AGENTS

I heard Andrew Wylie on the radio yesterday. The press have given him the moniker 'the jackal.' He was the chap in the late eighties that ramped advances to authors through the roof. Now I'm all for writers getting what is their due, but the astronomical sums that are still being given to writers is unsustainable. Mr Wylie was moaning about Amazon and digital rights. Should one of the questions being asked, do we really need agents? What do they really do for their 10%? The most important person in publishing is the creator of the content, the writer. After that it is the editor. Now, there are some unscrupulous publishers out there, but surely it is not beyond the wit and ken of writers to have a template for a contract that gives them ample reward for their efforts. They surely can use the author's society as their union to watch and advise with contracts.I don't think we need Mr Wylie to advise on the publishing model. No doubt he has the writers welfare at his heart, and of course his cut of their earnings. There's a word for that.