Literary Agents: A Writer's Introduction by John F. Baker 
| | Literary Agents: A Writer's Introduction
by John F. Baker
reviewed by Earl Merkel
I seized upon John Baker's book Literary Agents: A Writer's Introduction several years ago, in what I thought was quarter to midnight in my writing life.
H.Y., the agent I had signed with from a Washington D.C. based literary agency with what I had been told was a solid reputation, had failed to sell my first novel, LIKE DISTANT CITIES BURNING-- and had, in fact, lied to me (and, as I subsequently saw on a BookTV-televised panel discussion I stumbled upon on CSPAN-2 one Saturday, to a television audience) about his experience in selling fiction.
He had, as it turned out, sold a grand total of none. And with the disgrace of that disclosure looming, H. apparently decided to dodge the bullet in a time-honored way: he pocketed his Palm Pilot and fled-- without, unfortunately, notifying his clients.
After two months of unanswered e-mails and unreturned phone calls (no word, either from H. or from the lawyer-cum-agent whose name was on the firm's shingle) it fell to a receptionist to finally confirm my dark suspicions: H. had taken to the hills, had abruptly withdrawn from literary representation altogether, opting instead to cash in on the then-hot dot-com frenzy.
I no longer was represented. I had been cast adrift, with my second book (FINAL EPIDEMIC) ready to go to market, but with no agent to rep it.
John Baker's book was my first frantic lifeline. Here, instead of the cookbook listing of so many "guides" to literary agents, was a writer who actually did the legwork and INTERVIEWED the agents of which he wrote. For me, as for most writers, it was a welcome relief to finally see these shadowy demi-gods profiled as flesh-and-blood, living beings whose own likes and dislikes, personality and personal baggage, life triumphs and failures was finally set down in black-and-white for the discerning reader.
The book is a fascinating read as well as an informative and useful guide-- and for any writer who seeks an insight to those who in today's publishing world serve as the de facto gatekeepers, it is well worth the purchase price. One only wishes that Baker would not stop at this initial volume, but would turn this into a ongoing, updated series-- whether as a "hard-copy" book or as an on-line service.
While I ultimately signed with an agent who (a) was successful in placing both my novels with a major publisher, and (b) somehow, was not in Baker's initial edition of LITERARY AGENTS, I did establish a dialogue with several of those he profiled therein; it was a result of Baker's careful attention to detail that made these individual agents both approachable and recognizable as human beings.
You may not find an agent by reading this book; indeed, with most reputable agents reporting that they decline upward of 98 percent of the author inquiries they receive, the odds are against it.
But in LITERARY AGENTS, you will gain an insight into those agents whom Baker profiles --an insight that may serve you well in your understanding of what makes them tick.
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