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literary agent

Why and How I Made Up a Literary Agent

January 2, 2023

Quite a provocative title, you must admit. It’s true, I essentially made up a literary agent when I couldn’t find one. The problem is, it worked… sort of.

Much of our existence – as creators and generally – is ambiguous and self-contradictory. People are complex beings, there are no simple answers. And so, though I’ve generally disowned my past as a published author, at the same time I still use the designation on Amazon, Goodreads, and such platforms. I also use it in the introductory pages of my books. It’s supposed to be some sort of sign of merit.

This is all bullshit, of course. 

I’m only playing a part doing that; it’s the persona of a writer selling a book. I don’t really believe being a published author means anything in terms of quality. By the way, I also mention I have a PhD in English literature, but I don’t think that means much either

It’s all a performance; theatrics.

Which is the topic of today’s story, too: Why and how I made up a literary agent. This is something very few people know (perhaps as few as three: the “agent”, the publisher, and myself). I’ll talk about the why’s and how’s, as well as the aftereffects. This should reveal to us a few things about the publishing industry.

made up a literary agent
When I made up a literary agent, I thought I was smartly creating a hole to let light in. I didn’t like what I saw…
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