Whether you’re unclear on what to expect from your first book deal or just a little puzzled by your editor’s whims, The Business of Writing is the book for you. In it, literary agent and publishing veteran Jennifer Lyons empowers aspiring and experienced writers with everything they need to know about the business of selling books, from publicity to legal and financial aspects of the trade. A senior agent for seventeen years before opening her own literary agency, Lyons has taught numerous courses on the business of writing at Sarah Lawrence College, and has visited both undergraduate and graduate writing programs to share her expert knowledge. 

This enjoyable guide brings Jennifer’s in-depth tutorials to the broader public, balancing accessible, bulleted information for writers on the critical stages of acquiring and maintaining representation with interviews with professionals in the field. Interviewees include a Harper’s magazine editor, a contracts manager, and other publishing professionals that you can expect to encounter as you advance in your career. Covering everything from how to write the perfect query letter to deconstructing the terminology of a publishing contract, this indispensable handbook to the writer’s trade will give you a thorough introduction to the nuts and bolts of publishing.

Foreword by: Oscar Hijuelos