Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents

Publishers have rules and they can be difficult to figure out. That is why this book is such a blessing. Jeff Herman gives writers straight up advice that is easy to follow. He even lets us in on a little secret . . .

“Remember this: the rule exists for their convenience, not yours. If you rigidly follow their rules, you’re only serving them, not yourself. It’s reasonable for you to consider ways to bypass the rule.”

The book is divided into seven parts. The first part has over a dozen articles on everything from writing query letters to creating non-fiction book proposals to finding an agent.

The last five parts of the book give detailed listings of Publishers, Independent Presses, University Presses, Canadian Book Publishers, Agents, and Editors.

Jeff breaks down the reason why he wrote this book . . .

“My vision was, and is, to simply give writers crucial information about the industry and its primary players, blended with accessible road maps and advice about overcoming likely obstacles.”

He interviews agents and gives their contact information. It’s a great place to start when looking for representation that fits what you do. There are detailed listings of the publishers and presses to make the querying process a little easier as well.

This is a great book that any writer wishing to get published can benefit from. I hope it helps me finally get my work published. I’ll be working on applying this advice all year long.

My List of 2015 Reads – constantly updated all year with each new title I read