Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.
Samuel Johnson
I’ve been in the writing business for several years now, and I’ve heard one question more than nearly any other. Do I need an agent? I faced that same question myself, several years ago.
Before we discuss your need for an agent, let’s spend a little time talking about what an agent does.
An agent is:
- An avid reader
- A decision maker
- A mind reader
- A critique partner
- A good guesser (regarding trends, etc.) An advocate
- A press guru
- A negotiator
- A savvy business-person A contract specialist
- A therapist
You are not ready for an agent if:
- Your manuscript isn’t complete.
- You’ve never taken classes or been to a conference.
- You’ve never previously published a book or magazine articles. You haven’t developed a platform.
You’re probably ready for an agent if:
- You have completed a full-length manuscript and it has been carefully edited by a critique group or professional editor.
- You have multiple projects and need direction.
- You feel led to write in a specific genre and have a strong speaking platform or web presence.
- You have grown a following on social media networks like Facebook or Twitter.
- You’ve made the conference circuit and have learned from pros in the industry.
- You’ve been published previously, but are having trouble getting your new manuscripts into publishing houses.
- You have trouble figuring out contracts and legal jargon.
Questions:
- Do you feel you’re ready for an agent?
- If so, do you have any idea who you’ll target?
- If not, what do you need to do to prepare for one day having an agent? What genre do you feel called to?
- Do you have a speaking platform (or can you create one)?
- Would you need help understanding a publishing contract?
Before we talk about the process of choosing an agent, I want to share my personal experience. I’ve worked with three agents over the years. The first relationship began in 2005. I didn’t know the agent personally. She walked me through a couple of book sales, but both of those sales were initiated by me—my personal relationship with the editors. The agent looked over the contracts, but didn’t make any changes. She kept her 15% but rarely offered input into my sales or my career. After awhile, the relationship petered out.
My second agent was a pistol, one of the best in the business. However, at that point, I was in such close relationship with editors that, again, I made most of my own sales.
She ended our relationship, telling me I was a better agent for myself than she could be for me. At the time, that was right. However, I reached a point in 2007 where my career was shifting. I knew things were different, and realized I needed an agent who could help me with branding issues and career planning.
My third agent stepped into my life, eventually performing those roles and many more. I’ll forever be grateful for him, though we have now parted ways. He negotiated my contracts, kept me on course, reminded me of deadlines, made sure I got paid adequate and fair amounts, and pitched me like crazy to publishing houses. Thanks to this agent, I entered into a new and very successful venture with a publishing house I’d never worked with before. Could I have brought this about on my own? No way. I needed the expertise of the agent, along with his personal connections.
The Process of “Choosing” an Agent
Before you set out to choose an agent, learn everything you can about the craft of writing. This includes taking online courses, joining a critique group and attending both local and national conferences. That agent is going to be far more interested in you if you’ve paid your dues.
Are you in need of more training in your particular genre? Have you joined a critique group? Taken classes?
Complete a manuscript and prepare the best proposal you can.
Have you studied book proposals?
Have you crafted the best book proposal possible?
Shop for an agent.
It’s fun to shop around for an agent, but remember. . .just because you choose an agent doesn’t mean the agent will “choose” you. You can submit your manuscript for consideration, but agents – like editors – have a process by which they choose clients.
You’ll stand a far better chance if you have a clean, well-written manuscript, a speaking platform and a sense of where you want to go, writing and publishing-wise.
Have you asked your published writing friends/acquaintances about their experiences working with agents?
Have you prepared a list of potential agents to submit to?
Query the agent (following his/her guidelines).
Do you know how to prepare a solid query letter?
Upon request, send your book proposal (including a detailed author bio).
Do you have a detailed author bio?
Allow the agent sufficient time to analyze your project. (Six weeks is usually an adequate time to wait before telephoning or writing.)
What Will an Agent Require of You?
Patience – as he/she submits your manuscripts/proposals
Your best possible work (clean and polished)
An ability to meet deadlines (and trust me, if you’re previously published, he will likely be speaking with your editor or editors)
Eventually, approximately a 15% commission
Willingness on your part to write the next book
Willingness on your part to be “shaped”
What Will You Require of an Agent?
Enthusiasm
Timely responses
Effective suggestions/critique
The ability to sell/get into major houses
Proper accounting. (This is one of our greatest needs as authors. We are usually so busy writing that we don’t understand or appreciate the intricacies of contract negotiations or royalty periods. A good agent will know if you’re owed money by a publisher, and he will know how to get it if they’re balking.)
Agents comment on writers:
By now you’ve heard all the stories of instant bestsellers and first-time authors who become media darlings. Yet most aspiring nonfiction writers find a far different world: getting an agent to represent them or getting a publisher to buy their manuscript can be a bewildering journey of slammed doors and polite rejections. Many new writers begin with great confidence, but quickly discover that being taken seriously by editors and literary agents is not as easy as they thought it would be. (The online Reality Check for Non-Fiction Writing http://www.youcanwrite.com/)
RECOMMENDED READING:
2014 Guide to Literary Agents
by Kathryn Brogan
Making the Perfect Pitch
(How to Catch an Agent’s Eye) by Katherine Sands
RECOMMENDED WEBSITES:
“The Safest Way to Search for an Agent” by Victoria Strauss
http://www.right-writing.com/published-safest.html http://www.smallpress.org/articles/findLiteraryAgent.asp http://www.sfwa.org/beware/agents.html
