ML Brown & Associates LLC Literary Blog

Why does authors not share who their agents are?

I am in a group that was discussing this subject and it is amazing to think what authors think. Personally as a agent I don’t mind my clients telling people who I am but I do request that if I tell my clients that my submissions are closed that they let others know. However, I think the reason that most people do not share who their agents are because it is a business if I tell you whom I deal with and my agent has been successful with pushing their novels why would they take food out of their family mouths by giving you the information on their successful careers. I am not saying that all authors feel the need to hide their information but for the most part most agents will tell you via their website who their clients are and if they don’t if you contact them they won’t hide their clients list. They want you to know that they are a reputable agency as well as they can do the job. So in all if you ask an author who their agent is and they do not tell you go buy their next book and I can guarantee you they will give thanks to their agent and then you can dig up the information yourself. Just remember the literary industry is just as cutthroat as any other industry everyone is trying to make their lives work and will not allow people to stand in their way they go after what they want as shall you.