Lit Agent Peter Cox says that his writers are the stars, which could make him a great choice for your representation. In this interview, he airs his skepticism of agents with egos and the ePublishing revolution.
Peter, what is special about the kind of representation that you do for your clients?
I don’t have a title. But I do know what authors need and want from their representation -which is more than the vast majority of agents do.
To start with, what would you tell your writers never to do?
I hate agents who have pet peeves. The internet has allowed a lot of empty-headed agents to think that they’re important. They’re not. The author is the star, forget it at your peril. I’m not talking about Nathan Bransford – just agents like Nathan Bransford.
There’s a lot of buzz about the possibilities of epublishing. How do you see this effecting your life and your clients careers?
While the transition from analog to digital is inevitable, the timescale isn’t. Consumers are not rioting in the streets for e-books. Take the hype out of the iPad, and you’re left with a very dull netbook lacking a killer app. The real danger is that publishing invests all hope for its future in these devices, and fatally takes its eye of the ball. I’m a pragmatist – show me the market, then I’ll get excited. Otherwise, let me get on with my job.
Ok, so you’re not impressed with ebooks. What do you think is the “next big thing?â€
I want more big books with big ideas. Simple, huh?
Everyone is also talking about the economy right now. What advice do you give your clients to weather this time – aside from eating Ramen to save cash?
Ramen can be good; but out of choice, not necessity. We’re doing things that other agents haven’t even dreamed of, and I see no reason to disturb their slumber at this point.
What’s a fact about yourself that your clients might not know?
I’m vegan.