I'm Considering an Agent

So you’ve written your first novel and you’re wondering what to do next. For the sake of this discussion we’re going to say that your novel is polished (edited and properly formatted). The first thing you have to ask yourself is whether you want to have an agent to represent you. A good literary agent will do more than simply try to sell your novel. She knows the ins-and-outs of the publishing industry and knows what they are looking for in a book.

What a literary agent does:

• She acts as an intermediary between the author and the publisher
• She edits the author’s novel
• She works on commission and does not get paid until your book is sold
• She is aware of legal issues concerning contracts
• She knows how best to sell your rights
• She will negotiate deals to obtain higher advances
• She sifts through slush piles of potential novels, selecting only the best

How can I find an agent?

There are many sites on the web that can point you in the right direction like, www.publishingcentral.com or www.anotherealm.com/prededitors. You can also purchase from your bookstore or borrow from your local library the, 200x Guide to Literary Agents. There are other references you can use as well.

Not only do you have to find an agent, you need to find an ethical one. Some of the red flags you should look for are:

• Agents who want to charge you a fee upfront (Agents are paid by commission after your book is sold)
• Agents who refer you to an editing service
• Agents who are hesitant to speak about their other clients
• Agents without credentials

The only time it is okay for an agent to ask for money is when it is to cover small expenses, such as; stamps, letters and paper.

If possible, find an agent that is a member of the Association of Authors/Representative (AAR).

Query Letters

Okay, so you decided you want an agent. How do you go about getting one? The first thing you should do is write a query letter to introduce yourself and give a short synopsis of what you have written. The query letter should not be anything fancy and should not contain anything that isn’t relevant to your work. When writing an agent, make sure you do the following or your letter may end up in the trash can:

• She represents the genre you are writing (You don’t want to send to an agent who focuses on romance a science fiction story)
• Make sure you have an actual name addressed on the letter (They do not like to see: To Whom It May Concern)
• There are no typos in the letter (If your query letter isn’t error free then your book is more than likely filled with typos)
• Make sure all information is relevant to your writing
• Mention any writing history you may have (magazines, classes, writer’s groups, etc.)

There are many ways you can write a query letter. Here is a basis example of one:

Your Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Phone and Email




Dear Agent’s Name,

In my novel, (Title) the first paragraph can be the premise of your book. This should be eye-catching because you want to draw in the agent’s attention to your story. Introduce your primary characters. Go to your local library and read blurbs on the back of books to get an idea of how to entice the reader.

On the second paragraph talk about yourself, mentioning writing history, groups, contests and classes.

For the final paragraph you can state the genre in which you are writing and word count. End the letter by stating that you are looking forward to hearing from the agent and that you will provide whatever information they request.

Sincerely,



Your name

Don’t take it personally

When and if you get a reply from an agent, don’t let it get you down if she is not interested. It is rare (not impossible) when an author submits their novel and it is immediately met with praise from the agent. More than likely you will receive a number of rejection letters. Very few agents will state exactly why they did not accept it. Then there are those agents who can be cruel and unusual with their assessment.

Never take it personally and never give up. It is a very subjective industry--what one hates, another might love.

Most of the time, rejection letters will be short and sweet; ‘It’s not for us’, ‘I wouldn’t know how to market it’, ‘Keep trying’. If on a rare occasion an agent gives you a breakdown of your writing and suggests how to make improvements, take it as a major compliment. If she didn’t think it had potential, she wouldn’t have bothered to critique it.

Happy hunting.