For those serious about the book business, the best way for it to work is this:

Author has vision for their career and they write the books.

Agent makes the best deal possible for Author’s pocketbook and vision with Publisher(s) and Filmmaker(s).

Editor(s) sandblasts and polishes.

Publisher(s) and Filmmaker(s) sell the book and the film to the public.

Everybody gets paid when they drive well in their lane. 

The days of individual authors out their flogging their books from a trunk are over. That method didn’t work anyway as nobody took the author seriously.

It is time to get back to business basics: Plan. Execute. Refine. Build.

Are there any agents or publishers out there with that mindset these days? I would love to meet at least one.

This video below is the publishing business these days. Everybody running, hell-bent for leather, jumping lanes, all in their haste to get somewhere; or meandering about not paying attention; in any case, wrecking.