Literary agents are the
folks who try to interest a publisher in an author’s work, and who usually are
involved in contract negotiation and the sale of “subsidiary rights” (movies
and such). If a deal is made, the agent gets a percentage (typically 15% in the
USA) of the author’s income from the deal. The percentage may be higher for foreign rights.
Sometimes, an author can make a deal with a
publisher without working with an agent, but this is uncommon with larger
publishers. Before I opened my own publishing company I made deals with three
“traditional” publishing companies. They approached me, but apparently this is
uncommon except for superstars.
Books have been written about finding an agent. (I bought
the one shown above before I decided to self-publish.) Most of
my knowledge is about self-publishing, but I’ll tell you just a tiny bit about
working with an agent here. If you need to know more, read the book shown, Rachelle
Gardner’s excellent blog and
this Writer’s Digest blog.
Agents tend
to specialize in genres such as sci-fi, Christian or chick-lit, or sometimes
broad fields like fiction and nonfiction. Don’t waste time submitting a kids’
book about dinosaurs to an agent who specializes in cookbooks or celebrity
memoirs.
Some literary agents work solo. Some work in agencies with many agents and a large support staff. Some agents have close ties to the "acquisition editors" at certain publishers based on past successes. A newbie agent may have trouble attracting the interest of a publisher.
Many agents
are located in important publishing cities, particularly New York and Los
Angeles. You may prefer to find an agent near where you live if you crave
frequent in-person meetings. (Agents may crave fewer sessions.)
You can find an agent by asking other authors for
recommendations, through discussions and speeches at conventions and trade
shows, through Writers Market, and the website of
the Association
of Authors’ Representatives. AgentQuery is very good, too. News and interviews in Publishers
Weekly frequently identify successful agents.
Look in books you own and on the shelves of
library and bookstores and in online previews. Very often authors thank their
agents in the front of the books.
It can take three to six months—or even longer—to
find the “right” agent, and there is no guarantee that even a superb agent will
be able to get you a contract from a publisher.
It’s tempting to try to establish a relationship
with an agent who represents an author who writes books like your book—but that
agent may be reluctant to help a competitor. (That happened to me.)
Although agents may be fiercely competitive, they
also cooperate. If an agent turns you down, ask for some recommendations. Most
good agents know about other good agents.
Agents are often more than dealmakers. Some will
advise changes in your book, recommend an editor or
marriage counselor, arrange book tours and other publicity, tell you to forget about becoming an author and let you cry
on their shoulders.
Agents succeed or fail based on the sales
potential of their writers and connections with publishers. An agent should be
able to suggest several publishers who are right for you, and also tell you
which ones to forget about. Publishing is very fluid. Companies are bought and
sold. Editors and agents move around. Imprints (brands) are established and shut down.
It’s important that you find an editor whose knowledge is up-to-date.
Before you “query” an editor, read her or his
website and directory listings so you are sure you do things right. Thousands
of writers are competing with you, Don’t get shut out because of a silly error.
Some editors insist on email. Others want sheets of paper in an envelope.
It's perfectly fine to query multiple agents at one time (probably 5-20, but not 200), but not several agents at the same agency. Don't expect to get a response in a day or a week, or maybe even in a month. Rachel Gardner says: "If we are interested in your project, we will be in contact within 60 days or sooner. If we do not think your project is something we can represent, we may or may not be in contact, depending on current workload. I always try to respond to all queries. But if you don’t hear from us within 60 days, you can assume it’s a pass."
While it's natural to want to confirm that your query has been received, most agents don't want to be reminded or nagged. The Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency tells authors not to "Call or email to check on your submission status." However, Manus & Associates says "We do reply to every submission, and we appreciate your patience while we evaluate your material. If we haven’t contacted you within eight weeks, feel free to email or call us."
Beware of editors who advertise for
clients—especially if they charge a fee to read your manuscript. Read warnings here.
Some attorneys are also agents. Some agents are
also editors. Some agents are also publishers. Some agents are also authors.
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(from my upcoming 499 Essential Publishing Tips for a Penny Apiece)
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