In the latest issue of Poets and Writers, Paige Wheeler, founder of the literary agency Folio, explains her company’s approach to maximizing revenue for writers:
“Folio’s motto, emblazoned across its website, is “thinking beyond the page,” and, as Wheeler explains, Folio is positioning itself for the next wave of publishing by looking at its clients as creators of intellectual property that can be delivered not only via printed books but also via digital formats, apps, films, speaking tours, and ancillary merchandise. “I mean, look at Harry Potter. That’s now a ride in an amusement park,” Wheeler says. “It starts with a book. If there isn’t a book, we probably shouldn’t be involved. But if there is a book, we need to help our authors think about getting beyond the book and maximize their intelectual property.”
The “beyond the book” part sounds ominous, but the savvy business strategy is attractive. Any thoughts?
