Agents that sell on Amazon

chokdee · Jan 1, 2019

Hi.
I am near to completing my first novel so have started reading about getting published and the choice of the traditional agent/ publisher route and self-publishing on Amazon.
Both seem to have their attractions and difficulties so I got to wondering if there are any hybrid possibilities that combined the best of both worlds.
Are there any agents that sell books on Amazon for you on a commission basis.
I am not talking about scammers who want a fee upfront but normal agents who, if they like your book, will consider using Amazon rather than a traditional publisher to at least get the book out there in a professional manner.
Chokdee

cornflake · Jan 1, 2019

chokdee said:
Hi.
I am near to completing my first novel so have started reading about getting published and the choice of the traditional agent/ publisher route and self-publishing on Amazon.
Both seem to have their attractions and difficulties so I got to wondering if there are any hybrid possibilities that combined the best of both worlds.
Are there any agents that sell books on Amazon for you on a commission basis.
I am not talking about scammers who want a fee upfront but normal agents who, if they like your book, will consider using Amazon rather than a traditional publisher to at least get the book out there in a professional manner.
Chokdee

Why would an agent do that? Agents aren't publishers. You don't want an agent designing your cover and crap; that's not what agents do.

PyriteFool · Jan 1, 2019

I’m not quite sure what the point of this would be? The entire benefit of an agent (AFAIK) if that they have contact with publishers and can get your book seen by publishers/editors you, the author, could not otherwise access. They also help negotiate contracts and possibly edit the book. But they don’t sell your book to the public, do they?

Are you talking about the publicist? I’m sure that exists for self pub authors, but I sadly don’t know enough to speculate on how to find a good one. Or what a good one would cost.

chokdee · Jan 1, 2019

An agent taking on a writer may not be able to interest a traditional publisher in a work so I was asking if there are any that use Amazon in such cases.

cornflake · Jan 1, 2019

chokdee said:
An agent taking on a writer may not be able to interest a traditional publisher in a work so I was asking if there are any that use Amazon in such cases.

Agents aren't publishers, nor do they desire to play publisher.

Harlequin · Jan 1, 2019

If a trade publisher doesn't pick up your work, then you send your agent another work to put out on submission.

waylander · Jan 2, 2019

chokdee said:
An agent taking on a writer may not be able to interest a traditional publisher in a work so I was asking if there are any that use Amazon in such cases.

There are some agencies that have a small publishing sideline, usually this is for established clients who have had rights to older books returned. For an unpublished book most will hand it back to the author with words along the lines of "if you want to find a small publisher for this or self-publish, go ahead."

Barbara R. · Jan 2, 2019

Agents are in business to make money. Most of their income comes from their cut of writers' advances, since most books don't go on to earn out their advances. There are no advances in self-publishing. For the vast majority of writers, the money to be made in self-publishing amounts to pocket change. So agents have no incentive to get involved.

I have heard of a few who offer "assisted self-publishing" to their established clients whose work they failed to sell. But that's just a courtesy, basically; there's no money in it.

Curlz · Jan 2, 2019

There are people who offer this as a service but they are not "agents". It's just somebody who will prepare your book in the required format, maybe put a cover on it etc and place it on Amazon for you. That comes with a one-off fee, unlike agents who get percentage of whatever you sell.

AW Admin · Jan 2, 2019

chokdee said:
An agent taking on a writer may not be able to interest a traditional publisher in a work so I was asking if there are any that use Amazon in such cases.

That isn't what literary agents do. They sell books to publishers.

There are third parties who take care of formatting and connecting with Amazon and Apple's and Smashwords ebook retail platforms, for a fee.

Draft2Digital is one. There are others. Generally you are expected to deliver a finished manuscript and provide cover art.

There are individuals who do this, but I'd be leery of letting them control ISBN or your retail payment account.

veinglory · Jan 2, 2019

It strikes me that an agent who is also a publisher has a conflict of interest.

chokdee · Jan 2, 2019

veinglory said:
It strikes me that an agent who is also a publisher has a conflict of interest.

I don't see any conflict. If you have an agent it is because they like your work and feel it is saleable. Often agents can't find a publisher for their clients so why not help with the self-publishing route for a cut of the proceeds. It gets the work published which is the agent’s job. Many writers do not have the marketing skills needed to self-publish effectively.
Anyway it seems from the replies that agents do not offer this. Thanks for your input.
chokdee

BenPanced · Jan 2, 2019

chokdee said:
Often agents can't find a publisher for their clients so why not help with the self-publishing route for a cut of the proceeds.

As mentioned numerous times above, their job is to get your manuscript into the hands of an editor at a reputable house for commercial publishing. Agents aren't supposed to "help" you self-publish for any amount. If somebody does this and claims they're a literary agent, they're really running a scam. Sure, you can pay an editor, a publicist, a cover artist, etc., for when you self-pub but again, none of that is an agent's job.

Dennis E. Taylor · Jan 2, 2019

I am in exactly this position. I got an agent (Ethan Ellenberg) but he was unable to sell my novel to a print publisher (we did sell the audio rights to Audible). So he put the e-book on amazon through his ASP program (see here) and let audible put up the audio version.

For whatever reason, the Bobiverse series took off like gangbusters. So in addition to their regular agent-y duties, they now process my Amazon payments directly and take care of the Amazon/Createspace end of things. It's hybrid publishing of the most hybrid kind, I think.

Believe me, Ethan was as surprised as anyone. He commented just before we went live with the first book that if I could sell 1500-2500 units, I could consider it a success, and we'd move on to the next project. At this moment, between the 3 Bobiverse books and Singularity Trap, I'm up around a million units, counting audio, e-book, and paperbacks. And we're not even trying to find a trad publisher any more.

The thing about going this way is that A) I get the Amazon rate of 70% of sales, and B) They pay 60 days after the end of month. (less Ethan's 15% of course). Audible is slightly more complex, but they still pay quarterly. And no holdbacks for returns.

cornflake · Jan 2, 2019

chokdee said:
I don't see any conflict. If you have an agent it is because they like your work and feel it is saleable. Often agents can't find a publisher for their clients so why not help with the self-publishing route for a cut of the proceeds. It gets the work published which is the agent’s job. Many writers do not have the marketing skills needed to self-publish effectively.
Anyway it seems from the replies that agents do not offer this. Thanks for your input.
chokdee

If agents are acting as publishers themselves, but also theoretically attempting to sell work to other publishers, you don't see a conflict there?

Dennis E. Taylor · Jan 2, 2019

cornflake said:
If agents are acting as publishers themselves, but also theoretically attempting to sell work to other publishers, you don't see a conflict there?

Depends on how it's done. In my case, the agent is still only making 15% of sales, so if he could make me more money by getting a trad publisher, he'd do so. If the agent is making some of his/her money by charging you for things, then yeah, you need to have a close look.

chokdee · Jan 2, 2019

Dennis E. Taylor said:
I am in exactly this position. I got an agent (Ethan Ellenberg) but he was unable to sell my novel to a print publisher (we did sell the audio rights to Audible). So he put the e-book on amazon through his ASP program (see here) and let audible put up the audio version.

For whatever reason, the Bobiverse series took off like gangbusters. So in addition to their regular agent-y duties, they now process my Amazon payments directly and take care of the Amazon/Createspace end of things. It's hybrid publishing of the most hybrid kind, I think.

Believe me, Ethan was as surprised as anyone. He commented just before we went live with the first book that if I could sell 1500-2500 units, I could consider it a success, and we'd move on to the next project. At this moment, between the 3 Bobiverse books and Singularity Trap, I'm up around a million units, counting audio, e-book, and paperbacks. And we're not even trying to find a trad publisher any more.

The thing about going this way is that A) I get the Amazon rate of 70% of sales, and B) They pay 60 days after the end of month. (less Ethan's 15% of course). Audible is slightly more complex, but they still pay quarterly. And no holdbacks for returns.

Hey this is good to know. I am not as crazy as some think. Thank you and well done

chokdee · Jan 2, 2019

My book is based in the UK/Morocco so probably need an English agent.
If anyone knows one who offers a similar service to Ethan Ellenburg that would make my day.
Chokdee

Harlequin · Jan 3, 2019

your agent does not need to be based anywhere particularly to sell to publishing houses in the UK.

but you yourself have to be in the UK or from the UK to write to british agents.

Ethan Ethelberg is rather a giant in the field. My guess is most won't have his resources, but perhaps I am wrong. For a different perspective--if the book I have on sub doesn't sell, I will put it aside and try it out on sub again in future, after something else *does* sell and I've gained a little bit of leeway.

chokdee · Jan 3, 2019

Harlequin said:
your agent does not need to be based anywhere particularly to sell to publishing houses in the UK.

but you yourself have to be in the UK or from the UK to write to british agents.

Ethan Ethelberg is rather a giant in the field. My guess is most won't have his resources, but perhaps I am wrong. For a different perspective--if the book I have on sub doesn't sell, I will put it aside and try it out on sub again in future, after something else *does* sell and I've gained a little bit of leeway.

Are you saying UK agents don't consider authors fro the USA if they don't live in the UK? Seems a little odd. I am a Brit but have lived inThailand for the last 25 years. Where does that leave me?

mccardey · Jan 3, 2019

Harlequin said:
but you yourself have to be in the UK or from the UK to write to british agents.

Sorry?

PeteMC · Jan 3, 2019

Harlequin said:
but you yourself have to be in the UK or from the UK to write to british agents.

Not the case. I know British agents with international clients.

Harlequin · Jan 3, 2019

My apologies. I was told by Cornerstones that UK agents don't consider American or non commonwealth clients. A German friend trying to query UK agents was similarly told to try American agents instead.

Brits living abroad not an issue afaik either way. But then I seem to be wrong in all my posts atm...!

Edit: Reading up on Writer Beware, Victoria & the guy from Ampersand talks about querying "appropriately" meaning, if it's set in America and targets an American audience, British agents don't really want to see it in most cases. Though I must say, I find that somewhat strange, since I woudl not hesitate to query an American agent with a British-centric setting.

Barbara R. · Jan 3, 2019

Dennis E. Taylor said:
I am in exactly this position. I got an agent (Ethan Ellenberg) but he was unable to sell my novel to a print publisher (we did sell the audio rights to Audible). So he put the e-book on amazon through his ASP program (see here) and let audible put up the audio version.

For whatever reason, the Bobiverse series took off like gangbusters. So in addition to their regular agent-y duties, they now process my Amazon payments directly and take care of the Amazon/Createspace end of things. It's hybrid publishing of the most hybrid kind, I think.

Believe me, Ethan was as surprised as anyone. He commented just before we went live with the first book that if I could sell 1500-2500 units, I could consider it a success, and we'd move on to the next project. At this moment, between the 3 Bobiverse books and Singularity Trap, I'm up around a million units, counting audio, e-book, and paperbacks. And we're not even trying to find a trad publisher any more.

The thing about going this way is that A) I get the Amazon rate of 70% of sales, and B) They pay 60 days after the end of month. (less Ethan's 15% of course). Audible is slightly more complex, but they still pay quarterly. And no holdbacks for returns.

This is so interesting and unusual! Apart from what we will assume is wonderful writing, how do you account for so many readers discovering and buying your self-published work? As I'm sure you know, most s-p writers' sales figures could double as a list of friends and family. What did you do to break out?

chokdee · Jan 3, 2019

Barbara R. said:
This is so interesting and unusual! Apart from what we will assume is wonderful writing, how do you account for so many readers discovering and buying your self-published work? As I'm sure you know, most s-p writers' sales figures could double as a list of friends and family. What did you do to break out?

This is interesting because it is not really self-publishing by the author. It is the agents self-publishing work that they like thus saving a writer from having to become a salesman. He in turn has more time doing what he does best which is to write more stuff for them to sell.

Agents that sell on Amazon

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