Industry Compass: Christine Witthohn
Posted By Amber Scott on May 12, 2010
Amber Scott, Author
by Amber Scott
1st Turning Point First Mate
Copyright © 2010 Amber Scott
Please join me in welcoming Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency. Â I hope you’ll enjoy her succinct, candid answers as much as I do.
AS: You consider yourself a business partner to your authors. Â How can being agented impact the success of an author building name recognition and executing effective self-promotion?
CW: Agents and editors are all about buzz. We love to tell people (conferences, workshops, etc.) / industry contacts about projects we are excited about. An agent will have opportunities and access an author doesn’t and this can be invaluable. My clients are my teammates and we both have to do our parts. It is vital for an author to promote themselves in this business if they want to survive.
AS: Considering all the dramatic industry changes coming our way, what do you foresee the most crucial promotion components becoming for any author?
CW: The internet—know it, use it, work it, own it!
AS:Â If writing a great book comes first, what is the second most important action an author can take to stand out in the crowd?
CW: Do your homework! Know your competition. Know your hook and what it is about your story that makes you stand out. Know who your target agents, editors, imprints are.
AS: Can you offer an example of an inventive way one of your authors helped create buzz and name recognition before or during publication?
CW: I put in quite a bit of time brainstorming and working with my authors to come up with clever ideas for promotion. I also have a marketing pro I work closely with who has over 25 years of experience (she is a goddess!). If I share my secrets or specific strategies, I’d have to kill you 
AS: Among the many do’s in marketing and promotion, can you offer a specific don’t?
CW: Don’t take liberties when it comes to someone else’s resources (time, money, etc.) or accomplishments. When in doubt… ask permission!
AS: Thank you so much, Christine. Homework started!
Play Flingby Amber ScottFace Your Target… Brooke Munkle didn’t leave a lukewarm marriage just to flounce into the first hot bed. She is focused on re-creating her life and too young, too hot, Elliott Jovovich has no business distracting her. If only he’d get out of her head. Maybe if she keeps things simple, she can allow herself one indulgence. Pull The String… Elliott Jovovich sees through Brooke’s stiff facade. Underneath her struggle to hold it all together, a vibrant woman is waiting to be freed. He tells himself it’s not the chase but the reward he’s after. To win her heart, he’ll even play by her rules, which would be a helluva lot easier if her hostile best friend didn’t fight so dirty. Steady. Aim. Release… Playing cupid wouldn’t be punishment if it was easy. Millie’s had ti. The sneaking around, the spying, compatibility issues, blind chemistry. Brooke keeping secrets. Elliott constantly getting in the way. If she doesn’t match her first best friend in two lifetimes with true love fast, Millie’s will lose the one thing in this life sentence to fight for: her partner. |
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I find it interesting that just a couple years ago, most industry professionals answered, “Write the best book you can” to nearly all these questions, sidestepping promo until after the book is published, but now many are on board with your message here today. Your straightforward answers are quite refreshing. Thank you!
And thank you, Amber, for another awesome interview!
“The internet—know it, use it, work it, own it!”
I love this answer!
I also appreciate her reiterating the purpose of this website–promo is vital, and 1st Turning Point is here to help teach authors all about it.
Thanks for a great interview Amber and Christine!
Ann
Amber
Sounds like you were trying your best, but I thought Christine Witthohn blew us off. I found your pitch for your novel PLAY FLING more interesting that her interview. I guess it bothered me that Christine avoided giving any examples or solid responses to your questions, which certainly gave her every opportunity to open up to the authors here, many of whom might be potential clients of her “Book Cents Literary Agency”. I have no idea exactly what her agency might do thats better than any other. I don’t know who her clients are, what books she’s sold, or even in which type of client she specializes. She pins her worth as an agent on the usefulness of ‘buzz’, which is true enough, but they teach you that in 1st grade at Agent’s School (first grade in agent’s school is usually the mail room). As to her advice, that we as authors are to know our target market, our target agents, our target editors and target imprints…well, that doesn’t seem to leave anything for Christine to do except collect her 15%. And she advises authors to become proficient internet marketeers. “Own the internet.” That sort of advice is as actionable as telling somebody to ‘write a great novel.’ Being somewhat curious, I went beyond the interview and clicked over to her site, which is ‘under construction’ and gives no further hint as to who, how, what, when, where or why. But then again, maybe it’s just me, sifting away at the haystack, looking for a grain or two of whatever it is we’re looking for here.
best,
John K.