Take It from Me
An Agent's Guide to Building a Nonfiction Writing Career from Scratch
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
From the literary agent behind some of today’s most successful authors comes a narrative guide geared specifically to the needs of aspiring and working nonfiction writers, demystifying the world of publishing and offering a practical roadmap to getting your book published.
“An invaluable resource.”—Clint Smith, author of How the Word is Passed
“I really, really wish I had this book when I was starting out.”—Robert Kolker, author of Hidden Valley Road
Alia Hanna Habib remembers what it was like to be on the outside of the publishing world, looking in. Arriving in New York, a first-generation college student with a love of reading and loads of ambition, she had no idea how to break into the business of books. Now, years later, in her career as an agent, she hears from prospective clients who, whether they’re experts at the top of their fields or wholly new to the writing game, consider finding success in publishing to be a mysterious and daunting endeavor. Ever determined to flout the stereotype of agent as gatekeeper, however, Habib is prepared to hand emerging writers the key.
Drawing on wisdom from her star-studded list of clients, including Hanif Abdurraqib, Judy Batalion, Merve Emre, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and Clint Smith, Habib provides context and clarity to each step of the publishing process, from the germination of a book idea to finding an agent to represent it, from crafting an engaging proposal to navigating the perils of publicity. Readers will find real-life samples of her authors' pitch letters and book proposals, as well as templates writers can use when querying agents or promoting their work on social media. She also incorporates the advice of trusted industry colleagues—attorneys, accountants, editors, publishers, publicists, and more—gifting readers with a full team of experts to answer all the questions they’ve had about the publishing world, but were too afraid, or didn’t know, to ask.
Essential for both the aspiring novice and the seasoned professional, Take It from Me is a guidebook writers will return to again and again. At times laugh-out-loud funny, at others brutally honest about her own experiences in publishing and in life, Habib offers a clear-eyed look at the challenges facing today’s aspiring nonfiction writers and then gives them the comprehensive, expert guidance they need to put those roadblocks in the rearview mirror.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Noting that practical advice for getting published is plentiful for fiction writers, but sparse for nonfiction writers, debut author and Gernert Company VP Habib offers the latter an essential guide to "the ins and outs of the publishing side." Rather than a reassuring feel-good like Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird (which the author references knowing it's on many aspiring writers' shelves), Habib's book is a nitty-gritty, roll-up-your-sleeves how-to for academics, journalists, and experts hoping to carve out a path for publishing their work. The author addresses key questions asked by many writers—do I need a platform? an MFA? a book proposal? a query letter? an agent?—and incorporates actual sample content that resulted in representation, contracts, and publication. Habib recommends that aspiring nonfiction authors pitch articles and essays in national newspapers, magazines, and literary journals; the "golden ticket to nonfiction book publishing" is "writing an original piece and having an agent see it and reach out to you." She also emphasizes developing the book proposal over completing the manuscript, as agents and publishers prefer to help authors shape the work for their audiences. Habib lifts the curtain on how agents decide what books to represent and how editors choose titles to acquire, as well as offering detailed explanations on everything from author advances to what to expect as publication day nears. For aspiring nonfiction authors, it's a must.
