10 Business Strategies for Authors

Literary agents Jessica Faust and James McGowan talk about the business side of things, and cover what steps authors should take once they've gotten their first book deal and begin to make writing a career.

BookEnds is dedicated to making publishing a book traditionally a more transparent process, and it starts with these videos!

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Jessica Faust’s love for books is what first brought her to open BookEnds Literary Agency. It is her desire to be an advocate for all authors that pushed her to create her blog, the BookEnds YouTube channel and to maintain a vibrant presence on Twitter.

Jessica is proud to have grown BookEnds to an agency that represents authors of all genres for children and adults, allowing her to reach more readers and help more authors and illustrators achieve their dreams.
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James McGowan is a Literary Agent at BookEnds and writer for children. He began working with the agency as an intern in the summer of 2015, and basically never left. He represents a talented group of authors and illustrators working in everything from board books to middle grade graphic novels. He also works in adult nonfiction, and adult mystery and suspense projects. James is the author of GOOD NIGHT OPPY, which is available now.

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[LVA-ym]

"That first advance check is gonna come, do you wanna just blow it on a car?" Yes! Bright cherry red convertible with white leather seats! 💫 Sigh. This is why we love you guys. I feel so seen. Thank you. 🔖

[TakeScareMedia]

I can’t wait to find an agent and begin to successful career. I would definitely like to have that type of relationship with an agent. That creative, back-and-forth for doing what’s best for the book.

[eruvandib.]

I'm so glad you educate people about this side of the industry. I've heard lots of writerly gossip over the years that makes it clear that many unpublished authors have no idea how things work when and after you sign a contract, yet they dive headlong into it anyway and end up with problems because they didn't know what they were doing to begin with. I'm so glad to have resources like this channel so that I can be prepared when I finally reach the point of getting published.

[deborahdufel]

Excellent list. The best part is you're up front this is a business and yes, one is a writer but one must look at as a business.

[rfbrooks]

I'm rewatching all your videos. So ready to tackle what you've covered in this video!

[Beachwriter]

Need to hear your take on ChatGPT and professional writing.

[elissahunt]

It's been a while since I've had deadlines, but I used to work at a newspaper. Deadlines aren't strangers to me. Editorial changes also don't scare me.

[randybrutsche]

Long time lurker. Now subscriber. Thanks for another bolts and nuts discussion of the writing craft and the business of it. Can I make a technical request? Please, get each of you and anyone you interview a lapel mic and wire those things in. Your desk mic is picking up all the sound of speaking in the room, an echo chamber of poor design. The lapel mics don't pick anything more than a few inches away. Well worth the investment. Thanks again for great content.

[savvysymbiont]

Love you guys! Great contemporary information!

[joyneasleystudios]

As a newbie, this is great information. Thank you!

[cjpreach]

I need to listen to this one several times. Lots of details to get right. I have an attorney, and a web designer (just nothing to put on the site yet! hehehe). Getting used to making deadlines will be interesting.

[theepistemiccafe]

sounded like there is definitely some inside story with Gretchen Rubin and Bookends. I want to know more lol!

[kween]

This was really great information. Thank you.

[olivias]

Speaking of titles, I’d love to hear about the qualities agents and publishers tend to look for in them. I’m pretty attached to the title of work in progress, as I imagine many writers are, so it would be nice to have a way of judging how marketable it might be!

[fallonjai]

Hello I have a question. If I wrote a screenplay and had it copyrighted, would I be able to query a literary agent for the manuscript version that is not copyrighted? Thank you in advance 🙂.

[arqitype]

Video idea, or maybe just a simple question: I understand the manuscript should be the final, polished draft. But realistically, how much can you expect an agent or editor to change / suggest edits to the manuscript on its way to being published?

[johnnam]

I'm so thankful for your youtube videos! Quick question - in my manuscript I had a BUNCH of song lyrics within the novel (the context would be at the start of a chapter) My CP pointed out that song lyrics and royalties are expensive. Would it be possible to explain the do's and don'ts of copyright in books and how something like that works? I feel like I have seen song lyrics in books before, but maybe it's all about the context or maybe the author found a loophole? Thanks!

[Loveamour]

Good Video. I have a question: if an author is creating a series (trilogy, 5, 7 or more books), how far into planning should the author complete? Should they plan out the entire series and write most of the books beforehand or have a tentative idea of what’s going to happen in the series?