make my promotional platform stronger.

You’re personable and friendly and I like the way that you bounce ideas back and forth. You collaborate with your clients. For me that was the most important part. You’re interactive and communicative, and you listen. You’re also very professional.

Before I started working with you, I was wondering: ‘How am I going to afford this?’ That was my main concern, and that has always been the concern for me. It was a big investment. I didn’t know how I was going to do it given my life circumstances, and I didn’t know if it was going to be worth it.

Was it comfortable? No. But the query letter and book proposal did what they were supposed to do, so now I can say that it was absolutely worth it. If someone wants to get to the highest level, working with you is worthwhile. If someone is serious about getting out there, in the right way, this is the way to do it. Your support and guidance have been invaluable.

Thank you.

M A R D E L L . H I L L

Founder of Clear Health Boulder Colonic Center and author of Intestinal Health, published in hardcover by Rowman and Littlefield, a leading traditional publisher of many bestsellers that produces both trade and academic books, and one of America’s largest book distributors: National Book Network (NBN)

I received three offers from top literary agents. The agent I signed with said my book proposal was the best she’s ever seen. Initially, I’d started feeling down after receiving requests for more material following by silence. Then I started getting serious interest and experiencing the anxiety that comes with talking to multiple agents.

It’s exciting but difficult having those conversations. The initial anxiety is A, you won’t get anybody, and B, if you do, you’re not worth it. Imposter syndrome. I had to do personal processing along the way. As you told me, Mark, agents have different expectations and requirements. One agent wanted me to write an article in The Atlantic and have 50,000 people on Twitter. That was a downer. Another agent said, “You’re not good enough.”

But other agents made offers.

My book was originally a critique of our nation’s mental health problem and failure, with an explanation regarding how we got here. You told me, politely, that was depressing and would only appeal to a small audience, and you encouraged me to add things that individuals, organizations, companies, and legislators could do to fix the problem. That made the book more actionable and uplifting.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I’d toyed with that idea before, but never been able to figure out how to make it work. Now I have an entire section in the book about that, and I’m glad, since some of the agents wanted reassurance that the book had hope and practical ways readers might help themselves and others they care about. It’s a nice approach that alleviates and balances the science part of the book that can be heavy for readers.

You also showed me how to improve my platform.

Dozens of well-known people including leading scientists and bestselling authors replied when I wrote to them. I thought nobody would respond. One of the big names I contacted set up a Zoom call with me to follow up and he hooked me up with more important people. The work I did is now building on itself. I laugh about it now, as I can remember sending things out things thinking, “God, this is going to be a dead end.”

But I decided if I was going to pay the kind of money you charge, I was damn well going to follow your recommendations. I mean, there’s no sense sitting there dinking around for three months doing nothing. The reason I got to you in the first place was that, after I’d gotten the first draft of my book proposal and gotten my website online, I needed to find an agent. I was on my own and didn’t have a clue.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

So, I started looking through the thousand-page agent books and making lists of potential agents interested in science and so on. It was overwhelming. That’s when I remembered having seen your material and I decided, “There’s no way on God’s green earth I’m going to keep wading through this morass alone.” Working with you was expensive but worth the money, no question.

During our first call together, you sounded like a solid and successful citizen who knew what he was doing. You were also honest and didn’t overpromise. In other words, you didn’t sound like a con man, I trusted you, and I took the leap.

It worked out nicely.

The work was hard but the suggestions and tools you share with your clients—like the agent spreadsheet you prepared for me—are gangbusters. Your master agent directory must have taken you an eternity to put together. The way you rank the agents based on their success for your clients saves a lot of time and makes everything systematic. I like that. If I had done this on my own, I don’t think I’d have even sent 20 queries out by now. The difference in the two approaches is night and day.

If anybody ever asks me, “What’s the best way to get an agent and get published?” and so on, I’m going to tell them to get ahold of you. It’s the best money I’ve spent. Even if I hadn’t gotten an agent, I would recommend you. The process of trying to get an agent is so formidable, authors need help, and I’ve enjoyed working with you.

Thanks again, very much.

R O B E R T . S M I T H

Author of Has Medicine Lost It’s Mind? (Prometheus), Essentials of Psychiatry in Primary Care, and Patient-Centered Interviewing (McGraw-Hill)

Mark, it felt very good to know that a respected and successful agent, Kathryn Green, took my work seriously and was moved enough to take me on. The entire process of trying to get an agent was energy-draining and the rejections made me feel demeaned and cheapened. It seemed like, in many cases, agents cared more about my platform than about my content or about my past professional credentials. I have credentials and write quality material for a niche market, but I was completely inexperienced about how to market myself.

The rejections I received made me feel like I wasn’t good enough, but many agents asked to look at my material. Kathryn really liked the idea of a cookbook combined with stories. She said it was an interesting concept, a unique concept, and you’re the one who suggested it. I remember it vividly. I had wanted to get my book about Jewish cuisine published, but I had also written some children’s stories. You gave me the idea of combining the cookbook concept with the children’s stories.

The list of agents you gave me was also incredibly helpful. Without it, I would have fumbled around, gone online and looked up names, but I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere by myself. Your list was a Godsend because it had the best agents interested in my type of work. Cold calling is not easy. But, if you have the right base of people to contact, well, then you know who to approach. You helped me rewrite my query letter and my proposal so they became more impactful in a way that would give me an edge over other queries and proposals.

My favorite part of this process, Mark, was not being alone in figuring out what to do next or how to do it. Nothing is more alienating than having to do everything yourself and not knowing if what you’re doing is going to have an effect. So, the fact that you were there, looking at what I was doing, advising and critiquing, was really valuable. You were open and friendly, engaging and engaged, and I always felt that you were interested in and concerned about my success.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Unlike some authors, I like to have critiques. I might not always sound like it, but, that isn’t true. I like to hear somebody else tell me what I don’t see myself, especially if it’s somebody who has a professional approach and professional experience. My personality is such that I don’t give up. I don’t quit. But, without the tools that you gave me, I would have been dead in the water without a paddle. Instead, every time I had a doubt or question, I was able to run things by you, and that happened about four or five times.

I was nervous about signing up with you because I don’t have a lot of money. Every dollar in my retirement fund was paid for in blood. I haven’t had an easy life. For me, the biggest worry was parting with money that I don’t have a lot of. But, I knew that if I didn’t make a financial investment, I would get nowhere. So, the question became, ‘Where can I get help that isn’t going to hurt me?’ That’s when I found you and made the investment, hoping it would bring me a return.

I would never ever self-publish anything. I’m not going to shell out every dime to be published, and then do all the work myself to promote it. Plus, I’m egocentric enough to feel that my work is of enough quality and caliber to not have to do that, never mind the fact that so many good people are stuck in such a position. But, invest money for help to try to get an agent who can get me a book deal with a traditional publisher? I ended up saying, ‘Yeah, I’m going to give that a try. I’m gambling. I’m nervous. Will it work out? I don’t know.’

But, thank God, it did!

R O B E R T . S T E R N B E R G

Author of Yiddish Cuisine (Jason Aronson, Inc.), The Sephardic Kitchen (Harper Collins), and an upcoming Jewish family cookbook and storybook

After following your advice, my book was acquired by Pegasus Books, the prestigious PW gave it a great review, and Time Magazine asked for an excerpt.

As a writing consultant who crafts query letters as part of my business, I know how to hook an agent. But your expertise was invaluable in agent-related decisions that followed. I learned critical things, including how to best communicate with my agent, how to get her re-engaged, how to make a decision about staying with her or leaving, how to help her sell the project, and how to get to the point where she ended up calling me a “dream client.”

Prior to that, I felt like I’d done everything possible to help my agent be successful pitching my book: research, revisions, communicating clearly, being patient, and trusting the process. I already had strong television interest, but that’s unreliable and wasn’t enough to convince publishers. Then, finally, after three years with this project, and after I worked with you, I got an offer.

It was validating because I identify as an author, not just a writing consultant. While I was having trouble selling the book, there was this low-lying depression under everything else I did. I knew I was a good writer, but I wondered if I was crazy to feel so passionate about this idea. So, it was great having that “Oh, my God” moment, and seeing my agent so happy because she worked so hard. Now she sees me as persistent rather than a pest. Prior to that, I didn’t know when I was being helpful vs overstepping.

Now I understand it was mostly a matter of learning how to communicate and keep my emotions to myself, understanding this is a business. But, like you said, working with an agent is a personal relationship as well. I had to keep reminding myself to respect that anything could be happening on her end, and, unless she said otherwise, she was doing her best and I needed to keep doing my best, while completely dependent on her.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

It’s ironic that when I made the decision to “just” do what I could and let go of worrying, I got the text with the offer. I jumped up and down, screamed and put champagne in the fridge. Seeing the announcement on Publisher’s Marketplace was even better. My agent described the book to sound more brilliant than I dared to imagine.

As writers, we’re so close to our work that self-doubt and a lack of perspective are often part of the artistic journey – especially when changing hats to the sales side. And when we don’t sell a book right away, we tend to feel like it isn’t good enough and we’re not good enough. It’s devastating, because when you start doubting the value of your work, you often start doubting yourself and whether you have the tools to deal with an agent.

Authors don’t want that, not just because it’s painful, but because it’s counter-productive. We need to sound important and impress agents so they respect our work. We want to be cool and confident, without communicating self-doubt, because otherwise the agents follow your lead and feel the challenge to place it. That’s what I was hearing from my agent before I spoke with you. Later, she admitted she’s never stuck with an author that long or sent their work to that many publishers.

The advice you gave me included things I hadn’t thought of doing, I was too lazy to do, and I was afraid to do. Your tips ultimately got my agent back on my team to sell the book and call me a dream client. With your advice I was able to be more patient, practical, and considerate while communicating with my agent. I was able to make a logical plan to decide between the risks of staying versus the risks of leaving. You also helped me see how to share things she might find helpful. I used to just email a nudge and run away.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

Another thing you got me to do was look differently at the positioning of my book. The author questionnaire you had me fill out, that we then talked about, gave me a chance to revise the project to have a stronger orientation. When I talked to my agent again about it, and I mean really talked to her on the phone, not just emailing her like a coward, I had more confidence and a better package for her to send to publishers.

Before you and I talked, I read your newsletter and everything on your website. I wrote reams of notes about things to do. But when we spoke during coaching, your tips were personalized. You suggested ways to reword things and, in terms of platform, you shared ideas to quickly improve my platform prior to publication, to show agents I was willing and able to get interest and exposure and sell books.

I liked that when you and I got on the phone, you had read all my stuff, knew exactly what I was talking about, and it felt like we were friends. And, with your platform-building suggestions, you showed me how to address people the way a publicist would. You made it seem like I could do it on my own, and I actually explored going in that direction. That made the book real, and it resulted in a more attractive pitch, opening people’s eyes to the possibilities of where and how the book would sell. And now that I have a hardback book to show off, the TV deal is moving forward with a “based on” credit.

The niche you have helping people get agents is just—nobody else does it like this. Writers ask me for advice about publishing all the time and I say what has worked for me and lot of the same tips writers can learn at seminars. It’s all good basic information, but not specific to any one project. I now recommend you to my clients as soon as they are interested, whether they are just starting, or when they are about to give up.

You’re the only one who exclusively helps authors get agents, and you’re the only one who’s helped hundreds of authors get agents. Thank you for believing in my book, and for helping me share the surprising truth about women’s most popular body part!

L E S L I E . L E H R

Author of A Boob’s Life: How America’s Obsession Shaped Me―and You, published by Pegasus Books, distributed by Simon & Schuster and now in development for a TV series by Salma Hayek for HBOMax

Mark, you’re a thoughtful gentleman and a constructive critic.

Thanks in part to your query letter, manuscript suggestions, and support prioritizing agents, I received multiple offers from agents. Within two weeks of sending out the first query, I knew who I was going to sign with.

I was able to embrace almost all your story recommendations—they were informative, made me a better writer, and loosened me up for more changes from my agent and publisher. Some of the suggestions you made, my agent also made, such as giving the protagonist’s wife more room, introducing her sooner, and getting the story off to a faster start.

Agents were also happy that I spent so much time brainstorming and researching promotional angles and outlets. I’m glad you encouraged me to do that. Now I have a really good marketing plan that will be helpful selling the book. The amount of detail you required for the marketing plan was the most challenging part of the process.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Now, I completely embrace it.

Before we met, I wanted to find a certain type of agent—one who’d understand the value of my work, bring it to life in the mind of readers, and bring it to life on the screen. When I looked online for a coach, your name rose to the top. After we spoke, I knew we’d work well together. I could tell by the questions you asked and your ability to listen. You understood where I was coming from, and you were extremely helpful.

I trust people and respect them, until they give me a reason not to. During our first conversation, I came away with trust and respect, but I also found myself thinking, “This guy’s a pro. I think he knows what he’s doing.”

I was correct…

And I value our friendship.

N E L S O N . J O H N S O N – HOW I GOT MY LITERARY AGENT

Author of the NY Times bestselling book Boardwalk Empire, which led to the critically acclaimed HBO series (produced by Martin Scorsese), and Darrow’s Nightmare: The Forgotten Story of America’s Most Famous Trial Lawyer

I got nine offers of representation from literary agents—in less than one week—and my book is now being published in hardcover by Citadel Press, an imprint of Kensington Publishing. I heard back from some agents in less than an hour, including the one I ultimately went with, who’s responsible for multiple New York Times bestsellers in my genre.

I was blown away, it’s been surreal.

After spending a decade on this project, I was tired. Going through your process was even more work, as you warned me it would be. But it was good, including sending queries to so many agents. That helped me get many offers, and that allowed me to choose the best agent. My agent spoke very highly of my book proposal, and the credit for that goes to you. He sent it to all the major houses right away, and we got interest from multiple publishers.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I’m thankful my book is finally getting out. One of the surviving veterans in my story thanked me on behalf of all the children of veterans honored in the book. He said they wouldn’t know what their dads went through, without my book, because veterans don’t usually talk about their experiences. I feel blessed to be the shepherd of this story, and to have been entrusted by the men I talked to about their experiences.

When I finished writing my book, it jumped around in time and was too academic. One of the best things you did was get me to make it linear, put everything in my own words, and get rid of the long quotes from academics. You also said the book was too long, so I cut around 80,000 words. My editor is the Editor-in-Chief for Citadel, and she didn’t change a single word of the book. Not even the title!

I was floored.

I’ve always been the sort of man who knows his limits and knows when he needs help. I was afraid I’d fail if I tried to get a literary agent and publisher on my own. So I found you on the Internet and didn’t look at any other coaches after that. You hooked me right away. Your testimonials and what you said on your website really clicked with me. Hiring you was the best decision I could have made.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

Working with you wasn’t hard, but it was time-intensive, as you said it would be. I like that you really respected my time. You were always on point. I knew as soon as you answered the phone that it was going to be your show. You were going to tell me, based on your experience, exactly what I should do. And I knew, because I trusted you immediately, to just shut up and do it.

That’s what I did.

I was still an active CIA officer at the time, so doing things like making a website and promoting myself to build my platform went against every fiber of my being. I’m still not a big self-promoter, but I’m growing more comfortable with it. I’m glad, because me doing that led to me getting a blurb from General David Petraeus, who read my book and called it a brilliant page-turner!

It was a leap of faith and a financial sacrifice to go with you, but it was worth every penny. It’s something I’ll always be grateful I did. I don’t think I could have done this alone. I’m almost 100% sure I couldn’t have done it alone.

Sending you heartfelt thanks,

M I K E . C R O I S S A N T – HOW I GOT MY LITERARY AGENT

Bombing Hitler’s Hometown: The Untold Story of the Last Mass Bomber Raid of WWII in Europe (Kensington Publishing / Citadel Press)

Thank you for your support during the nail-biting experience of getting an agent. My book is now being published by Skyhorse Publishing, distributed by Simon & Schuster. They’ve published 52 New York Times bestsellers, and they were named by Publishers Weekly as the fastest-growing small publisher in America.

After you and I worked on my manuscript, book proposal, platform, and query letter, I prepared to send out my first large round of submissions to agents. But, within 24 hours, eight agents asked for more information and I got an offer.

I was thrilled. 

I then took your advice and used the script you sent me to start contacting all the interested agents to let them know I had an offer. I said I couldn’t wait three or four months for them to read the manuscript and decide if they wanted to represent it. So, they pushed everything aside to read my proposal in a hurry.

It was exciting but extremely stressful, trying to figure out how long to wait, which offer was best, and how to do it without pissing anyone off. I was freaked out talking to different agents on the phone. Thank goodness I had you. Once I knew who I was going to work with, I went out with my husband and two author friends to celebrate.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Before I worked with you, I sent out many queries for my book but didn’t get offers, just standard rejections. After getting requests for more material and having every agent pass, I knew something wasn’t right. That’s when I started doing research and reached out to you.

One of the reasons it worked the second time is that you helped me emphasize different themes. The message of the book remained the same, but you helped me phrase the query letter and description in a way that made the book more relatable. Before, it was just a survivor story about a kid in Vietnam. Now it appeals to a broader audience—it’s an inspirational memoir about diversity, survival, and unconditional love.

My agent said the query letter was exceptional, and every other agent who contacted me for more material said the same thing. The agents also said my author platform was impressive. In fact, my agent said, “It’s so impressive that it might just be too much.” She said she was going to pull out some of the things we included in the marketing plan and tell publishers there’s more promotional material if they want it.

While writing my book, my friends asked about you, I would say, “This man, I have a love-hate relationship with him. What I love about my coach is that he’s an expert and very caring. He’s like the parent who knows what’s best and tells the kids what to do, but the kids don’t like it because it is hard work.” Working with you felt like I was getting my master’s degree in English literature 🙂

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

Actually, I felt like I was being trained by Mr. Miyagi in the movie The Karate Kid. It was a lot of, “Change this. Do it again. Wax on. Wax off.” One day, you’ll remember this, I was lazy and didn’t put enough effort into my chapter summaries. You made me redo them four times. Each time, I told my husband, “Damn it, he keeps bossing me around!” I love that you told me what I needed to hear, to put myself in a better position, and my husband had a good laugh at the torture you put me through.

Developing my author platform was also painful. I remember thinking how hard it was but then I got 14 well-known people saying they would review my book for promotional purposes. I was so excited. When I told you, you said it was a good start. Then, when I told you I had 28 people, you said that was better but you asked me if I wanted to be mediocre or excellent.

I told my husband, “He’s killing me, he’s killing me!” I didn’t like hearing the word mediocre. My husband said, “This man knows how to push your buttons. He knows how to get you to do more.” My husband was quite entertained by the whole process. You were part of my family dinner conversation and the kids loved learning about you and your “agonizing” process. 🙂 And, needless to say, that’s how you continued getting me to raise the bar and took me from zero promotional partners to 59.

I appreciate you pushing me.

Another way to describe working with you is training for an Ironman Triathlon. When athletes are training for those events with coaches, pushing through the pain, they often say, “I hate you. You’re torturing me. You’re killing me.” It can feel that way, but the coach and athlete respect each other, and the athlete knows the coach has good intentions.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 4

The agent list you made for me, with the agents prioritized regarding who’s really good, was also a godsend. Copying and pasted agent information manually is a lot of work and that takes too much time. Having the list you sent to me allowed me to get a lot of queries out pretty fast, much, much faster than before I worked with you.

What first sold me on you wasn’t just the big number of testimonials on your website, or the success you’ve helped people achieve. It was the caring way people who’ve worked with you talk about their experience. When I spent the money to do your coaching, I didn’t know if I’d get an agent, but I knew I’d learn a lot and have a much better chance.

I expected it to be hard, but I was really surprised at the joy and the respect I felt working with you—the partnership. My husband, who is now a fan of yours, was so intrigued by the relationship I have with you that he asked me for updates to figure out what you’d been doing to push me. He wanted to learn your moves, especially after finding me staying up at two in the morning doing the work!

Authors should know they can’t just give you their credit card number. They have to do the work. And they should expect to run into challenges. When that happens, they need to remember that you only want them to succeed. Then need to just shut up and do the work. That’s what I kept telling myself. You can cry inside for five or ten minutes. But then do the work. If you’re not willing to do what Mark suggests, then don’t join his program because you’ll waste your money and also cause frustration for everyone.

Thanks again, Mark, for everything!

N H I . A R O N H E I M

Author of Soles of a Survivor, published by Skyhorse Publishing, distributed by Simon & Schuster, with 52 New York Times bestsellers, named by Publishers Weekly as the fastest-growing small publisher in America

“It’s said that refugees lead three lives: their life before being driven from their home; their life on the move, seeking refuge; and, if they survive, a new life adapting to a foreign land. Nhi Aronheim lives all those lives and more in this memoir of persistence, hope, and healing.”

– Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee

So many literary agents offered to represent me, I got tired of trying to figure out which one was best! The one I signed with is one of the top agents in America. She said she’d get down on her knees and worship me for what I’ve done in life as the first illiterate NBA basketball player to get a master’s degree and graduate magna cum laude, and my ability to help people. Then she asked if I would give her the honor of allowing her to represent me.

I tried to tell my story for 40 years before I met you, Mark, and finally got it done. I started when I was 32 years old. Now I’m 72. I wish I’d met you sooner! I was blind before. I thought my story was powerful enough to stand on its own and that everybody would want to publish it. That wasn’t true. I paid another company to create a book proposal for me, but that didn’t work. I wrote query letters, even called people. Nobody listened. I got no replies and got hung up on.

It was so hard because I tried and tried and tried on my own, but it wasn’t working. The book proposal you helped me create was much more detailed. One literary agent said it was too long and I said, “No, it’s not.” We got 15 literary agents to say yes, so we did something right! You elaborate on things in a proposal and query that convinces literary agents and publishers to say yes. What you did worked bigtime.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Some authors are stubborn or don’t want to do the work. When you gave me an assignment, I did it. You would then go over it and say, “Dean, I like this, but you need to change this.” I would say, “Well, Mark, you know what? I really don’t want to change it, but I’m going to take your advice anyway. You know better than I do how to make this thing fly if it’s gonna fly.” So, bam! There we go! My success and legacy are more important than my ego.

Those are the choices authors need to make when they work with you. An author will never succeed or accomplish their mission as an author if they don’t believe in their book, themselves, and their financial investment to work with you. And they’re gonna pay if they don’t listen because you’re not cheap! I have always respected you because you’re the professional, and you really wanted to help me. That’s why I hired you in the first place.

It’s the same on the court and in the classroom. If you want to be competitive, you need to be competitive. Not a lot of people can do that, or are willing to do that. They think they’re slick, but without doing the work you won’t get a book deal. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to tell my story. You got me over the hump. Authors can roll the dice, but wisdom comes through experience, and you have the experience authors need to get published.

D E A N . T O L S O N  – HOW I GOT MY LITERARY AGENT

Author of Power Forward: My Journey from Illiterate NBA Player to a Magna Cum Laude Master’s Degree (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.)

Woot!!! I’m so excited I could cry.

My agent just sold my memoir to Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books. Anyone who has the great fortune to work with you should consider themselves lucky. You were my compass. You didn’t walk for me, but you showed me how to get there.

Working with you was a big learning curve, but I got a very good response rate from my queries, including from A-list agents who were interested. That was exciting. I was actually preparing to send out my second round of queries when my soon-to-be agent sent me a beautiful email saying, “Your work is absolutely captivating, and I’d like to talk with you.”

My agent is genuine, and she loved my book for all right reasons. I felt this kinship. I wanted that because my book is a memoir. It’s personal for me, and I didn’t just want an agent interested simply because she thought she could sell it.

I wanted a heart connection as well. It felt like that. She’s everything I wanted: established in her career but also a mom and very professional and on the ball. She’s even had several of her own books published.

When I got the offer, I called you immediately and you helped me see how to screen the other interested agents to see who the best fit was. I hadn’t anticipated things happening that fast. You had prepared me to send queries out for a year, since it’s usually harder and takes longer to get an agent. So, I was holding my energy.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

The greatest thing about the experience so far is that my daughter, who is eleven, was sitting next to me when I got the email about the deal. I yelled and did a happy dance. She was like, “Oh my gosh, mom. Are you okay? I’ve never seen you like this.”

We cried together because she knows I’ve wanted this for a long time. It was beautiful to share that moment. Then I went out to dinner with my family, and we celebrated. But the big celebration will come when I feel the weight of the published book in my hands.

I spent about three years sending out queries before I found you. I didn’t know what I was doing. It was like I was on a muddy trail crawling through branches and underbrush. I tried to figure it out, but all I got was rejections.

The query I sent out after working with you had more of what agents are looking for. Without a lot of fluff or fanfare, it got to the point quickly. Since I’m a writer, I’d been more focused on showing my style. I also didn’t know which things to put up front, whether I should give them exclusivity, etc.

It’s like knowing the ingredients for a dish, but not having the instructions to make it. If you just throw a bunch of stuff in a pot, sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. It’s much better to have a proven recipe.

My agent changed the book proposal a little bit and condensed it, but everything she needed was there. Stuff I had no idea they would want that can help an agent sell a book to a publisher without them needing to fish for it.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

I also liked having someone like you who’s been in the industry to help me see how to make my book more marketable, without compromising its integrity in any way. Like most authors, I kind of hated the platform-building part of your process at first, but that ended up being one of my favorite parts in the end.

I hated it at first because it was daunting and hard, but now I’ve built up my “outreach muscles.” When I got into the right heart space about connecting with promotional partners about the book, it got a lot easier.

Staying in that space of authenticity, realizing what a beautiful thing it is to interact with people doing things I admire, helped me connect with people I never would have imagined. That’s a skill that you helped me build, one I’ll continue to have and use going forward.

You’re the best coach I could imagine. You’re professional and incisive in your knowledge, but kind. You get back to your clients quickly, you’re clear with your boundaries, and you know how to nudge without pushing. It was clear I was either going to walk up that mountain or not, and that was up to me. You weren’t going to drag me.

The first coaching call with you was everything because I got so much out of it, and I was able to experience your level of integrity. After that call, I thought about the fact that I’ve been a writer my entire life, but I’d never invested in becoming a professional writer.

That’s when I made a shift. I thought, I know how to write, but I don’t know the business of writing and I’ve gone as far as I can go. Why wouldn’t I get a mentor to show me how to get where I want to go? It was a stretch for me financially, but I knew I could do it and felt in my gut that you were the right person.

Right before I decided to work with you, I talked to my dad and he was like, “Oh, my gosh. Walk away.” I was like, “Thank you, Dad. I’m going to work with Mark.” He said, “Alright, you’re being stupid.” I was like, “We’ll see.” Now, he’s hats off.

You’re an angel, thank you.

With endless gratitude,

M E L I S S A . B O N D

Author of Blood Orange Night (Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books), a memoir about insomnia, prescription pills, and the unbridled love for a little boy with Down syndrome

When a publisher contacted me and said, “Your book is really good and we’re interested in publishing it!” I was surprised, excited, and gratified. I was also relieved, because the effort to get to that point was a lot. It felt good that somebody wanted the story.

The publisher said he was excited the book was ready to go–tight and ready to publish–and that my marketing plan was really good. He said the proposal was one of the best he’s ever seen, complete and concise, and that it was clear I was ready to market the book.

The platform work you had me do was challenging but essential, to get the publisher and to prepare me for promoting the book. Without that, as a nonfiction author, I think it’s almost impossible to make it, to have a breakthrough and get published.

The most important part of working with you–one reason the book has so many 5-star reviews–was your instruction to improve the book. I equate it to a college course. “You need to read this, you need to read that. You need to understand this, you need to understand that.”

I wasn’t a writer coming into this, so I had no idea, really, how to write a book. It took me a year to do the research and understand how to write. It wasn’t enough that I wanted to write about these things; I needed to learn how to write about these things.

It seemed like I was dragged through the tortures of hell, but the manuscript morphed into a much better book. I’ve always loved it, but now it’s butter…and other people love it. I get emails saying things like, “I’m taking the day off of work to finish your book. I can’t put it down!”

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I sent queries out before we met, but didn’t get any requests. I think, for good reason, because the manuscript we have now is 100% better. I didn’t know what I didn’t know, including your thoughts about how to make the book more attractive to women.

That was some of the best advice you shared, and you helped me work with my “man brain.” A lot of rewrites were focused on that aspect. The book cover is female-friendly also. If it was all black with nothing but a machine gun, that would only be good for guys.

Men are going to buy my book anyway. I saw this at the UDT/SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce FL during their Annual Event called a “Muster.” As people walked into the gift store, they went to the book section and, without exception, every woman went right to my book to pick it up.

My co-writer, Robert “Bob” Gettlin, and my wife, Sheryl, are also excited and grateful. They’ve been with me for this long ride. We were skeptical when we found you online, but then we saw all your reviews and what people were saying about their experience.

My memoir is about living your biggest life. You’re helping me do that because I now have a real publisher. You’re organized, efficient, and dedicated to your craft. Working with you has been enjoyable, in that respect, though it wasn’t so enjoyable querying! 

As you said, you need thick skin because your book is going to get rejected more than you can imagine. But, at the end of the day, if you keep your head down and keep working at it, you can be successful–as long as you have a good book. 

D A V I D . ” B R O W N I E ” . B R O W N
And Goliath (Double Dagger Books)

I just got an offer from Regnery Publishing! They’ve had more than fifty books on the New York Times bestseller list, including numerous books at #1. Harper Collins Mexico has picked up my book as well. My agent, Helen Zimmerman, has been great. I LOVE her, and I wouldn’t be at this point without your guidance and help.

It took every fiber of my being not to say yes to Helen immediately, but I followed your advice and asked for time to think about it…since I had other agents who were serious. That was really, really hard. I just wanted to scream, “Yes!” Helen said she was “completely engrossed” with the book and added, “This is a really good proposal, I’m so amazed.” She was ebullient, enthusiastic, and eager. No poker face, which I really liked.

I sent out the query you wrote in early November, and I got good responses. You said I might get an agent by Thanksgiving and it totally could have happened that way, but the agents left me waiting, waiting, and waiting. Then it was nothing, nothing, and nothing. Then the holidays came and went. You said I should send out a second round of queries. When I did, I got more responses and two offers.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I’ve been with this book 19 years. My early versions were horrible, but I sent them out because I didn’t know how bad they were. Every couple of years I’d send the manuscript out again and get more rejections. I knew something was wrong. At one point, a couple years ago, I got an agent to represent me, but she only showed the book to editors at Random House. Then, she said, “I can’t sell it. Your proposal is too weak, you have no platform, and you need a website. I’m sorry.”

In the middle of that, I had my first coaching session with you, to talk about my proposal and platform. I was very impressed and wished I’d worked with you from the beginning. The difference in my positive response rate with queries after we worked on everything together was like night and day. I got mostly nothing before. Once in a blue moon, an agent would respond and that was it.

Agents loved the new query.

It got a very high response rate, and some of the agents who’d rejected me before asked to review my material this time. It wasn’t just the query that did it. It was the things you had me do to make my platform better. I was blind to that. I had no idea what I was getting into, trying to get an agent. It felt like I kept walking into a dragon’s cave and getting burned.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

I have four degrees, two of which are writing degrees (journalism and creative nonfiction), but I didn’t have a degree in how to get an agent. Now I feel like I do! School doesn’t teach the stuff I learned with you, and books about literary agents don’t give authors everything you do. You’re a guide, like a Sherpa. I felt like you were holding my hand the whole time, giving me the information I needed and shining a light on what was ahead. I was never surprised.

You’re very hands-on and methodical, and you have an explanation or packet of information for everything, from A to Z, beginning to end. I like that. I was always able to figure things out and I knew what to expect. I should say it’s a lot of work for the author. It’s not like you pay your money and it’s done. It’s not like that at all, but at least I knew what I was doing working with you. I knew I wasn’t spinning my wheels or wasting time.

I was intimidated by the platform work at first, in particular. It took a lot of time and I didn’t think I could do it. I would have never, ever, ever done it on my own. I kept saying, “Okay. Well, he knows, so I’m just going to trust him.” It was always a leap of faith. Before I started contacting agents, when I was reaching out to people to build my platform, I got discouraged by all the rejections. But that changed when Salon.com published the article I pitched to them.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 4

Within a month of that being published, approximately 17,000 people shared it on social media. Then other media outlets saw it and started contacting me. The New York Times and Chicago Tribune wrote articles about me. And was contacted to do an interview for BBC World Outlook heard by 75 million listeners. Others have covered my story as well, in the US and abroad. And I’ve been contacted by people asking about the possibility of adapting the story to TV or feature film. One man I talked to, with a major studio, said it’s “Oscar worthy.”

I kid you not!

Some agents said my platform was too small, while others said it was too big, that I’d gotten “too much exposure” and there wouldn’t be enough places left to promote the book once it was published. You stayed positive and kept saying, “Keep at it.” I was like, “Okay,” and I did. That’s what led to me finally getting the article published at Salon.com. They later named my article their “Best of 2018 Life Stories.” It wasn’t easy and it took longer than a year, but everything we did was helpful.

You suggested important changes for the structure of my book as well, which was impressive. You’re not a developmental editor, but I did a lot of rewriting based on your suggestions. I felt very secure, like I was in safe hands. I had no doubt I was doing the best I could, and that if it wasn’t going to work, it wasn’t going to be because I didn’t know what I was doing. I’d literally tried everything else and your coaching was last thing left for me. I knew, if that didn’t work, nothing would.

I was desperate.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 5

Before my first session with you, you sent me a long questionnaire that might be overwhelming for some people. I thought, “He’s really thorough.” I was impressed that you asked so many questions and wondered, “What else could we possibly talk about?” But the call was illuminating. You gave me a lot of good advice about how to improve my platform, proposal, and query.

It’s almost impossible to get an agent without help. The publishing industry is so complicated and Byzantine. There are a million different ways to do things and it’s hard to know which ones are going to work for you. You need someone to break it down, show you which areas to spend the most time on, and show you the best way to do it. You need a friend in the business, someone who can fast-track you.

I’ve really enjoyed working with you, Mark. I’m grateful for your advice, energy, talent, and kindness guiding me through this crazy maze.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

S I L V I A . F O T I

Author of The Nazi’s Granddaughter: How I Discovered My Grandfather was a War Criminal, published by Regnery Publishing, with more than 50 books on the New York Times bestseller list, including numerous books at #1

After sending out the query Mark revised for me, I had the opportunity to speak with literary agents from top agencies such as Janklow & Nesbit, Trident Media, Anderson Lit, and Folio. I signed with Don Fehr at Trident and, a short time later I had a publishing contract with Berkley Books, which recently published my book in hardcover.

Before that, I sent my query letter out on my own to 30 or 40 agents and got a lot of rejections. I then found Mark online while I was researching agents. I was surprised that he offered so much during his initial consultation—for a very modest amount of money. An hour of his time on the phone or Skype and he was willing to read a big chunk of my book right up front. I thought that was extremely generous and it seemed very likely that Mark was genuine.

I also took advantage of Mark’s main 1-hour audio training. I was painting my apartment at the time, sitting among a lot of rubble. I stopped what I was doing, laid down on the floor with a pillow, and listened. I was very impressed with the depth of Mark’s knowledge, but also his casual attitude. The audio presentation wasn’t a hard sell. Instead, it struck me as something I needed to look into.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

I knew I’d need to get the attention of literary agents, and that I’d have to get their attention quickly—but I didn’t know how to go about it. Although I have experience in the film business, I knew that I didn’t know the particulars of the book business. I’d made several movies, but I didn’t know the specifics of what would grab the attention of a literary agent or publisher. It was obvious from Mark’s audio presentation and website that he did know.

Although my query and book proposal were already pretty good, ‘pretty good’ and ‘very good’ aren’t the same thing. There’s an old saying, “Good is the enemy of great.” There is a difference, and it’s not so easily quantifiable. The biggest mistake you can make as a writer is to rely on your own limited knowledge. You just can’t beat the experienced eye of a professional. It’s evident in everything from home painting to plumbing to publishing.

Having the personalized agent list that Mark created for me was also enormously helpful. It was comprehensive and up to date, which saved me time and made querying agents much easier. Because of the lead-time involved with writer magazines and printed agent directories like the one by Writer’s Digest, the information is always at least 3-6 months old. You often write to the agents and get a note back saying they quit the business and moved on. Or you query agents and they say they’re not interested in your genre anymore. There’s so much online that’s simply inaccurate.

I do have to say, though, that I didn’t enjoy writing my book proposal. But I learned a lot and at I was glad to have someone like Mark guide me through that particular part of the process. And really… given the nature and extent of my book, which is more than 400 pages and took me two years to write, we got the proposal done pretty quick.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

When it comes to Mark’s personality, he’s affable, approachable, down to earth and sensible without having to meet you face to face. We spent a lot of time together on the phone, and our working relationship reinforced my initial impression. He comes across exactly the way he comes across on his audio recordings and websites.

I know that inexperienced authors, or those who’ve had a bad experience with someone else, might be skeptical about working with someone they found on the Internet. But I wasn’t skeptical in the least when I listened to Mark’s audio materials on his website. Also, some of the things he said, I had already heard from other people, so I knew that I just needed help to do them—and do them as well as possible.

One of the things you learn when you make a movie is that marketing is just as important as your product. If you’re going to make it in the arts, you need help and you need to get educated in a hurry. It’s like working with a physical trainer. I had worked out my whole life and then, at one point, I started working out with a trainer. That’s when I saw about 3 or 4 years of improvement in 11 months.

I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t worked with Mark. I can’t even imagine that now though, because of the grief and detours I experienced before we worked together. It was a time-consuming pain in the neck. If you want to get the attention of top literary agents and publishers, there is no substitute for working with an insider. You can’t beat experience. And having Mark on your side is incredibly valuable.

D A N I E L . C O H E N

Author of Single Handed
(Berkley Books, a Division of Penguin Random House)

You thought I could get a traditional publisher, and you were right. Three publishers were interested in my book, and I just signed with Purdue University Press (their animal-human bond series). They loved it and gave it rave reviews.

I’m ecstatic!

You convinced me to put the story in chronological order, because I’d started it in the middle, which gave too many things away too soon. I also broke the chapters apart more and made the book more spiritual than religious, which was also a good idea, to avoid putting off readers why might worry I was going to preach at them.

I sent out queries before I met you, and I wish I hadn’t done that. I blew it. My original query and book proposal lacked detail and depth.

Purdue was totally impressed with my book proposal. They said they’d never seen one that thorough, and that my book wouldn’t have been published without that marketing plan. The publishing industry has changed so much. Literary agents and publishers aren’t interested unless they think they’re going to sell a lot of copies. You need to make sure you have a good marketing plan so they can have less risk.

That was a shocker.

Following your advice, I sent letters to a lot of influential people relevant to the content of my book, telling them about the book. I got many letters of encouragement with people saying I could send them an advance copy of the book for them to consider writing a review or promoting the book somehow. Some of them also said they’d consider publishing a related article.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

It was encouraging getting those positive replies. It’s uplifting to know you can build your platform and find people interested in your work. I’m in awe of how many people replied, and I’ve since been asked to be on the board of the Cat Writers’ Association because through my articles, I have become known among cat writers and cat advocates.

Coaching with you was a lot of money and it was scary committing, but you give away a lot of valuable information on your websites that you could charge for. You aren’t just trying to take people’s money. You’re running a business and need to charge for coaching, but you’re also genuinely interested in the authors you work with.

Since you’ve been a literary agent and worked for a publisher, you also know how they operate. I’m grateful for you showing me the things I did wrong in a gentle way. Not everyone in the publishing industry cares about authors. Some are uppity and snarky. You’re genuine and tell it like it is, but you’re kind. You’re also encouraging—a great coach—and a cat lover!

I have a good sixth sense about people, but I don’t always listen to it. For some reason, I listened to it with you. Seeing how the literary world operates really opened my eyes. Thank you so much for all you’ve done for me. To other authors I say, “Don’t give up on yourself. Work with a professional who knows how to do this.”

K A T H Y . F I N L E Y

My One-Eyed, Three-Legged Therapist: How My Cat Clio Saved Me (Purdue University Press)

I got a book deal!

After I started sending out my new query letter I had 6 literary agents request my manuscript in a short amount of time, which is awesome. Then, within two weeks of my agent starting to pitch my story to publishers, we had an offer. I signed a book contract yesterday. A little while later my agent told me that a TV co-producer asked for more info about my book.

By the way, the acquisition editor that fell in love with the manuscript jumped in with both feet and we just worked out our timeline for publication. She’s as passionate about getting my book out as I am, and that means everything. She read the manuscript in two days and said she couldn’t put it down. And the book is going to be published as a hardcover!

I had sent out queries before working with Mark and received zero responses. I didn’t hear from anyone—it was the sound of crickets. Even having a rejection would have been better than nothing. If they were going to give me specific feedback it would have been great, but nothing. I submitted several different kinds of queries and the last one I sent out was very formal. It was to the point and really didn’t have a lot of personality, just a dry summary. There wasn’t a lot of “voice.”

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

With Mark’s help, I changed the whole format and style of the agent query and book proposal. Everything had a better flow and it was easier to follow. We added a little humor and a more conversational tone, not just facts (although the new agent query and book proposal did have twice as many facts as before). I guess writers tend to be humble and we don’t think what we’ve done in life matters much, but you need to stand out among the herd of writers. Every little bit of credibility and uniqueness counts. Just one fact or detail can be the key difference to success, even if you think it’s insignificant, which I did.

When Mark helped me rewrite my agent query and book proposal, we made it easy for agents to say: “Hey, this is what makes this book stand apart!” Mark works off the idea that you should give literary agents everything they need to be able to sell your book. Why make it hard for them? They’re busy and moving fast so they might not think of half of the things you could say in your query or book proposal. If you spell it out for them, then suddenly they go: “Oh!”

One of the reasons I was able to see (and communicate) all my value is that Mark helped me create a list of the reasons why my book and I are unique. I had to answer the question, “Why does your book have bestseller or high commercial potential?” Until I had to answer that question, I didn’t realize all the reasons. Making that list didn’t just help me communicate more of my value, either; it also gave me more confidence.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

When I first found Mark online, I showed my husband his website and I was like: “What do you think about this guy? Does this look like a salesman or what?” Mark had success stories all over the place and invitations to work with him, but I understand it’s a necessary evil. You have to overwhelm the person sitting in front of the computer screen wondering what to do. It’s a huge chunk of money to work with Mark (it took me 1-½ years to save up to do it). That’s why he has to talk it up. There truly is no other way. And, it works. Mark used the same marketing strategies to help me stand out from the crowd.

I would kick myself if I hadn’t tried working with Mark. I knew I couldn’t break that next barrier without help, professional help. Even the best books in the world can’t get in the door until someone helps you. Plus I was really committed to getting my book out there, and I’d already spent a lot of time and energy on the book. I couldn’t just let it go away without trying the top of the line advice. Even if Mark had failed to help me get a literary agent and book deal, I would have been okay with that. Ultimately, no matter how good Mark is at getting people to read your work, you still have to produce a great book. You can’t blame anyone else. I knew that if things didn’t work out with Mark, I’d have done everything I could.

My favorite part of working with Mark was my phone calls with him. He’s calm and sincere but also very enthusiastic. You can feel Mark thinking and processing things over the phone, and he’s able to understand you with just a few words… what you’re trying to get across. I appreciate him having that insight. I also liked having to check in, having an expectation to get things done, having deadlines and always working toward something, and keeping the momentum going. Before that I had a lot of starts and stops, and I’d set the project aside. Having accountability and learning from Mark’s experience is inspiring. It’s much more exciting to know you’re on the right track instead of doing things blindly and hoping they’ll work.

If it weren’t for Mark I’d still be floundering, sending out queries. Writing the book is the easy part. Getting published after my book was written took three years, many tears, guidance from those in the know (like Mark!), and the focus of a Buddhist monk. But, if you believe in your project, wake up each morning with the thought that you’ll do one thing to keep it moving forward, you will eventually get there.

E R I K A . A R M S T R O N G

Author of A Chick in the Cockpit
(Behler Publications)

Good news, Mark…

My two books have been picked up.

Two Among the Righteous Few: A Story of Courage in the Holocaust and Woman of Valor: A Story of Resistance, Leadership & Courage are being released through Square One Publishers. An audio version for Two Among the Righteous Few is also in the works. Thanks for always checking in. I much appreciate your thoughtful responses and support.

Best regards,

M A R T Y . B R O U N S T E I N

Author of Two Among the Righteous Few: A Story of Courage in the Holocaust and Woman of Valor: A Story of Resistance, Leadership & Courage, published by Square One Publishers, a New York-based book company named one of the top ten fastest-growing indie book publishers in North America by Publishers Weekly six years in a row

It was nighttime when I got an email saying I had a book deal with a traditional publisher with multiple Amazon #1 bestsellers. Now my book, even though it just came out, has hundreds of reviews with a 4.5-star rating, was a #1 Amazon bestseller for more than 2 weeks, and a NY Times bestselling author said it’s “extraordinarily well-written and thrilling.”

When I saw the email about my book deal, I thought, “I have no idea what to say or do.” I’d been guarded up to that point because it had taken a while to get an offer, and I’d gotten rejections. Once I knew they were the publisher for me, my husband gave me a hug. He’s been incredibly supportive.

I queried agents before working with you, but always heard a “no thank you” or nothing—even with a referral from a successful author who recommended me to her agent. I then followed your site for a while and read things you had posted. I also saw online that you’re very well-respected within the industry.

When I reached out to you, I was feeling forlorn, thinking, “This is never going to happen. What am I doing? This is a waste of time.” Then I thought, “Okay, I need to call Mark and invest in help because I’m obviously on the wrong track.” The part I was most worried about was my writing style, but you told me that wasn’t the problem.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

You said my writing was great and focused on my query letter, which turned out to be as important as what my book is about—because no one will read your story without a great query. Now I tell authors, “If you think you know how to write a query letter, you don’t, until you talk to Mark.” You brought up things I hadn’t even thought about.

You told me exactly what my query letter needed to include for my unique situation, paragraph by paragraph. During our time together, you also showed me the best way to talk about marketing my book. You said, “It’s really important to tell agents and publishers how you plan to promote your work.”

There’s a lot of information about how to write queries on websites, including yours. But, during our coaching time, you told me the dirty details of what I needed to say and how to say it for my situation. “Here’s what you might think they want,” you said. “But here’s what’s really happening.”

You weren’t afraid to tell the truth either, about how hard it is, or how to approach the process. Your honesty was helpful, since there’s a lot of competition, including writers who are better or have bigger platforms. You helped me treat my writing more like a business, with more deadlines and consistency, and you helped me have thicker skin.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

Authors shouldn’t approach their work thinking, “I just want to write a book.” You can’t just write a book. There are other things you have to think about and do. It can be overwhelming to consider all those things, but you break it down and make it digestible. One of those things, since I’m a nonfiction author, was improving my profile or platform.

I cringed when you talked about the hours I should put in reaching out to influencers before pitching agents and publishers. You said, “Hey, it’s going to take time, but if you want to be successful, commit.” I felt a little guilty that I wasn’t already doing it, but then I started feeling motivated. Now I realize platform is just as important as the query and book if you’re a nonfiction writer.

Another thing you said was, “There are two reasons talented authors don’t get published. One is they’re not educated enough about the industry and how it works.” And, you added, “The second reason is that most authors who areeducated aren’t willing to do what it takes.” You help authors with both of those things.

I’ve never met you in person, but you’re awesome to talk to, funny, and encouraging. I also have to tell you that the NY Times bestselling author who wrote a blurb for my book just asked me to co-author her next book. So, we’re starting work on that now. I’m a bit in shock over that, but very happy.

Your suggestions have been incredible—they helped a good publisher take a chance on an author with absolutely zero professional experience or journalistic credentials. I’m so excited this is finally happening, and you’re a huge reason. I appreciate you. THANK YOU SO MUCH for your amazing insight and guidance!!!

C . J . W Y N N

Author of the true-crime book Wilder Intentions: Love, Lies and Murder in North Dakota, published by Black Lyon Publishing, a traditional publisher with multiple Amazon #1 bestsellers

I am beholden to Mark Malatesta, the amazing Agent Whisperer … erm … Agent Coach … who tough-loved my manuscript from a jumble of anecdotes into a story people might want to read. and then schooled me on how to present it to the world.

Many agents responded positively to the query Mark wrote for me—one of them expressed interest in less than 15 minutes. The agent who offered me representation talked about getting a book deal, and a deal with Netflix. I was really excited. I left the island where I live, to celebrate on the mainland at a diner, where I had coffee and a big piece of cheesecake. 

Two weeks later, while in Wales, I found out my agent had been fired! 

Mark stayed with me, we got multiple publishers interested, and I signed a contract with McFarland Books. The editor wrote to me and was very laudatory, and I’ve gotten many wonderful reviews, including from Harrison Scott Key, author of How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told. 

He said, “The good memoirist is, above all else, a magician, and the magic of A Tipsy Fairy Tale is in the masterful, subtle use of the second person. Second person generally makes me want to hurl a book into the ocean, but if you give yourself over to it, then all of a sudden you’re inside the book, flying into the ocean via this weird mind-meld fostered by all the Yous, and you forget that people are liars, and before you know it, you’re halfway through the story and you believe in humankind again.” 

Before I met Mark, part of me didn’t want to accept that I didn’t know what I was doing, trying to get an agent. As soon as we had our first conversation, I realized he was the real deal. My wife and my daughter encouraged me to go with Mark, and it was certainly worth everything: the time and money.  

After Mark read my manuscript, he shared many helpful comments. One was brilliant. He said the book wasn’t finished, that I spent too much time writing about the addiction part of my story, and not enough about the recovery and spirituality part.  

I didn’t want to hear that.  

It was a big ask. 

Mark helped me see that the story needed to continue. When I finally got it, and sent him the revised manuscript, he had me do more work. After that, he sent me a message from one of his readers (who “usually rips people”) that said: “Wow, the poet turned the memoir into a powerful transformative journey. He is magnificent and magical, gives me goosebumps. I’m truly amazed.”

I printed that quote out. 

If improving my memoir was all we’d done—if that had been the end of our relationship—it would have been worth the money. What I thought was the book, wasn’t the book. I wouldn’t have been able to write the best version without Mark showing me how, and encouraging me.

That was an amazing thing, and I’ll always be grateful.

Thank you…again and again.

P E T E R . E . M U R P H Y

Author of a dozen books and chapbooks of poetry and prose, including A Tipsy Fairy Tale: A Coming of Age Memoir of Alcohol and Redemption (McFarland Books)

Mark, when I listened to the voicemail I got from Peter Miller offering me representation, in all candor, I was blown away. I sat in my chair for about an hour in disbelief. I was so excited, and nervous. He’s a very well-respected agent who’s had many of his New York Times Bestsellers converted to television and  film. I didn’t want to reply at first. I thought, ‘Oh my God, what am I going to say?’ Especially since other agents were also seriously interested in my work. But you helped me through the process and I was able to keep my wits about me. It was extraordinary.

I sent out query letters before working with you and they generated requests for more material, but my original proposal didn’t spark agents’ interest enough to get offers for representation. I would grade that proposal a C. It needed a massive rewrite. The proposal I sent out after working with you was an A+. It was twice as long. Most agents said they had not seen a proposal that detailed, and my agent didn’t ask me to make any changes. The professional editor I worked with also commented on the proposal’s quality, and she’s worked for major publishers like Macmillan for the last 15 or 20 years.

40% of the literary agents I queried asked me to send them more material. It was phenomenal getting so many positive responses. It took me a while to get the offer from Peter, but, when I did, everything happened quickly. One agent read my proposal and sample chapters, and wanted to see my entire manuscript. That same evening, I had another agent say he wanted to offer me a contract. Then another agent. Within 24 hours, I had multiple agents offering representation. I don’t think I slept that night at all. You didn’t tell me who to sign with, but you helped me make the best decision for me.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Choosing the right agent, as you know, is a subjective process, and I’ve been totally thrilled with my decision to sign with Peter, for many reasons. First, he said that he was interested in my work. He also said that he’d passed my project around the office, and everyone unanimously agreed that my book was a project they wanted to represent. He then asked me if I was ready to sign an agreement, but not just for one book. He expressed interest in a second book I was working on as well, and he said he thought my work had potential for feature film.

Mark, I also found the list of agents you sent me invaluable. It was an extraordinary tool that helped me choose the best agents interested in my type of book, and it helped me get my queries out in a timely and efficient manner. That agent spreadsheet put all the information I needed right there at my fingertips, everything the agents were interested in and how to send it to them. Without that list, I would have had to look agents up individually, then go to their websites. It would have been a more laborious task, that’s for sure.

At first, I had reservations about signing up to work with you. I thought I might just be a number to you, that you would give me a hand but probably not deal with my unique needs. I worried that you might only offer a formulaic coaching process, nothing individualized. I was pleasantly surprised that wasn’t the case. I remember saying to my husband, ‘Mark is the real deal. He’s really going to work with me as a unique author.’ I found that very refreshing and reassuring.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

What got me over my initial reluctance was our first phone meeting. Before that introductory coaching call, you sent me an author questionnaire that was very valuable. I realized you were asking so many questions as a foundation for our work together, and that that information would help you do a better job helping me. All that information was the beginning of what culminated in the extraordinary proposal. During my first call, and future calls, you gave me customized recommendations and resources that were effective. But the most valuable thing you gave me was your commitment and encouragement.

It’s so easy to become discouraged with rejection letters and the lack of responses from agents. I was very encouraged by, and still rely on, your experience and belief in me. Even though we may not be talking every month or week any more, I think about the fact that you had so much faith in my work. A lot of coaches provide guidance, but you show an unusual level of interest and investment in your clients. That’s probably why you’re so successful. It’s not just your knowledge and ability to identify marketable books. You love what you do and share that with your authors in a way that helps them be successful.

I don’t think you know what a motivational coach you are, Mark. You’re such a positive force. This may sound odd, but, you bring a humanity, gentleness, and quiet resolve to the work you do with authors. It’s almost like you identify with what we’re going through. You’re careful to show it, but I think it’s natural for you, and I think that you’re expressing what you’re really feeling. You’re sensitive and, no matter what the obstacle is, you say, ‘No, that’s fine, don’t give up.’ You’re not surprised by anything, and that gives your clients more courage to keep going.

I don’t think authors have a clue what it takes to get an agent or publisher. It’s not easy. The writing and publishing business is a very complex environment and market. To have someone like you, Mark, helping authors understand and navigate it, is invaluable. It’s a good investment, because you’re going to invest one way or the other. It’s best to invest with someone who really knows the industry. If I hadn’t have worked with you, Mark, I don’t think I would have gotten an agent this quickly. The proposal we created for agents did much of their work for them. We gave them something they could just hand to publishers.

Thank you so much, working with you has been wonderful!

J A N I C E . E L L I S . P H D

Author of the memoir
From Liberty to Magnolia

After working with Mark, I had nearly a dozen agents ask for more material. I talked to different agents on the phone and Mark helped me figure out which one would do the best job for me. I then signed with Susan Schulman in New York City and now my book is coming out in March!

Before I started working with Mark, I was about to try and get an agent all by myself—but I felt that my query letter didn’t have the zing it needed. I was also feeling overwhelmed by the amount of agents and I wasn’t sure who to choose, how many, etc. And I wanted help with the literary agency contract negotiations, if and when I got to that step.

Although I’m a natural marketer and I’ve been marketing my whole life, getting an agent was new for me. I had made some changes to my query using information on Mark’s websites, but it wasn’t really as sharp as it could be. My first draft was more story-oriented and descriptive of the book, rather than why it might sell – that was a big change.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Having Mark’s personalized advice allowed me to fine tune things and made myself more credible. The whole process of getting the query letter in the right format with the right tone and hook to get an agent is really helpful. Having a professional person review your materials makes sense. Getting a book published takes different skills than it does to write a book.

Mark also helped me with the content, structure, and formatting of my business proposal. I didn’t have a proposal when I first talked to Mark. My thinking was that with memoirs you didn’t need a proposal. I would have been caught off guard with agents and panicked when I got a request for one.

The personalized spreadsheet Mark sent me with sorted agents helped me a lot as well. Mark helped me target the right agents through prioritizing things that were important to me. We decided to go after the most successful and reputable agents in New York who were interested in the different topics and themes in my book that has crossover appeal.

I expected Mark to be a ‘fast talking’ New Yorker…but he didn’t give me that vibe. He was more laid-back than I’d anticipated, even when I bombarded him with questions. Mark is great on the phone and I’ve enjoyed getting to know him and how he thinks. If you’re serious about getting your work out there, consider working with Mark. He’ll give you the best chance of making it happen, and it’s fun.

M E L I S S A . B U R C H

My Journey Through War and Peace:
Explorations of a Young Filmmaker,
Feminist & Spiritual Seeker
Garn Press

I thought landing an agent would be a piece of cake.

I got a list of agents off the Internet, confidently hit every single one of them up, hundreds of queries, and it was a colossal fail. Zero responses. I got frustrated, found you on the web, and you seemed to know what you were talking about.

As a result of your program, I promptly got multiple agents offering to represent me, and a top agent who promptly sold my book. I had the luxury of picking and went with #7 on your list of most influential agents: Richard Curtis in New York.

An amazing, good guy.

I adore him.

I’m a blue-collar grunt, but now my book is published in hardcover and I’m getting interview requests. I’m weeding them out and just doing the more popular ones. For example, This American Life with Ira Glass and David Kestenbaum, and a TV special for Vanity Fair.

They’re flying me to New York to show me movie clips of safecracking episodes in a studio. Burt Reynolds in Breaking In and a bunch of other movies with safecracking themes. They want to get my response regarding how accurate everything is.

Primary among what you taught me is how to write a query that someone will read instead of toss into the round file. You keep the query short and sweet, and start off strong, making sure each author puts their best foot forward.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

Your program is very precise: do A, B, and C. You also convey optimism, bigtime, which is important to anxious authors. Others too often convey, accidentally or intentionally, that they’re in a hurry and would rather be somewhere else.

Anyplace else.

You enjoy talking with authors, and you’re a stabilizing entity. You take an author’s mood and make it better. My wife and I have marveled for years about how certain people draw other people like magnets. It’s rare to find people like that, and you’re one of those people.

You provide a valuable service, not just for authors new to this world but for those who aren’t new to it. There’s a lot to this game that one never knows going in.

To other authors reading this, trying to get an agent yourself is pointless. A waste of time. You don’t need to learn that the hard way like I did. Get help. If your book has promise, Mark will show you how to maximize your odds to land an agent.

Without Mark, I never would have gotten a book deal.

D A V E . M C O M I E

Author of Safecracker: A Chronicle of the Coolest Job in the World, published in hardcover by Rowman and Littlefield, a leading traditional publisher of many bestsellers that produces both trade and academic books, and one of America’s largest book distributors: National Book Network (NBN)

Ahhh, timing (and a great query letter) is everything. I have an agent! Karen Canton with Canton Literary Management called me an hour or so ago. Loves the book. Loves the story. Understands the story! They also seem like really nice people so that’s a relief, and they’ve done a lot with TV and feature film.

I’m in shock, frankly.

As the gods would have it, right before I submitted my work to them, I was thinking that if something didn’t come of my submissions soon I didn’t know what I was going to do. I wanted to throw myself off Mt. Washington. So you can call it divine intervention, or maybe determination. I don’t want to call it ‘patience’ because it wasn’t solely that. I’m impressed by what a deliberate effort it takes to get an agent. Mark talks on his website about making a ‘decision’ to get published instead of just hoping it’s going to happen, and you do have to be very deliberate to get a literary agent. The process is very methodical and you need a lot of stick-to-it-iveness.

I sent out queries before I worked with Mark but didn’t get any requests for more material. That’s what made me realize I was doing something wrong. I looked online and read books about getting an agent. I also talked with friends who were going through similar struggles, but I just wasn’t getting it. I’m used to writing in my professional life so I know how to put sentences together and make a point, but it was absolutely clear that something was missing. Mark helped me revise my query and I got five requests for more material. It didn’t happen within a few minutes or days, and there were times when I wanted to go running and screaming down the street, but it did happen!

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

The query letter was the most important part of the process and I thought about it a lot—the magic behind the evil query letter. My friends would ask me why I couldn’t write a simple letter about my book since I was the one who wrote it. I told them that there’s nothing simple about writing a query letter! For me writing a book is like creating this wonderful tapestry that you see in a museum. Writing a query letter is like brain surgery. You have to know exactly what kind of information to target, and you have to do it concisely with the right specificity and nuance. That wasn’t something I knew how to do, but Mark knew. He said everything that I wanted to say in my query, and he said it better.

The list of potential agents Mark gave me for my book was also absolutely wonderful. I never would have put all that together. I mean, good god… I would have been a crazy person! Mark showed me all of the best literary agents interested in my genre, listed in priority order with all of their personal preferences, submission requirements, and contact information. A friend asked me why I couldn’t put a list like that together myself, either. I said that by the time I got to fifty agents I would have killed someone. I don’t have that kind of temperament. I know what I can’t do. If I had to do all that before I even got to send the letters out, it would have made me crazy.

Mark is an interesting balance of someone who is easygoing but also very knowledgeable about the publishing profession and the art of writing. That’s an important balance, at least for someone like me. I have recommended Mark to three other authors now and, in the process of doing that and watching their responses, I realized that you, the writer, need to have a certain amount of humility. If you want to be successful, you have to realize that you might not be able to get a literary agent by yourself. I was so ready to admit that I was there, that I couldn’t do it myself, that I needed help. I reached out for help and it worked. It worked out really well! After sending out my second round of queries, I got a great agent.

What I first signed up for with Mark was the 1-hour introductory coaching call. I didn’t have any doubts about Mark’s ability because of the detailed information on his websites. I also followed Mark for about a year online and read his newsletter to see if he was going to stick around, and he did. The investment for the first call with him wasn’t a lot, and I knew Mark was savvy enough to help me. I figured it would be worthwhile and, if I didn’t like what I heard, I wouldn’t be out of a whole lot of money. Maybe a pair of shoes, but that was it. So I did it. Mark seemed legit, and I was plain desperate!

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 3

During that first call, Mark gave me a lot of advice that I would have been able to implement on my own. But he also told me that he thought he might be able to help me get an agent if we did more together, and he sent me a personalized program proposal. When I saw the price I thought…huh…that’s not just one pair of shoes. That’s a whole lot of shoes! So I sat with it for a while and a lot of people told me not to do it. But the thing that outweighed their concern was the fact that Mark never overpromised anything. If he had ‘guaranteed’ to get me an agent’ I wouldn’t have trusted him, but Mark didn’t do that. So I took the plunge, even though almost everyone I talked to about it thought I was crazy.

I will tell you now what I told my friends. You have to decide how badly you want to get a literary agent. You also have to recognize that the work we do as writers doesn’t exist in a bubble. You need cold eyes on your writing. I can’t remember what the exact investment was for Mark’s introductory coaching call but, whatever it is, you spend more than that on god knows what in a week. So do it. At the end of the day you’ll be able to say that you did everything you knew how to do to make your publishing dream real. At least that’s what I wanted to be able to say. I didn’t want to say, ‘God if only I had ended up going to that guy. Maybe I wouldn’t be here looking at this manuscript collecting dust.’

Making a decision to work with someone like Mark is sort of a come to Jesus moment.Some people don’t really want to know the truth. You have to make a decision about that and have a conversation with yourself. How badly do you want to get published, and why? Are you really committed? If the answer is yes, then you should do it. Talk to the man.

J A N I S . P R Y O R

Author of the memoir
White Roses

Mark, I just signed with the Donald Maass Agency!

I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for your support, guidance, and faith in me. I was so surprised and shocked when my agent called me on the phone and told me the news. I didn’t say anything for a few seconds. I had to process it. It was such an amazing feeling. She’s a great agent, a top agent, and I’m very lucky. She’s successful but also very friendly, very approachable.

Before I met you, Mark, I had never even heard of a query letter. I was just beginning my search on what literary agents were. Then I found you. All our work together paid off. I remember how excited I would get when we first started working together. I would think, ‘I have a call with Mark, and I’m going to learn so much and it’s going to bring me one step closer to my end goal!’

When my agent first asked for more information on my book, I sent it to her and, later that night, she emailed back saying, ‘I’m already reading this and loving what I’m seeing so far.’ Then, later, she told me that she loved the proposal. She said it was a fresh breath of air to get a proposal and not have it be a mess. She made it seem like sometimes she loves an author’s ideas, but it would be overwhelming for her to put it all together.

How I Got My Literary Agent – Pt 2

My agent loved the commitments for testimonials that you helped me secure also – the potential blurbs for the book. There were about a dozen, a few from well-known people. My agent never said to me anything about my platform being weak, even though I didn’t really have a platform when you and I started working together.

I spent a long time going through the list of agents that you gave me, narrowing it down – and I really read the comments that you provided about them. It was so helpful to have that, because then I didn’t have to go back to the agent’s website. It was also important that you showed me how to follow up with agents. My agent didn’t remember getting my original submission. If I hadn’t followed up, I might have missed out.

Mark, I really appreciate that you made the process of getting an agent such a wonderful and positive experience. You made me feel like it was totally fine that I knew nothing about the process. You also helped me come up with a great title, improve the opening of my manuscript (I always knew that was Achilles Heel), and tighten everything up a bit.

When I was considering signing up for the introductory call with you, what distinguished you from other people I could have worked with was the number of testimonials you had. Not everybody was like, ‘Oh my God, I got a #1 book deal’, but everybody said really positive things about the experience of working with you. I knew I would benefit, like them, having you as a coach to take me through everything.

I like your newsletter, too – I remember when I’d get those emails and I would see a new testimonial from one of your clients… it was uplifting. Like, when you’re in the middle of, ‘Who should I reach out to now?’ and you get those emails, and see another success story and you’re like, ‘This is what I’m working toward. This will happen and I’m going to keep doing what Mark is telling me to do, even though I might not always want to!’

Everything came together so beautifully.

Thank you so much!!!

C R Y S T A L . D U F F Y

Author of Twin to Twin (published by Mango,
one of the fastest-growing independent
publishers in the United States)

Within 4 minutes of sending out my query letter, a top literary called me on the phone. Less than 30 days later I had three major publishers making offers: Penguin, Harper Collins, and Random House. A few days after that, I signed a deal with Random House.

Mark, your query letter did that.

Thanks to your tips and tricks, I got the #1 agent on my wish list. He’s done nearly 125 deals in just two years.  His literary agency, Writer’s Side, is the fastest growing literary agency in India. And he has a long list of accolades, including being talked about in the New York Times.

My agent talked about the query letter you helped me create for a long, long time. When he first called me on the phone, he hadn’t seen any of my sample chapters. It was just the query letter that did it. Communicating the right thing is so important.

I had been thinking about writing a book for nearly 3 years before finding you online. Because I lost my sight as a teenager, I had long wanted to write a book that would help some of the hundreds of thousands of people suffering from retinal disorders in India.

Instead, you helped me see that my story could be bigger. By focusing on the broader, universal themes of grieving and loss (instead of just blindness and a rare eye disease), my book is now going to reach more people and make more of a difference. I’m also going to sell more books.

You are a wonderful medium helping authors find their voice and elevate their writing from just a hobby to a real business… a source from which they can both learn and earn. Writing should be both, a tremendous door that can open you to a lot of possibilities and a totally different life.

Mark, you are a man of precision and offer so many nuggets of valuable information. You know the publishing industry well, protecting authors from the pitfalls that can cause them to fail. And you summarize important learning lessons in a short amount of time. That’s not easy to do.

Why are some authors successfully published with traditional publishing houses, while others are not? I think it all boils down to one thing, the fact that we all need someone to hold our hand for a time… someone with the kind of credentials that you have.

My advice to authors is to work with you, 1-on-1, so they can go from having just an idea in their mind… to a clear plan of action. Authors are like seeds in the ground and you are helping them turn into flowering trees. I’m really happy to say that I am one of them.

Thank you for your support and encouragement.

L A K S H M I . S U B R A M A N I

Author of Lights Out (Random House)