How to Wow a Non-Fiction Literary Agent with Marilyn Allen

The Florida Writer Podcast

Readers don't want generic and tired, and neither do literary agents. In this Florida Writers Podcast, host Alison Nissen chats with Allen O'Shea Literary Agent co-founder Marilyn Allen about having a great client-agent relationship, seducing readers with the X-factor, and developing fresh content from old ideas.

Marilyn Allen is a literary agent and founding partner in the Allen O'Shea Literary Agency. She has culminated 25 years of experience by doing sales and marketing for various publishing houses. She served as Associate Publisher, Director of Marketing and Senior Vice President to Harper Collins, as well as Vice President to both Penguin and Simon & Schuster. She has directed sales and marketing teams for Penguin Books, Simon & Schuster, and Avon Books.

Marilyn has had the pleasure of working with authors such as Stephen King, Ken Follett, Barbara Kingsolver, John Gray and Mary Higgins Clark, but currently represents many nonfiction authors including several New York Times bestselling writers. Her focuses are nonfiction, cooking, health, parenting, crafts, self-help, pop culture and business. She herself has co-authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to Book Proposals and Query Letters (Penguin Books) with her partner Coleen O'Shea.