As the publishing industry undergoes economic changes and lay-offs, a growing number of former editors from major publishing houses have taken their love for guiding and developing writing talent to another level; they have become literary agents.
Because successful literary agents must possess an understanding of the publishing world while they maintain relationships within the industry, former editors can easily transition into the world of agents. At first glance, this seems like a well-suited trade off, especially for authors. Authors are represented by professionals who understand what editors are truly looking and, more importantly, who know how to navigate through the red tape of an acquisition team and get the green-light on a project. Editors who have a love for developing talent are able to take a more hands on approach on projects rather than running manuscripts through an assembly line with little time to make an otherwise good project great.
However, while some literary agents are shrugging off this trend, others see these new agents as competition for an already crowded marketplace. What do you think? Is it a good idea for editors to transition into literary agents or is it causing more problems for the already struggling publishing industry?