Take out your notepads!

Abigail sits down with literary agent Kate McKean for a very special conversation about book publishing contracts. This is a topic that intimidated Abigail early in her career—as it does many writers who are interested in traditional publishing. It's also extremely important for writers to understand what makes a good deal, and who better to learn from than an expert agent with over 17 years experience. 

Kate has worked as a literary agent at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency since 2006, where she's built a diverse client list from New York Times best selling internet sensations like I Can Has Cheezburger to beloved humorist and short story writer Daniel M. Lavery to New York Times best selling YA horror writer Madeleine Roux. 

Kate is also an adjunct professor at New York University in the School of Professional Studies and a writer herself (rep. by Michael Bourret of Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret).

Her ability to talk about complicated topics like publishing contracts in layman's terms is a testament to her teaching abilities and strong communication skills. Some of the key topics in this discussion include: 

• Contract misconceptions and what to really expect
• What makes a good deal and what are red flags in contracts
• Money, rights, and what happens if something goes wrong
• Payout structures (how writers get paid)
• General thought process about negotiations
• Why you should always ask for more
• Plus, more! 

Does Kate sound like the ideal literary agent for you? Send her your query! 

• Kate's Full MSWL: Review it here
• Learn more about HML: Visit their website  
• Read Kate's article on Catapult: "Book Contracts: Let's Talk Rights" 

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Follow Abigail and Kate:

Website: www.abigailkperry.com | https://www.katemckean.com/  

IG: @abigailkperry | @kate_mckean

X: @abigailkperry | @kate_mckean