KATIE KOTCHMAN

 

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: How did your education at Vassar help prepare you for a career as a literary agent? Was there any one particular class or professor that was extraordinarily helpful?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: While I learned most of the requisite skills on the job, Vassar fostered my intellectual curiosity, expanded my knowledge base of various forms of literature, and strengthened my writing and communication skills, all of which are critical qualities for any agent.  The professor I feel most indebted to is Don Foster, whose year-long intensive Shakespeare course was the single most rewarding and enriching class in my academic career.  It fundamentally changed the way I look at language.     

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: It sounds like you had an excellent internship experience at Denise Marcil Literary Agency. What kinds of things did you get to do as Denise’s business manager?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: Absolutely.  In fact, since Don Congdon Associates (DCA) and Denise Marcil share office space, I continue to work as Denise’s business manager while maintaining my own list of clients under DCA.  In that role, I manage Denise’s backlist of nearly 1,500 titles, negotiate her domestic contracts and amendments, sell audio rights on her behalf, and generally keep her office running smoothly.  It’s been an invaluable experience as I’ve learned a tremendous amount in a relatively short amount of time. 

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: What was the single most important thing you learned working for Denise?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: Denise taught me how to read and interpret book contracts.  Starting when I was her intern, we’d read contracts line-by-line, and she’d use events and examples from her 30+ years of experience to illustrate what the language actually meant and how it could be enacted.  It was critical to laying the foundation for my career, and I’m tremendously thankful to her for that. 

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: How did the position at Don Congdon Associates come to you?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: It was a natural progression since Don Congdon Associates and Denise Marcil Literary Agency are affiliated.  And I couldn’t be happier that it worked out as it did. 

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: As an agent, what are you most interested in representing?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: I look for emotionally compelling fiction.  I want stories that make me feel, whether it’s a feeling of fear, hope, love, or sadness.  I love when a book transports me to the time and place the author has created within the pages.  It’s an experience that many readers long for—the brief escape from their lives can have a magical quality and act as a form of release. The fiction projects I consider are young adult, literary fiction, up-market women’s fiction, and mystery/thriller.  In YA, I want relatable characters with heart who grow throughout their journey.  A bit of romance and a compelling struggle are always welcome.  Up-market women’s fiction is synonymous with book club picks in my mind—books that will inspire reflection and conversation.  For mystery and thriller, I need a fast-paced plot with psychological conflict and literary underpinnings.  A quirky protagonist never hurts, either.  

I’m actively looking to build my non-fiction list in the following categories: business, narrative non-fiction, and pop culture.  In business, I’m looking for authors who have innovative ideas, new twists on popular topics, ready-made platforms, and unique points-of-view.  In narrative non-fiction, I’m looking for books from which I can learn and books that offer a fresh perspective.   Pop culture is, of course, all about fun and frivolity, but I’m also open to a serious dissection of various aspects of the media and entertainment world.

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: What really catches your eye in a prospective writer?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: In their writing, it’s all about voice and style.  There’s something indefinable about a great piece of writing—you can dissect the word choice (is it surprising or even intriguing?), narrative structure (does the turning point come at the perfect time; does the tension steadily build leading up to the climax?) pacing (does the need to find out what happens next border on obsession?) and so on—but, in the end, it’s kind of like your favorite food.  You can’t always fully articulate why you like it—it’s just so good.  As far as an author’s personality, I look for writers who are motivated, flexible, and have a strong platform and/or credentials.

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: What is the best way for prospective clients to contact you?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: Email me at kkotchman@doncongdon.com.  Include a brief query letter, and, if you like, paste the first 5 pages into the body of the email.  No attachments, please.

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: What are your thoughts on eBooks: are they harmful or helpful to traditional publishing? And what is a fair price for an eBook?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: The demise of traditional publishing is a perennial topic of concern and speculation, which many link to the rise of technology and, by proxy, ebooks.  I can understand where that concern originates, but I have to say that for the overwhelming majority of authors, ebooks are helpful.  It’s another format in which to deliver their story to readers, and from what I’ve seen within the two agencies, ebook sales aren’t cannibalizing the authors’ hardcover or paperback sales (and, therefore, their income).  Rather, the ebook sales we’re seeing are in addition to the authors’ physical sales (which is to say that authors are selling physical copies on par with the books they published in the pre-ebook era), which seems to indicate that ereaders are creating new consumers and encouraging lifelong readers to purchase more books than they might have in the past (the price point being a major factor in the latter case, I’m sure).  As far as a “fair” price, it will be dictated, in part, by what consumers are willing to pay.  As such, I’d like to see a move away from the conventional mindset that because an ebook doesn’t exist as a physical product, it somehow has less value.  The majority of the value of any book, regardless of format, is the story.  The author’s intellectual property is highly valuable, and I’ll always work tirelessly to protect that value when licensing rights.  My main concern with ebooks at the moment is that authors aren’t receiving the royalty rates they should from traditional houses.  

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: What is the most effective “outside the box” marketing strategy you’ve seen an author employ to create buzz?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: That’s a difficult question since publicity and marketing strategies are constantly evolving.  What was once “outside the box” is now the norm, as evidenced by the rise of social media.  Recently, I’ve seen some innovative contests and give-aways used to drive buzz around a book.  Authors might give away free chapters when readers “like” them on Facebook; publishers are running contests for free copies of books to the 10^th or 20^th person who retweets; I’ve seen a PR company give away a brand new iPad when readers share a link to a book with their friends.  The goal of all of these is to get a book to go viral.  The most important thing an author can do to foster sales remains the same as it’s always been—word of mouth.  Get people talking about your book by whatever means necessary—both online and face-to-face.   

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: At the end of the day, what do you enjoy the most about working in publishing as a literary agent?

KATIE KOTCHMAN: Seeing a book take shape and come to life.  And then going out and getting others just as excited as I am about that book.  It’s a great job!

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: Thanks so much, Katie, for speaking with us!