Top-ranked New York literary agent, Mark Gottlieb – of Trident Media Group – dropped by this week to enlighten me about all things publishing including what it's like to work at one of the world's leading agencies, how to stand out as a writer, and the kinds of projects he's looking for right now. "There's a lot out there that can really overwhelm an author when they're trying to figure out how to find an agent or how to get published." - Mark Gottlieb Mark grew up around books and bestselling authors, and the writing life had an influence on him from an early age. Inspired to go into the family business, he graduated with a degree in writing, literature & publishing, and began his career at Penguin. He's since gone on to become one of the top-ranked agents on Publishers Marketplace and has represented numerous award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors. Trident Media Group is a prominent New York agency that represents a diverse stable of over 1,000 bestselling and emerging authors across a wide range of genres in fiction and nonfiction. Mark has optioned books for both film and TV and is actively building a client list of authors at TMG. He previously ran their audiobook department, and has worked in foreign rights. He has a passion for working directly with authors to help them manage and build their careers using the unique resources available to him at one of the world's leading literary agencies. If you're interested in an insider's take on how to get traditionally published today, stick around, this is a good one. This episode of The Writer Files is brought to you by the team at Author Accelerator. Author Accelerator book coaches give writers feedback, accountability, and support while you write, so you can get that your idea out of your head and onto the page. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this file Mark Gottlieb and I discussed: What it's like to grow up hanging out with Dean Koontz and Tom Clancy How to avoid overwhelm when you start your journey to publication Tried-and-true recommendations and resources for aspiring authors ready to reach out to an agent How to use Publishers Marketplace as your giant Rolodex for book publishing Why authors might choose traditional over self-publishing How agents advocate for authors to make sure they take advantage of every possible opportunity in publishing And the enduring power of paper books, audiobooks, indie bookstores, and the power of the #writingcommunity Show Notes: Author Accelerator Publishing Secrets from Top NY Literary Agent Mark Gottlieb: Part Two Mark Gottlieb at Trident Media Group Trident Media Group Trident Media Group: Submissions Link LiteraryAgentMarkgottlieb.com - Mark's blog with author resources about all things writing, literature and publishing Publishers Marketplace How Professional Comedy Writer & Author James Breakwell Writes: Part One How WNYC Podcast Host and Author of ‘Bored and Brilliant’ Manoush Zomorodi Writes Left to Their Own Devices: How Digital Natives Are Reshaping the American Dream Kindle Edition by Julie M. Albright (Amazon) Mark Gottlieb on Instagram Mark Gottlieb on Facebook Mark Gottlieb on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Please click the PayPal Donate button to support The Writer Files with a secure PayPal donation