Erica Spellman-Silverman

Erica Spellman-Silverman is a literary agent at Trident Media Group. Prior to her position at Trident, Erica was a Senior Vice-President at both International Creative Management (ICM) and William Morris in New York City. Among the many writers she has represented are: Robin Cook, Hunter S. Thompson, Scott Spencer, Cameron Crowe, Robert Greenfield, Ron Kovic, Whitley Strieber, Alex Shumatoff, and Robert Scheer.

She also worked in the Motion Picture Departments where she represented: Ron Silver, Macaulay Culkin, Joan Cusack, Jay Cocks, Susan Seidelman, Matthew Modine, and Brett Ratner.

Erica has taught at Tisch Graduate Film School of NYU and HB Studio. She currently serves on the Board of Journeys in Film.

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: How did you first get your start in publishing and in film? Did you begin with the intention of becoming an agent?

ERICA SPELLMAN-SILVERMAN: My first job was as an intern at Western Publishing when I was a freshman in college.  My first ‘real’ job was as a secretary to a legendary literary agent named Phyllis Jackson.  The agency was a forerunner of ICM.  I got that job when I left graduate school.  I had been around writers and publishers my entire life because my father was a writer.  I thought I could be a good agent because I could read, talk, and listen!  I was a secretary for two years and I had a great time and learned everything about agenting. The agency was small and Mrs. Jackson represented all kinds of writers from Dr. Seuss to the Ian Fleming estate!

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: How do the roles of producing and agenting differ? How are they similar? 

ERICA SPELLMAN-SILVERMAN: They are both similar and different.  The important aspect for both jobs is recognizing good and saleable material.  The differences are too vast for this interview!

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: At ICM and William Morris, you rose to Senior Vice-President. What are some of the qualities that help create that kind of success in your profession? 

ERICA SPELLMAN-SILVERMAN: The qualities that create any kind of success are luck and timing and being able to recognize both before they pass.

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: You also worked in the Motion Pictures Department where you represented folks like Ron Silver, Macauley Culkin, and Joan Cusack. How does the job of representing actors differ from representing writers? What different kinds of things do you negotiate for in the case of representing actors?

ERICA SPELLMAN-SILVERMAN: Negotiating for actors is very different than making deals for writers.  Writers don’t need trailers, hair and make-up and costume people.  Book writers don’t have to worry about studio executive notes that sometimes don’t make sense to them!

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: How did the job at Trident Media Group come to you?

ERICA SPELLMAN-SILVERMAN: The chairman of Trident, Robert Gottlieb, was my boss at WMA.  In the summer of 2009 he asked if I wanted to come back to being a literary agent and I was thrilled….both to return to agenting and to working with Robert.  Because we worked together at WMA, I think we have a terrific shorthand on how to work together.

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: What is the best way for prospective clients to contact you about their work? What makes an author stand out in an exemplary way? And how long does it usually take you to know you’ve got a great writer on your hands?

ERICA SPELLMAN-SILVERMAN: Prospective clients can go to the Trident website and there are directions about how to contact the agency.

I think an author standing out is purely a matter of taste.  Something either grabs you or it doesn’t.  And, then you have to make the decision about whether you are responding to a manuscript on a visceral level, or on a financial level.  The best is when it’s both!

A manuscript usually grabs you in the first few pages.  If it takes longer than that, it usually doesn’t work. 

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: You’ve taught at the Tisch Graduate School of Film at NYU and HB Studio. What was that experience like? What did you teach?

ERICA SPELLMAN-SILVERMAN: I taught Screenwriting.  And a course I developed titled THE BUSINESS OF THE MOVIE BUSINESS, which was directed to third year graduate students.  I loved teaching.

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: At the end of the day, what is the most satisfying thing about working and living in New York City?

ERICA SPELLMAN-SILVERMAN: As someone whose family has been here for several generations, I’m a total New Yorker.  I’ve lived here my entire life, including university.  I think everything (except the humidity in the summer) is perfect about New York.

HOW TO PUBLISH A BOOK: Thanks so much, Erica, for speaking with us.