Does Platform Trump Writing Ability - Who Wins the Debate?

by Cyle Young @CyleYoung

As a literary agent, I routinely get asked which is more important platform or the quality of the writing?

For writers who are looking to get published, this is an important question to debate. It may be the most important question.

The correct answer is not as easy as it may seem. The winner of this important debate between platform and writing ability can change more frequently than the tide. For the purposes of this post, I will look at this great debate from a traditional publishing perspective as it pertains to unpublished authors. For self-publishers, a third-party candidate weighs into the equation—marketing/networking.

3 Things I Learned in My First Days as a Literary Agent… (Part 1)

by Cyle Young @CyleYoung

A couple of months ago, I began the new and exciting adventure of becoming a literary agent with Hartline Literary Agency. The last few months have brought a whirlwind of information, learning, emails, reading manuscript submissions, and signing clients.

In just a matter of days, my inbox became flooded with submissions from authors seeking representation, and as I reviewed manuscript after manuscript and proposal after proposal, a few significant trends came to light. In an effort to help other authors on their writing journey, I will share a few of those insights with you.