Did you know  that most industries in the US are controlled by fewer than ten corporations and that America's literary businesses include six conglomerates that dominate trade publishing?

They are:

 

1. The French (Lagadere) own Hatchette, Warner Books, Little Brown & Co and the Book-of-the-Month Club

 

2. The Germans (Bertelsmann AG) own The Literary Guild, Random House and all its imprints (70 of them) including big names like Knopf, Ballantine. Bantam, Dell, Broadway Doubleday, Anchor, Fawcett and more.

 

3. The American company that was once Aussie (Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.) owns HarperCollins, Avon, William Morrow and more.

 

4. The Brits (Pearson) own Penguin Putnam which includes imprints like Viking, Signet, Dutton and lots more.

 

5. The Germans (Holtzbrinck) owns Henry Holt & Co., St. Martin's Press,Farrar, Straus & Gerioux.

 

6. Viacom owns Simon & Schuster which includes Pocket Books, Free Press, Scribner, Touchstone and Atria.

 

7. Hyperion is part of Disney.

 

Agents may not be for everyone but they shouldn't be dismissed out of hand because you've heard so many horror stories. A good one can help you trudge through this mire and reach the right editor and publishing house for your work.