The theme for the afternoon session of BU's conference on non-fiction book publishing was the impact of the digital revolution. Peter Osnos, founder of PublicAffairs Books, championed newer technologies that faciliate smart inventorying and distribution, which prompted a spirited discussion with Helene Atwan, director of Beacon Press, and Wendy Strothman on the current state and direction of publishing. For an excerpt of the day's discussions, click here.
WASHINGTON - Senator Edward M. Kennedy has agreed to a multimillion dollar deal with Hachette Book Group USA to pen his memoirs, giving the veteran Massachusetts lawmaker a forum for his own perspective on a life and career that has been examined by others in countless books and articles, negotiators of the deal confirmed yesterday.
Neither Kennedy's office nor the publishing house would reveal the size of the package, but a publishing figure familiar with the deal said Kennedy's payment was one of the largest in history, eclipsing the $8 million given to New York Senator Hillary Clinton. Former President Clinton and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair each got a reported $10 million for their memoirs.
... Wendy Strothman, a Boston literary agent, said that while some publishers accept losses on autobiographies by famous people because they want the prestige of the deal, a Kennedy book would likely sell well.
"I'll go out and buy it," Strothman said.
Submission Guidelines
The Strothman Agency seeks out scholars, journalists, and other acknowledged and emerging experts in their fields.
We specialize in narrative non-fiction, memoir, history, science and nature, arts and culture, literary travel, current affairs, and some business. We have a highly selective practice in literary fiction and smart self-help. We are now opening our doors to more commercial fiction but ONLY from authors who have a platform. If you have a platform, please mention it in your query letter.
Browse the Latest News to get an idea of the types of books that we represent. For more about what we're looking for, read Pitching an Agent: The Strothman Agency on the publishing website mediabistro.com.
To submit your material, please send the following by regular mail:
A query letter outlining your qualifications and experience.
A synopsis of your work.
A self-addressed stamped envelope.
Please do not send entire manuscripts unless requested. We do not accept or respond to queries via e-mail or fax.
The Strothman Agency does not charge a reading fee, and every submission is read and considered. Due to the volume of submissions we receive, please allow three to four weeks for a response.
The Strothman Agency is a member of the Association of Authors' Representatives and the Authors Guild.
