Bob Dylan inducted as honorary member of arts academy by Michael Chabon | OregonLive.com

Bob Dylan inducted as honorary member of arts academy by Michael Chabon | OregonLive.com:

Brings to mind a chat I had long ago with Chabon's literary agent at Fishtrap. She had just sold his first novel, Mysteries of Pittsburgh, and was proud of how she did it.

First, it had been rejected everywhere in the U.S. Then she got a brainstorm. Her college roommate (I believe it was) worked for a London publisher. She got a contract there, then let American publishers know that London was going to be first with a great new American author, and from that she was able to start a bidding war, despite universal rejections earlier.

Just shows you how marketing is more important than content in the real literary world.

Also reminds me of an agent quoted in a documentary I show my students. He said he'd rather sell a bad script than a good script. Anyone can sell a good script. But to sell a piece of shit, that takes talent!