Third Generation Writer Quits Writing to Become an Agent

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Molly Jong-Fast, daughter of Erica Jong and granddaughter of Howard Fast has quit writing to become a literary agent. She wants to sell “celebrity-driven” books and bring in “‘really smart’ writers to help shape those public figures’ lives into books.” As for the literary part of being a literary agent:

“I’m trying not to do too much literary stuff–which is not to say I’m not taking smart things, but there’s a certain type of pretentious novel that I just hate, that I’d spent most of my career trying to write away from. . . .  I want to represent books that will actually reach people.”

She still owes one more book on her contract, though her editor was let go during last month’s purge. Mark Pritchard writes, “I’ll bet that’s going to be one fantastic book — composed by a writer who doesn’t want to be a writer anymore, and edited by whomever, it sounds like the equivalent of a Hollywood movie dumped in a few theaters during the slowest week of the year for a tax write-off.” (via Too Beautiful)

Stephen Elliott is the author of seven books, including the memoir The Adderall Diaries and the novel Happy Baby. He is the founding editor of The Rumpus. His feature film debut, About Cherry, is being distributed by IFC and opens in theaters September 21, 2012. More from this author →