Bresnick Weil Literary Agency (formerly Paul Bresnick Lit. Agency)

Leonidas · Mar 8, 2010

This is the first time I've ever started a new thread. I checked the agent index first and found no thread for Paul Bresnick, so assumed it is all right to create one.

I'm thinking of querying him, but I'd like to find out a bit more about him before I do. He has no separate web site, but does have a site at PM:

http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/paulbresnick/

At first glance this site makes him look fairly impressive. It lists 9 sales for 2009 and quite a few racked up for 2010 and 2011. But I'm new at this and fear that I might not be reading it right. First, are these numbers of sales considered good for an agency with one or two agents, as his outfit seems to be? Second, if these numbers ARE considered very good, why does P+E not give him a "Recommended"? (It does give him a $.) Should I assume that P+E is not up-to-date and still forming an opinion of Mr. Bresnick? I'm not very adept at judging these things yet, so I would be thankful for any input I can get. Thanks much.

M.R.J. Le Blanc · Mar 8, 2010

P&E gives agents either a 'recommended' or 'not recommended' based on the reports they get on said agent. By only listing a $, all they're saying is that this agent has confirmed sales. They don't have an opinion either way of whether he's good or bad. If he's got confirmed sales for books to be released in 2010 and 2011 that's usually a pretty good sign. It means he's selling. And judging by some of the publisher's he's sold to, he's making really good sales. Lots of really big names. He looks good to me.

Leonidas · Mar 10, 2010

Thanks so much M.R.J. I'm glad to hear that you, too, think he looks good. I probably will go ahead and query him.

victoriastrauss · Mar 10, 2010

He's got a really distinguished publishing career history, too.

- Victoria

pavtbr · Feb 19, 2012

Has anybody dealt with Paul Bresnick recently? I am going to query him because I think we would be a good fit. FYI, he does have a website now and is now accepting email queries.

http://bresnickagency.com/

Will post back once I hear a response.
Bryan

artemis31386 · Feb 19, 2012

He looks solid and appears to still be getting sales.

codeorange · May 10, 2012

Mr. Bresnick wants the first two chapters sent with the query. He doesn't specify if the chapters should be in the body of the email or as an attachement. Should I send in the body of the email to be safe?

Thank you.

pavtbr · May 10, 2012

codeorange said:
Mr. Bresnick wants the first two chapters sent with the query. He doesn't specify if the chapters should be in the body of the email or as an attachement. Should I send in the body of the email to be safe?

Thank you.

I sent mine in the body of the email. FYI, I am still waiting to hear back on my query. Good luck!
Bryan

ShyWriter · May 10, 2012

I think it's safe to assume sample chapters should be sent in the body of the e-mail unless otherwise indicated (I know many agents have attachment-phobia because of viruses and such).

Good Luck

Vandal · Mar 7, 2013

From The Lunch:

Paul Bresnick reports that he has finalized terms for assuming control of the Wendy Weil Agency. He will now conduct all business under a new banner, the Bresnick Weil Literary Agency.

ObeysGravity · Dec 1, 2020

Possible virus?

I notice this thread has been quiet for a while. However, I now have a question that I have never previously seen in AW. Back in January, I queried Paul Bresnick along with a ten page sample. After 90 days, I simply wrote this off as a non-response. This morning I received an email from PB which simply stated:

Hello ,

The important information for you. See the attachment to the email.

The name of the attached file is info.zip.

As much as I’d like to believe that PB loved my samples so much that he has sent me a contract in the attachment, my wiser self says that this has all the trappings of a virus. (Not intentional, of course.)

If this IS a virus, I suspect that anyone else in his inbox would be just as susceptible as I am, so I thought I'd ask.

Any thoughts?

mccardey · Dec 1, 2020

Smart move. My agent sent us all a heads-up about a month ago that there was a phishing thing going on that sounded a lot like this.

Dear all

This is an unusual mid-week parish notices but a few things have cropped up that we wanted to let you know about sooner rather than later.

Firstly, we need to make you aware that JULA and some of our colleagues have experienced repeated, sophisticated, and well-researched phishing attempts. These have included emails appearing to be from a digital signature service requesting that we follow a link and individuals seeking to secure copies of manuscripts.

These attempts come in the form of deceptive emails that look and sound like the real thing, often appearing to come from known individuals (editors, agents) using domain names with a slight change of letter (e.g. “icrnpartners.com” or “penguinrandornhouse.com”).

It can be difficult to tell the difference between legitimate and illegitimate messages, so here is some useful guidance that our colleagues at ICM have put together.

If you receive an email requesting sensitive information or items (manuscripts, contracts, etc.) to be sent via email, or to follow a link to sign a document, please consider the following steps:
1. Carefully inspect the sender’s email address. Ensure the person’s name is spelled correctly and, most importantly, that the company’s domain name (which is located after the @ symbol in an email address) is spelled correctly.
2. Call the supposed sender to verify that the items/information requested in the email are legitimate.
3. Do not reply to the email. Message headers can look real but have hidden text triggered when “reply” is hit. Instead, start a separate email chain with the sender asking if they did, in fact, request that item/information from you.
4. Carefully look at the email header, which contains detailed information about the email – where it came from, who it was sent to, date, time, subject, etc.

waylander · Dec 1, 2020

In my experience an agent interested in your work after seeing a sample sends a short email asking for the whole manuscript. You are right be be suspicious, this looks very much like a virus.

ObeysGravity · Dec 2, 2020

Thanks, Mccardey & Waylander.

Your advice will be heeded.

The tips from ICM look particularly scary.

What writer could resist a request from what appears to be Random House?

ObeysGravity · Dec 5, 2020

Update:

I emailed Paul Bresnick re. my experience, and he confirmed that his old email address had been hacked.

He now has a new account, and as far as I know, the link on his site is working.

Bresnick Weil Literary Agency (formerly Paul Bresnick Lit. Agency)

Leonidas

sui generis

M.R.J. Le Blanc

aka Sadistic Mistress Mi-chan

Leonidas

sui generis

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

pavtbr

artemis31386

All around miscreant

codeorange

Some of my friends are fictional.

pavtbr

ShyWriter

Vandal

In the Center of things

ObeysGravity

mccardey

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

ObeysGravity

ObeysGravity