literary agents

Pitch sessions are a staple at most writers conferences, offering authors the opportunity to sit down face-to-face with a literary agents to talk about their projects. But while they make lots of money for conference organizers, they aren't the best path to getting a book published.

Veteran novelist Catherine Ryan Hyde (Pay It Forward and 15 other books) describes the monetary underpinnings of the novelist's business. Did you know authors generally get just two royalty checks a year? That is, if there are any royalties at all.