There used to be six big companies in the publishing industry. Now there are five. Though the Big Five is smaller, the group continues to dominate the trade-book publishing industry, with a 34 percent market share in 2015. Each of these behemoths has dozens of imprints and divisions. It’s tricky to remember which imprint is owned by which Big Five publisher.

I recently participated in an online discussion forum featuring a top literary agent, who shared her insights on a wide range of topics: from author’s platform to book contracts and more.