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The Benefits of Working with an Agent / Redwood Agency Expertise

Every author deserves the opportunity to devote as much time as possible to the creative process and having a literary agent can help make that desire a reality. An author/agency relationship can provide the following distinct benefits:

Provide writers the chance to do what they do best – write!
Many, if not most, major publishers no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts so an agent is needed for your submission to receive consideration.
An agent assists in development of professional submissions.
An agent understands publishing contracts and the variety of important terms that need to be negotiated.
An agent knows how to effectively handle interest from one – or more – publishers.
An agent provides an author with support and guidance.
An agent makes it her business to know the publishing business.
An agent knows if a publisher's requests or demands of an author are reasonable.
An agent is the author’s advocate in a publishing house.
An agent is responsible for seeing that publishers make payments accurately and on time.
An agent ensures that authors are consulted with appropriately on decisions about projects and handles problems that may arise.
An agent may work with the author to develop a long-term publishing strategy.

Catherine Fowler, Redwood Agency’s founder, brings the following expertise to author/agent/publisher relationships:

Twenty-plus years of mainstream publishing experience. (See Bio)
Hundreds of content rights sales and acquisitions, totaling millions of dollars, completed.
Reputation with publishers for submitting excellent proposals and presentations.
Product development and editorial expertise.
Entrepreneurial approach to business and projects.
Publishing contract and negotiation expert.
Management experience with complex business relationships.
Unique understanding of all sides of the publishing process having worked with publishers and authors from both inside and outside of publishing houses.
Complete understanding of subsidiary rights (e.g. book club, serial, foreign translation, audio, reprint, TV/Film and electronic and more). Managed all kinds of subsidiary rights sales and acquisitions since 1982.
Early pioneer in the developing territory of electronic publishing and the Internet having been involved in new media since 1988.
A desire and commitment to work with fun, interesting, and creative people and to do so with respect and professionalism, but also with a sense of humor.

If you have more questions about the benefits of working with agents or Redwood Agency please email us or include your questions at the end of a submitted Quick Query.

If would like to learn more about our agreements please visit our Agency Agreement page.