Hollywood has long had a fascination with literature.
Ever since Trilby by George du Maurier became the first book to be made into a film in 1896, studio executives have demonstrated an insatiable appetite for adaptation.
This demand now sees many literary agents tout their client's latest to Hollywood studios long before the book is even published.
Consequently, a number of film rights deals are struck in advance so that they can become part of the publicity for the book itself.
There is also an increasing percentage of sales generated by selling the television rights, especially to the large networks looking for quality source material. The fees involved for the author may not be as high as film, but there is a much stronger chance that their work will actually be made.
Additional exposure through these media platforms is critical because it helps fast-track the branding of a literary agent's client within the industry. So an agent's negotiations must frequently extend beyond the business of publishing, to that of entertainment.
The interdependence between these two industries can sometimes do a literary agent's client more harm than good: if the adaptation fails to impress some will assume it is indicative of the book. This in turn can be detrimental to the long-term career of their author.
However, in the larger landscape of the book world, adaptation continues to bring new readers to the source material and ensure the longevity of books for future generations.
To discuss all of this and more, The Hollywood Reporter recently gathered together six leading New York literary agents to share their thoughts on:
The Publishing Industry Today
Featured Agents
Eric Simonoff - WME
Co-heads the agency's book department and represents an impressive roster of best-selling authors, including three Pulitzer Prize winners.
Submission Status: Closed to unsolicited queries.
Twitter: @esimonoff
Sloan Harris - ICM Partners
Co-heads the agency's literary department, representing a host of well known clients across publishing, television, and film.
Submission Status: Closed to unsolicited queries.
Kimberly Witherspoon - Inkwell Management
A founding member when she was just twenty-six-years old, she is now one of the prominent literary agents working in the industry today.
Submission Status: Accepting queries | Literary Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Non-Fiction | submissions@inkwellmanagement.com
Query letter, synopsis, and the first 2 chapters.
Twitter: @kwspoon
Robert Gottlieb - Trident Media Group
Founded the agency over a decade ago and today serves as its chairman.
Submission Status: Accepting queries | Literary Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Genre Fiction | Non-Fiction | use online form
Query letter only.
Christy Fletcher - Fletcher & Company
The founding partner and represents numerous books that have become successful films and television shows in their own right.
Submission Status: Accepting queries | Fiction | Non-Fiction | info@fletcherandco.com
Query letter only. No attachments or sample chapters until requested.
Twitter: @FletcherChristy
Jodi Reamer - Writers House
At the agency for over a decade and helped bring to the screen the adaptation of her client's best-selling book series: Twilight
Submission Status: Accepting queries | Commercial Fiction | Genre Fiction | Children's Books | YA | Non-Fiction | mail to address
Query letter, synopsis, and the first 10 pages.
Twitter: @jodiesque