SPLA : Portal to cultural diversity

Launch of the Monkey Bread Literary Agency in Accra

Genre : Calls for papers
Principal country concerned : Column : Literature
Release/publication date : 2012
Published on : 20/06/2012
Source : Internet
http://fr.idealist.org/view/job/GXbhxb2MxdbD/
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Literary Agent

Monkey Bread is a newly established literary agency that finds the best African writers and illustrators and connects them and their work to leading publishers and content producers (film, animation, theater, games, apps etc.) across Africa and around the world. Monkey Bread also guides writers and illustrators of children's books to build vibrant literary careers.

Monkey Bread is an arm of the Golden Baobab - a pan-African social enterprise whose mission is to ensure a consistent supply of excellent-quality African content by African talent targeting an audience of children and youth.

Purpose

This job represents a unique opportunity to create, from the ground up, the first literary agency in the world whose focus is to promote stellar African content by African talent for children and young adults. It requires a committed and dynamic individual who has a heart for entrepreneurship, deep passion for books and a love of Africa. The Literary Agent will be responsible for representing the organization and its writers to publishers, content producers, media and other relevant constituents in the arts and literary world. This job offers a unique opportunity to play a critical role in shaping the future of the children's literary landscape in Africa.

This is a full-time position based in Accra, Ghana. It may require some travel. Preference will be given to candidates with authorization to work in Ghana but all qualified candidates are welcome to apply.

Roles and Responsibilities

Negotiation:

Selling proposals, negotiating deals, conducting auctions on works and managing payments with publishers/producers on behalf of authors, illustrators and Monkey Bread;
Managing intellectual property rights and contracts;
Creating and sending out proposals and manuscripts for consideration.

Establishing excellent Author/Illustrator relations:

Reading and evaluating manuscripts to determine if an author's work can be sold;
Offering editorial critique and working with authors and illustrators on revisions or supervising the revision process of authors and illustrators with editors;
Promoting authors and illustrators and their work to book publishers, theatre managers, and radio, television and film producers;
Guiding authors and illustrators to plan their career trajectory by: helping them choose projects to pursue and think of new ideas for breaking out to larger audiences, serving as a sounding board, keeping the author apprised of changes in the industry, and in general being an experienced ear and brain, helping the author navigate the business;
Working tirelessly to help authors and illustrators to become more successful and work tirelessly to advance the author's career;
Encouraging writers through the book writing process, from bringing them out of writer's block to encouraging them during success to gently motivating them to meet deadlines.

Networking:

Working with Golden Baobab's communications team to promote authors and illustrators and their work on various media platforms;
Constantly establishing new contacts and maintaining a network of literary, media and arts representatives;
Meeting publishers, editors and producers at various book fairs, conventions and events;
Identifying potential literary talent.

Administration:

Serve as the main point of contact for correspondence between the agency, authors, publishers, producers, and other relevant parties;
Keeping up-to-date with developments and the evolving nature of the publishing industry and media, as well as, relevant legislation, new technologies and new ways of selling books;
Contributing to the hiring of other personnel for Monkey Bread Literary Agency.

Education and Experience

Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in liberal arts, English, Creative Writing, Journalism, Law or other languages and literature; experience with startups and or in the literary agency or children's publishing world, a significant plus.

Profile of the Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate should be...

Adventurous with an entrepreneurial mindset;
Very organized - the agent will follow up on payments and badger publishers until said payments come in, keep track of key dates, discuss marketing plans with author and editor, serve as mediator between author and publisher in case any disputes arise, and generally make sure everything is proceeding as it should;
Dedicated with a strong work ethic;
Passionate about books and an avid reader;
Committed to success;
Familiar with and have a passion for quality literature and its components;
Excellent at negotiating;
Goal- and results-oriented, continuously seeking new ways to achieve a desired outcome;
Extremely aware of and motivated by deadlines;
An exceptional team player;
Highly professional and reliable;
Able to work independently and without close supervision.

Deadline

July 15, 2012. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants are advised to apply EARLY.

Partners

  • Arterial network
  • Ghana : Media Line

With the support of