HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
THE LITERARY AGENT
Jacinta di Mase is a literary agent who set up her eponymous management company in 2004. She spends most of her days negotiating publishing offers and contracts on behalf of her authors, and after 20 years’ experience, knows negotiating is all about “staying focused on the issue at hand”.
“My advice is to keep an open mind – don’t go in with too many preconceptions. Be willing to learn and try new things. Try to listen to what the other person is actually saying, rather than thinking about what you’re going to say next. Keep meticulous records and file them properly – my style is to start a negotiation in writing so there’s a point of reference there.
I learnt all this on the job through listening, being curious and asking lots of
