Elyse Cheney, a literary agent with a New York-based literary firm, encouraged beginning writers not to be discouraged with the publication world, despite a changing literary market.

Cheney spoke to a crowd of 40 in the Gallery of the Memorial Union last week about how she chooses clients, how books are sold and the current state of the publishing industry.

Cheney said the industry is constantly changing, and current trends may not hold five years from now. Publishers, she said, are now more receptive to collections of short stories when paired with a novel, as part of a novel or memoir, or else in connection with a novel.

“It used to be young writers could publish a collection of short stories and then a novel, but now it’s totally changed; they want the novel and then short stories,” Cheney said.

Cheney also offered advice to aspiring authors, saying their voices must be confident, authoritative and fresh.

“First of all, writing really has to stand out. Work on your writing and make it really stand out, and write what you feel you need to write about,” she said.

Cheney looks for writing “pushing stylistic boundaries” and is “dark, dramatic, sexy and emotional.” She said a lot of writing is rejected because it’s “too quiet” or “the emotions are too nuanced.”

Cheney is a literary agent with Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, a literary firm that has represented the likes of Theodore Drieser, Simone De Beauvoir and Nicholas Sparks.

Nearly all of Cheney’s sales this year were from first-time authors, and most were for sizable advances, she said. She has had 100 percent success publishing new writers, both fiction and nonfiction, she said.

Cheney said some of the current publishing trends are women’s fiction, family stories, cultural stories and thrillers. When work comes across her desk, she specifically looks for two things: what the story is and where the author has been published.

“The story is still extremely important. I think that every book, fiction or nonfiction, should have a sense of urgency. What is the story you have to tell?” she said.

Cheney said getting published is key, and that magazines are often the best places to start. As an agent, she reads “at least the first page” of everything she receives, as do most people in the publishing world.

“Everyone got into publishing because they liked books, so don’t feel like the industry is hostile,” Cheney said.

People should send their best work even though the piece will undergo several revisions once accepted. She said authors should be willing to make changes suggested by agents and not take editing personally.

“Taking criticism is essential in this business; it’s part of the process,” she said. After the whole process is done, she said, it’s at least a year before a book is printed.

Neelika Perreira, who will be a graduate student in English in the fall, said she was glad to have the opportunity to hear Cheney speak.

“This is the best, most practical thing that we as writers can have. I’m sure your professors can tell you these things, but it’s very nice to hear from the agent. In a way, it’s more credible.”

Cheney’s visit was the third event in the Spring Writer’s Series sponsored by ISU’s creative writing program.