I’m getting close to finishing the new novel, so I’m thinking about literary agents. Here are some tips and tricks to help you find an agent if you need one.
First, do you need a literary agent? If you’re going to self-publish, then you don’t. But if you’d like to try a traditional publisher, and especially if you’d like to get into one of the bigger publishing houses, you’re going to want an agent.
Jane Friedman has a great article on finding a literary agent and I recommend reading it. She’s got lots of links and even more tips for you.
If you have no idea at all, Publisher’s Marketplace is a good place to start. This website offers information on who’s selling what to whom, and access to a variety of benefits such as your own webpage which may be seen by agents and editors. It costs $25 a month, but you don’t have to sign any long-term contracts and can quit any time.
Agent Query is another good website designed to help you locate an agent. You can select your genre and search for agents who handle those types of manuscripts. There are also handy hints about things like writing a good query letter and how to beware of scammers. They have about 1,000 listings.
Writer’s Digest not only has a website, but they also publish a yearly Guide to Literary Agents. The website is around $6 a month and the book (physical or e-book) runs around $20.
Once you’ve chosen your website or book, start looking for an agent. Always check to see what they’re interested in representing — there’s no use sending science fiction to someone looking for women’s lit. You’re just wasting everybody’s time by not doing your research ahead of time.
Check to see how many clients they have. You might be after a more established agent with a lot of clients, or you may want an agent with more time to get personal with you. This is going to be your call, however, do check their track record (you can find a lot of this information on Publisher’s Marketplace) — see who she’s selling to and what sort of advance her authors generally get. If that’s about what you’re looking for, you’ve found a possible agent. Write down the name and keep looking.
You want a list of five to ten names, ideally. Unless they specify “no simultaneous submissions,” you’re going to be sending several queries at once.
Check out the websites now What sort of personality does the agent have? Is it something you think you could work with for several years or decades? Do they fit your writing style? Are they looking for what you’re writing? I’ve seen agents who say they accept science fiction, for example, but when you check their website, you find they’re really hoping to get a horror novel.
Make sure they’re reputable. You want an agent publishers will recognize, and you want one that will be a good fit for you. Check to be sure they’re members of AAR (Association of Author’s Representatives). “Google them” and see if they have a good online presence. Again, check their track record to be sure they’re actually selling (and have done so recently).
Finding a literary agent can be a long road, but if you work at it, you’ll succeed.