Overview of People I Mostly Admire — Episode: 10. Suzanne Gluck: “I'm a Person Who Can Convince Other People to Do Things”
This episode of People I Mostly Admire (Freakonomics Radio / Stitcher) features literary agent Suzanne Gluck (Partner, WME) in conversation with Steve Levitt. They cover Suzanne’s career as a powerhouse agent, how she finds and vets books and authors, her negotiation approach (including the backstory of landing the Freakonomics deal), advice for writers and negotiators, and reflections on power, gender, and the publishing business.
Guest background
- Suzanne Gluck — Partner at WME (William Morris Endeavor), head of the literary side (books → theater, TV, film, podcasts).
- Represents notable authors including Min Jin Lee (Pachinko), Sarah Broom (The Yellow House), Julia Phillips (Disappearing Earth), and — referenced in the conversation — Judy Blume.
- Role: agent, advocate, and dealmaker across publishing and multimedia.
Key topics discussed
- How Suzanne discovers and selects clients (query evaluation, slush-pile reality).
- The origin and negotiation of the Freakonomics book deal (how she negotiated a blockbuster advance and rights).
- Practical query and writing advice for aspiring authors.
- Suzanne’s negotiation philosophy and tactics.
- Power, gender dynamics, MeToo, and representation in publishing.
- Personal maxims: incrementalism and playing to your strengths.
Main takeaways
- Query reality check: literary agents receive many queries; cold submissions face long odds.
- Rough numbers Suzanne cites: from ~1,000 unsolicited inquiries, she might read ~20, get >5 pages into ~10 — ~1 in 100 has a real shot.
- Strong queries matter: address the agent correctly, deliver a sharp two-paragraph hook showing a unique idea or POV, and do homework on which agents handle your kind of book.
- Don’t write to be famous: write because you’re passionate about the subject; trying to “architect a bestseller” rarely works.
- First-time authors can have negotiating advantages: lack of track record can be alluring in trade publishing (the “cult of the first novel”).
- Effective negotiation in publishing relies heavily on emotional influence and persuasive storytelling — not only hard numbers.
- Integrity and truth-telling are powerful: Suzanne says being known as “truthful-ish” builds trust and effectiveness.
- Two short personal maxims: “Do what you can” (incrementalism) and “play to your strengths.”
Notable anecdotes and examples
- The Freakonomics deal:
- Suzanne convinced Levitt and Dubner to team up and then aggressively shopped the book.
- Anecdote of initial $500K offer, counter to $750K (and further rights negotiations); Suzanne pushed publishers beyond their initial comfort level and ultimately secured a much larger deal and strong international rights strategy.
- The authors wrote the book as if nobody would read it, which freed them creatively.
- LaToya Jackson snake-budget story:
- Early in her career Suzanne successfully negotiated an unusual publicity travel budget so LaToya Jackson could bring pet snakes on her UK tour — an example of asking for what your client needs and getting it.
- MeToo & publishing:
- Suzanne recommends She Said and notes increased awareness and some practical changes in how people behave and what’s acceptable.
How Suzanne negotiates — tactics and philosophy
- Core identity: an “emotional influencer” — she gets others excited about a project and helps them envision success.
- Strategies she uses:
- Often lets other side make the first numeric offer (but not always).
- Paints optimistic but credible pictures of potential success — uses comparable books and platform evidence.
- Plays on loss aversion: frames what buyers would miss if they pass.
- Makes people feel they are saying “yes” of their own volition — collaborative close.
- Truthfulness is a competitive advantage; she aims to be trusted and credible.
- Will walk away or say an offer is too far out of the neighborhood when necessary.
- Bluffing? She paints optimistic outcomes but avoids outright deceptive bluffing.
Practical advice for writers and negotiators
- For queries:
- Address the agent properly (begin with the correct name).
- Do homework — target agents who represent books similar to yours.
- Craft a tight, compelling two‑paragraph hook that explains what’s new/unique.
- Send queries during business hours (don’t send at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving).
- For writing:
- Don’t write primarily for fame or bestseller status; write what you’re passionate about.
- Authenticity and quality matter more than attempting to game the market.
- For negotiation:
- Build a persuasive narrative about why the buyer will succeed by publishing this work.
- Use emotional influence and make the other party feel agency in the decision.
- Tell the truth — reputational capital matters.
- Know your strengths and negotiate accordingly; be willing to walk away if needed.
Notable quotes
- “I’m a person who can convince other people to do things.” — Suzanne Gluck
- “Don’t write a book... if your reason for writing a book is you want people to read it.” (i.e., write for the inner compulsion, not fame)
- “Do what you can.” — Suzanne on incrementalism
- “Play to your strengths.” — career advice
Actionable to-do list (for aspiring authors)
- Research agents who represent books in your subgenre; compile a targeted query list.
- Craft a succinct, two-paragraph query that clearly articulates your unique idea or POV.
- Send queries in business hours and avoid impulse “close the conversation” submissions.
- Write the book you care about; don’t try to reverse-engineer a bestseller.
- If you get representation, be prepared for negotiation; collect comps and platform metrics to help your agent advocate.
Production notes
- Host: Steve Levitt
- Producer: Matt Hickey; Engineer: Dan DiZula
- Music: Luis Guerra
- Part of the Freakonomics Radio Network (produced by Freakonomics Radio and Stitcher)
This episode is a mix of insider publishing practicalities, negotiation masterclass moments, and personal reflection on power and career strategy from a highly effective literary agent.