Our society expects individual artists to be entrepreneurs, fundraisers, publicists, legal experts and accountants at the same time. With all of these roles, it is easy to get stuck in endless to-do lists without having a clear sense of which direction their business is heading or what decisions will advance their careers. On top of that, the many requests that an author has to deal with are all presented as wonderful “opportunities”. It is a challenge to distinguish between the actual opportunities and the distractions from what is truly important: time to write and develop artistically.
How I work.
As a manager, I help my authors visualise and realise their literary ambitions. In other words: developing a long-term strategy and then representing their interests to the outside world, creating as much time and ‘headspace’ for them to focus on the creative process.
Strategy.
The crucial first step is deciding where to go. What are the long-term ambitions and the tangible goals we want to achieve? My role is that of strategist, sparring partner and initiator.
I am trained as a policy consultant and arts administrator, worked for governments, cultural institutions and launched successful arts initiatives. If there is anything I have learned, it is that ‘thinking ahead’ is key to being ready at all times to respond to both challenges as new opportunities.
Representation.
The next step is getting to where we want to be. I provide full support: taking care of all communications, negotiations, invoicing, planning, publicity, cashflow management, logistics, and the most fun part – accompanying the authors on tours.
I am proactive and cooperative towards other partners (publishers, media, agents, festivals), but always look out for the interests of the author in the long run. The best deal financially is not necessarily the best ‘career’ deal. By engaging in a long-term commitment, I am never tempted to push an author to make a deal only for short term gain.
Hey, did I mention I make a mean Whiskey Sour?
My values.
All artists benefit from direct representation, but no artist is the same. Therefore, every collaboration and arrangement I have with an author differs and will change over the years based on the developments within the practice. However, these three values are consistent in everything that I do.
Interdisciplinary & International.
I have found that most people in the arts stop thinking at the border of either their country or their discipline. But there is a whole world out there!
Besides literature, I have worked in film, painting, photography, heritage, theatre and ArtScience. There is a lot to learn from other disciplines and there are a lot of opportunities in cross-overs. I have managed many international projects and will take any opportunity to further broaden my scope across borders.
Personal relationship.
I am a ‘business friend’ to the artists I work with. Because of the intensity of the relationship, our collaboration is rooted in personal trust and understanding. This is why I only work with a selection of authors that I admire.
Long-term commitment.
A manager differs from an agent. The main difference in my experience is that an agent mainly focusses on making deals, whereas a manager focusses on creating as much space as the author needs for making work and developing artistically. A career isn’t built overnight.
Photo by Ronin de Goede