In the never-ending quest to bring our WordHustlers the most interesting and helpful writing tidbits available, may we humbly present our interview with Mr. Michael Murphy, owner and self-declared “Chief Susurrator” of Max & Co Literary Agency and Social Club.

We asked Michael the tough questions about how to get an agent, how to compose a great cover letter, and how to make the most of your writing career. Luckily, he wowed us with insightful answers and helpful pointers he’s picked up during his many years in publishing.

Prepare to be wonderfully informed, dear readers. And away we go!

WordHustler: First and foremost, thanks for taking the time to be interviewed by us. Max & Co is not only an agency, but also a Social Club. What does that mean exactly?

Michael Murphy, Literary Agent: And let me thank you for inviting me onto your site. Your questions are far and away more interesting and provocative than the usual ones I receive. [Editor’s note: Thank you, thank you. {Bows deeply.}]

The Social Club is something that sounds like a lark, but which I take seriously. I feel that the biggest obstacle facing a writer now is not getting published, but having anyone notice they’ve been published. With over 200,000 new books coming out each year (and competing against all the Absolom Absolom!’s and Good Night Moon’s that will forever demand shelf space) it is very hard to connect with even the white hot center of the perfect core of readers for one’s book. There is no single plan or execution that’s guaranteed to succeed. Not even Oprah. Therefore, I do look for all my writers to help one another promote each other’s books. I love my writers. In the past, they have done things like connect an author they did not personally know to their local radio interviewers, integrate a book into their college syllabus of required reading, one writer slipped little home made mini ads for a book (not theirs) inside Lunchables at their area grocery stores, along with the more common sharing of author blurbs and guerilla marketing (sneaking books onto the front New & Noteworthy tables).

I do plan someday to host retreats for my writers where we can play cards into the wee hours while wearing funny hats, but also share contacts and success stories.

WH: We know your background is in publishing…what made you decide to transition to agenting?

MM: I did not decide to become a literary agent. That decision was visited upon me. I would have been perfectly happy to spend my entire career as the Publisher of William Morrow. But, when NewsCorp acquired my company, that was no longer an option. For the next few years, I took some fairly high paying, but relatively soul-sucking jobs to pay my son’s way through Vassar (not cheap). His emancipation allowed me to consider meaningful work again. I tested the agenting waters when Lisa Queen, Morrow’s former Editor-in-Chief, allowed me to glom onto her agency. I discovered that while you couldn’t throw a decent party on the start-up income, I loved the actual work more than anything I’ve ever done in the book business. I formed my own agency in the Fall of 2007.

WH: Would you say being an agent gives you more creative input than being a publisher/editor?

MM: Surprisingly much more creative input. For one thing, I don’t have corporate owners who must be appeased. I once had to slash $300,000 from my marketing budget because we took a huge unexpected hit with Walmart returns and our annual budget was destroyed. That will seriously impinge creativity. Additionally, as an independent agent, the best creative ideas are not smoothed over by the dulling process of endless committee meetings.

What has surprised me most is how deeply into the process of creating the book most publishers have allowed me. Like most businesses, book publishers too have been “right sized” to where most people are doing the work of two or three jobs from years past. So, if an agent wants to jump in as unpaid help, most houses are quite welcoming. As an agent, I have actually done more varied things than I ever did during my 25 years on the publishing side. I have been the primary editor on certain books–I’ve written jacket copy–created ads– designed covers — set up author luncheons –on air or in-print interviews — created chain wide retail promotions — gotten authors into conferences or festivals — sent out email blasts to reviewers, booksellers, and/or consumers — and, in one case, designed, created, distributed, and paid for a sampler of my writer’s work a year prior to the book’s publication.

I actually love, and do not bemoan, this broad & deep level of involvement.

WH: Good to hear! Okay, it’s time to get down to it: query letters. How important are they? I.e. if the query letter is poor but the sample chapters are great, are you still interested in a potential client? Or does the whole package need to shine?

MM: While the actual manuscript is the Be-All, End-All, Everything as to whether I will take on a new client, query letters are vitally important. It’s how a writer enters the stage, takes the field, or whatever other bad metaphor you choose to use. The quality and the tone of the query letter does establish my predisposition as to what I expect to find in the actual narrative. In answer to your question, I do not recall ever receiving a bad query letter followed by good writing. However, I have, on many occasions, received a query letter that sounds scintillating where the writing that follows just doesn’t deliver on the promise.

WH: What are three things that make you immediately put a query down (i.e. in the trash)?

MM: The quickest reason (and one I use seemingly 1-2 times every day) is that I do not represent the type of writing being submitted. Unlike say a sports agent, who’d never represent just offensive left tackles or shooting point guards, literary agents do specialize exactly like that. I represent narrative nonfiction, literary (or at least not genre) fiction, and art book with a strong narrative base. I do not represent science fiction, romance novels, thrillers. In nonfiction, I do not represent self-help, business, nor craft titles.

That’s the only immediate reason a query goes “in the trash.”

There are other ways to quickly sour my responsiveness. I hate being addressed as Dear Agent or To Whom It May Concern. If a writer wants me as a partner and to help shepherd their career, I think they at least should learn my name.

I also cringe when a writer starts sounding like an ad. If the writing truly is “The Best” or “The Most Unusual” the writing itself should carry that message. This last point is completely my personal taste and should not be taken as a guide.

So much of this process is like Match.com. Some guys are turned off by too much make-up. I’m actually turned off (a little) by a query letter that begins “What if…” or “What would you do if…” To each their own.

[Read more →]

It’s no surprise that publishers are clamoring after the would-be VP, aka The Hockey Mom Lipstick Moose Hunting Caribou Barbie Sarah Palin (phew, that’s a lot of nicknames!). The New York Post reports that publishers aren’t the only ones after America’s new sweetheart- major talent agencies are pursuing her as well. According to the article: “CAA, ICM, William Morris, Paradigm and other agencies smell books, talk shows and commentary for Fox and CNN.”

And of course, there are the people who are after her solely to capitalize on her public floundering. One media company president suggested that Palin is so hot because she has “car-wreck appeal.” The real story is the buzz over how much she’ll get for her first book/memoir. I mean, Tina Fey got $6 million…does the real thing deserve more?

Read the whole article HERE.

Do you have, well, not quite car-wreck appeal but an otherwise notable memoir? Why not submit it to The Candice Fuhrman Literary Agency? You’ve got a story to tell and WordHustler wants to help you tell it. Who knows, maybe you’re the world’s next Memoirist Barbie (or Ken Doll)!

The New York Post reports that everyone’s favorite comedienne is not only an Emmy-winner, but also a potential NY Times Best-Seller. Tina Fey, who is on top of the world with her show 30 ROCK, as well has her dead-on Sarah Palin impression (see below), is being pursued by publishers to pen a book. The bidding war is apparently so fierce that the original $5 million advance she’s been offered has already risen to $6 million. All this, just for being able to see Russia from her house!

Read the whole article HERE.

Are you a funny lady (or funny man) with something to say? Why not submit a humorous article to Maxim magazine? Have you got something a little more…out there? Why not submit a funny short story with a sci-fi twist to The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction? WordHustler wants to get all you hilarious peeps published and laughing all the way to your OWN bank.