Have you written a book before? Talk about it. Prove that you’re serious about writing by highlighting the relevant information. Now’s not the time to downplay your accomplishments. When approaching literary agents (in person or in a query letter), don’t be modest. This will help you when you approach the literary agent for representation. Figure out where your book fits and to which authors you may be comparable. Do Research the Genreĭo your research about your selected genre before querying an agent. Don’t settle for a proverbial handshake and nod. Do Insist on a Written ContractĪny reputable literary agent will require a written agreement to represent you. Make sure that you find out if your agent has other clients, how long they’ve been in the business, and what authors/ books they’ve represented. So, if your agent doesn’t have a reputation to speak of, they also probably don’t have a network, either. You’ll rely on the strength of your agent’s network to get in front of the best publisher possible. But you also shouldn’t work with an agent who has no reputation. You don’t want to work with an agent who has a bad reputation. Do Work With an Agent Who Has a Good Reputation Impress your prospective agent by showing them that you’re intentionally querying them because you believe them to be the best person for the job. ![]() Who have they worked with in the past? You can use this information to personalize your query letter. Now that you have a good list of agents to start with, take the extra step to research your agent fully- beyond knowing which genres they represent. ![]() Check out Publishers Marketplace, find them on Poets and Writers, ask around in your writing community, or find them at a writers’ conference. Fortunately, literary agents abound and there are several ways to find a quality one. Here’s a guide to finding the best literary agent to represent your book.ĭo Make a List of Agents You’d Like to Work WithĬreate a list of literary agents who you’d like to represent your book. They make a commission from your deal with the agency (which is typically 15% for domestic sales and 20% for international).īut not all literary agents are equal. They have an incentive to do so- Literary agents only get paid when you do. So, if you can win over a literary agent, it’s a huge step forward in your ultimate goal of getting published.īeyond finding a publisher for your work, your literary agent will negotiate your contract and make sure that you get the best deal possible. A literary agent won’t destroy their reputation with an acquisitions editor by submitting a subpar manuscript. Publishers prefer agented submissions because these manuscripts have already gone through one level of screening- by the literary agent. You can think of them as screeners instead. Most literary agents hate to be thought of as gatekeepers. For this reason, most publishers will only review agented submissions. Each publishing house receives thousands of manuscripts each year and will only publish a small percentage of those. Why? They’re drowning in manuscripts already. The majority of traditional publishers will not accept unsolicited manuscripts. You need an agent who’s built trusted relationships with acquisitions editors. Their job is to read a manuscript, decide if it will sell and then, if they think it’s a hit, convince the rest of the editorial staff to approve the book. ![]() The acquisitions editor is the person that’s responsible for finding the next best-seller. They will represent you and manage your writing career.Īn established agent will have relationships with acquisitions editors at many publishing houses. Your literary agent will be your business partner. You simply cannot exist in the world of traditional publishing without an agent. Without literary agents to help you, you won’t find your way to a traditional publisher. ![]() It’s a little bigger than Mars if you’re wondering. Think of the literary agent as a companion guide to a world that you’ve never visited before- the world of traditional publishing. We accept your request for publishing.”īut before that happens- and I do believe that it can happen for you- you’re going to need a literary agent. Do you dream of getting your book published?Ĭan you just imagine it: A big 5 publisher tells you, “We’re impressed with your book and know it will be a success.
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