Comments on: Writers: Why you need to join Publishers Marketplace

By: Marianna Soares

Marianna Soares — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:43:19 +0000

Hello Alan !!
I subscribe PM when I got back from BEA this year and it’s been wonderful for my updates on what’s going on on the market. My boss is very happy on the information we’re getting from it.
Also, I’d like to thank you for the wonderful time I had in Stanford this summer. It was great to know you.
Resgards from Rio
Marianna

By: Barbara

Barbara — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:41:41 +0000

Hi Alan,
I didn’t think you would actually respond, lol… I was pleasantly surprised, thank you. I am joining publishers market because of your sincere response and of course what I’ve read on other parts of this site. I hope you will be able to help me. I get older by the minute, right, lol.
Thanks again, Barbara

By: Dina Preuss

Dina Preuss — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:17:17 +0000

Hi Alan,

Thank you for this post. I have wondered whether information of this sort is available to writer’s and plan to subscribe today. I have also emailed this page address to a friend of mine who is currently penning prose of her own.

I can’t say it enough; I love your Blog site and thank you for taking the time to inform us.

With Respect,
Dina

By: Alan Rinzler

Alan Rinzler — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:52:29 +0000

Hi Barbara-

The value of wisdom and experience shouldn’t be marginalized or undervalued in any way. Don’t forget that Frank McCourt was published for the first time in his sixties (Angela’s Ashes) and then went on to publish two other big bestsellers.

You’re right about those form-letter responses from agents, but they may not actually be intentionally derogatory, just rude and careless.

Ultimately your confidence in what you’re doing will prevail. Finding an agent and getting published is always a matter of perseverance and overcoming frustration.

Good luck!

-Alan

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:20:51 +0000

Mr. Rinzler,
I found your information very helpful but now I’m becoming even more
worried that at my age, 66, I have much less time to find and agent to
help me. I don’t have the years that normally takes to secure a place in
the writing world. My manuscript is a well-written, passionate and emotionally
complex fantasy. I’ve queried agents I found on LitMatch and none of them
care to take a chance on me, novice that I am, telling me they want to keep
their client base small and though my project sounds interesting they don’t
think it sounds right for their list at this time. Probably a form letter.
Of course they say good luck and I feel like if I could hear them it would be “GOOD LUCK!”
in a somewhat derogatory manner.
As I said, at this age, I’m very frustrated. I just wanted to tell you
that young writers will find your information very helpful.
Thanks for being there for them.

By: Paula McLaughlin

Paula McLaughlin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:31:08 +0000

Your post couldn’t have been more timely. I was just looking into PM online, wondering if I should join.

As much fun as it is to peruse Facebook and writer/editor/agent blogs, the time it takes away from actually writing makes me wonder.

Thanks so much, and I’m glad another writer friend steered me to your blog.

Paula

By: Ana

Ana — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:52:34 +0000

This is great information. Thank you.

By: Alan Rinzler

Alan Rinzler — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:43:08 +0000

Hi Donna,

Yes, Publishers Marketplace does concentrate on the US market, but a major aspect of this concentration is the sale of foreign rights to overseas publishers. So if you’re interested in seeing what US books have sold to what publishers in Germany, China, Russia, Columbia, Poland and elsewhere, you’ll find it in PM. And if you’re also interested in the offerings and sales of foreign books to US publishers for North American or World English translation rights, they cover that too.

-Alan

By: Holly Bodger

Holly Bodger — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:19:36 +0000

I was a member for a while but then I read a few articles advising authors not to track what was selling but instead to concentrate on writing the best book they can (rather than the best book that may sell). So I cancelled my subscription (but secretly continued to track this information using agent blogs and Twitter, which I’ll admit, is not as easy).

Having said all that, I trust anything that comes from the mouth of Alan Rinzler and will go renew my membership this instant. Thanks for the advice!

By: Donna

Donna — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:03:46 +0000

Alan, is Publishers Marketplace a worldwide site or does it concentrate mainly on the American literary market?

By: ~Sia McKye~

~Sia McKye~ — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:31:42 +0000

There’s a wealth of information here Alan. I like the way you showed how to work it to your advantage too. I have many friends who do subscribe but I haven’t yet, but boy howdy I will be by first thing in the morning.

Thank you for the heads up, sir, it was much appreciated.