Doris Booth

Doris Booth

Doris Booth is the founder and editor-in-chief of Authorlink®, a literary marketplace and publishing industry resource she launched in 1996. A former journalist, she has spent decades working inside the publishing business as a semi-retired literary agent, with a track record that includes major sales to Big Five publishers and two true-crime projects that went on to become Netflix adaptations. As co-agent with the late Peter Miller, she helped place the Sons of Sam project with Quirk Books/Andrews McMeel. That combination of newsroom discipline and hands-on agenting experience is what shapes Writing Insights: each post reflects what Doris has actually seen work — and fail — across thousands of manuscripts, queries, and author conversations, rather than generic writing advice recycled from elsewhere. It's why writers return to Authorlink month after month for craft guidance grounded in real publishing outcomes, not theory.

Adrian Zackheim Discusses the Rebirth of Conservative Publishing in New York

The New York publishing industry—cleaving mostly to the political left for decades—is at last striving to create a more balanced literary landscape. Two major publishers, Penguin Putnam an Crown (Random House), each recently launched new conservative socioeconomic and political lines, reflecting (or perhaps cashing in on) the changing mood of the country under a Republican President, a GOP majority in the House, Senate, and among U.S.governors.

Michaela Hamilton: A New Kind of Energy at Kensington

There’s a new kind of energy at Kensington Publishing Corp. And it has been building since Michaela Hamilton ascended the elevator at 850 Third Avenue two years ago. After a 25-year career in book publishing (including 10 years as editor-in-chief of NAL) and a few years at freelance editing, Michaela got the offer from Kensington founder and CEO Walter Zacharius to become the company’s new editor-in-chief. Now this ball of fire has the freedom to realize a vision she and Walter share.

Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point by David Lipsky

Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point by David Lipsky

F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote to a young friend seeking advice on her writing: “You’ve got to sell your heart, your strongest reactions, not the little minor things that only touch you lightly. . . ” Now, acclaimed contemporary novelist and journalist David Lipsky, a fan of Fitzgerald, has done just that.

COMMON SHOCK Kaethe Weingarten Aims to Give Us Hope

COMMON SHOCK Kaethe Weingarten Aims to Give Us Hope

In today’s world, witnessing violence, both personal and societal, has become a common experience. Kaethe Weingarten, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School-based trauma expert, wanted to prove that we, as individuals, have the power to lessen the impact of witnessing trauma in our society

Dr. Keith Ablow Talks About Creating a Gifted Killer

Dr. Keith Ablow Talks About Creating a Gifted Killer

PSYCHOPATH, Dr. Keith Ablow’s fourth thriller in the popular Frank Clevenger series, was released in July 2003 by St. Martin’s Press. Here, the author discusses how he originated the idea for the series, how he found a publisher, and how he finds time to write while juggling a busy career as a forensic psychiatrist.

Elizabeth Maguire: Basic Books Hungry for Great Storytellers

In December 2002, Elizabeth (Liz) Maguire was promoted from editorial director to vice president and publisher of Basic Books/Basic Civitas Books and Counterpoint, all part of the Perseus Books Group. She joined the company approximately three years ago after having served as editorial director of Free Press (Simon &Schuster).