Description
Represent and promote authors and other literary creators in the publishing and media industries. Secure and negotiate publishing and subsidiary-rights deals, manage client relationships, and guide long-term career development.
- • Collect advances, royalties, and commissions per agency and contract terms.
- • Advise authors on career strategy, project selection, and submissions.
- • Cultivate relationships with editors, publishers, scouts, and media to place clients' work.
- • Coordinate submission timelines, pitch meetings, and rights meetings.
- • Negotiate publishing, audio, film/TV, translation, and other subsidiary-rights contracts.
- • Track market trends, deal terms, and editor and imprint interests.
- • Oversee business affairs, review royalty statements, and liaise with accountants and attorneys.
- • Evaluate queries, proposals, and manuscripts to identify promising clients.
- • Arrange calls and meetings among authors, editors, publicists, and co-agents.
- • Prepare and reconcile client accounting statements and royalty reports.
- • Advise clients on contract terms and career implications; refer legal or tax issues to specialists.
- • Monitor delivery schedules, marketing commitments, and production plans for contractual compliance.
- • Recommend and coordinate freelance editors, sensitivity readers, illustrators, or co-writers.
- • Draft, polish, and submit query letters, proposal packages, and manuscripts to targeted editors.
Related specializations
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Interview options
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Related Pathways
Arts, Entertainment, & Design
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Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
