I came across this article from Mark Gottlieb, literary agent and executive vice president of Trident Media Group, and there’s a lot to consider here. Especially if you work in publishing, or you’re curious about why things are so slow or what’s been going on recently.
Why Publishing’s Labor Reckoning Could Change Books for the Better: Trident Media Group’s Mark Gottlieb Declares The Passion Tax Comes Due
Read the article here:
Some key points:
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Wages have stagnated while living costs (especially in New York City) have risen sharply, making publishing careers increasingly untenable.
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High turnover is harming authors: editors and publicists leave mid-project, institutional knowledge is lost, and books receive less sustained attention.
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The industry struggles with socio-economic diversity because lower-income or first-generation workers are often steered away from low-paying creative roles.
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Additional pressures include unclear hybrid-work policies and anxiety over how AI will affect jobs.
And I might add that there needs to be a solution for literary agents to make a living wage. Most agents have to work another job just to pay the bills. Building a client list and then selling books takes years of unpaid work. In my three years of being a literary agent I’ve seen a lot of agents quit. The reason is simple: they can’t afford to live. For many, it’s not a sustainable job and the passion only goes so far.
THIS is one of the biggest reasons why hearing back from an agent takes so long. They are simply busy trying to survive and make a living wage. For most, agenting work is often done in the evening hours or on the weekends. Consequently, there’s no time for rest and agents get burned out.
When I realized this I was blow away! When I was only on the writing side, I assumed most agents worked full time with proper support (and they all drove sports cars – haha!). The ugly truth is that for many it’s a side hustle.
Here’s some stats:
Latest Data (AALA Biennial Membership Survey, 2025 Responses)
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Workload realities: 57.7% of agents work more than 40 hours/week; 91% work weekends. 62.2% hold multiple roles within their agency (19.5% hold 4+ positions), and many lack dedicated assistants.
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Income from agenting:
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Just under 39% earn under $50,000 annually.
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21.2% earn under $25,000.
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Financial supplementation: 75% have secondary income streams; nearly half depend on an additional job (inside or outside publishing) to make ends meet.
Something needs to change.
There’s a lot of facade in the publishing world. Writers wait months for what often ends up being a form rejection because the agent is burned out and the query pile is enormous (I regularly receive 1,000–2,000 queries a month when I’m open). It’s no wonder some writers lose hope and step away from writing altogether.
The industry side must evolve—perhaps the unionization efforts Mark discusses will help push things in the right direction. I’m genuinely curious to see how it develops and would love to learn more.
At the same time, as writers we can strengthen ourselves right now. Our mindset can be built up, emotional resilience can grow, and we can set realistic goals and timelines. One powerful tactic is focusing on filling up your creative well instead of dwelling on what isn’t happening yet. Do what feeds your soul.
Pour energy into enriching your life and building community around your writing. These things keep the joy alive and make the waiting more bearable.
And before you get too discouraged about your chances at a traditional book contract, remember this: traditional publishing has always had issues—slow responses, high turnover, and tough economics have been part of the landscape for decades. Yet great books are still getting published every single year. Realize that much of the frustration you’re feeling is not a “you” thing. It’s often just a publishing industry thing. The system is imperfect, but talented writers with persistence and a strong manuscript continue to break through.
AND there are some really wonderful people still working in publishing!
Keep writing. Keep creating. The right story, at the right time, still finds its way.
What do you think? Have you felt the effects of these industry pressures as a writer (or as someone working in publishing)? How do you protect your creative well and build resilience while you wait?