#book agent

Do you need a literary agent?

Agents are motivated to take on clients based on the size of the advance they think they can get. If your project doesn’t command a decent advance, then you may not be worth an agent’s time, and you’ll have to sell the project on your own.

There are different levels of commercial viability: some books are “big” books, suitable for Big Five traditional publishers (e.g., Penguin Random House, HarperCollins), while others are “quiet” books, suitable for mid-size and small presses. The most important thing to remember is that not every book is cut out to be published by a New York house, or even represented by an agent; most writers have a difficult time being honest with themselves about their work’s potential. Here are some rules of thumb about what types of books are suitable for a Big Five traditional publisher:

Genre or mainstream fiction, including romance, erotica, mystery/crime, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, new adult

Nonfiction books that would get shelved in your average Barnes & Noble or independent bookstore—which requires a strong hook or concept and author platform. Usually a New York publisher won’t sign a nonfiction book unless it anticipates selling 10,000 to 20,000 copies minimum.

To better understand what sells, buy a month-long subscription to PublishersMarketplace.com and study the deals that get announced. It’s a quick education in what commercial publishing looks like.

Also, you can check the Twitter hashtag #MSWL, where agents/editors specifically spell out what they’re looking for. (Here’s the official site for Manuscript Wish List. There is also an unofficial aggregator of #MSWL tweets.)

If your work doesn’t look like a good candidate for a New York house, don’t despair. There are many mid-size houses, independent publishers, small presses, university presses, regional presses, and digital-only publishers who might be thrilled to have your work. You just need to find them.

How to find literary agents

When writers ask me “Can you find me a literary agent?” they don’t realize it’s kind of like asking me “Can you find me the right spouse?” This is a research process and decision that is best conducted by you. I think you’ll understand why by the end of this post.

PublishersMarketplace.com is the best place to research literary agents; not only do many agents have member pages there, but you can search the publishing deals database by genre, category, and/or keyword to pinpoint the best agents for your work. Some other resources to consider include QueryTracker (free and paid versions) and Duotrope.

If you really prefer to hire someone to find appropriate agents for you to submit to, try Copy Write Consultants.

The most common materials you’ll be asked for:

Query letter. This is a one-page pitch letter that gives a brief description of your work. Here’s how to write a query for a novel. Here’s another post on writing a query for a nonfiction book.

Novel synopsis. This is a brief summary (usually no more than one or two pages) of your story, from beginning to end. It must reveal the ending. Here’s how to write one.

Nonfiction book proposal. These are complex documents, usually twenty to thirty pages in length (minimum). For more explanation, see my comprehensive post.

Novel proposal. This usually refers to your query letter, a synopsis, and perhaps the first chapter. There is not an industry-standard definition of what a novel proposal is.

Sample chapters. When sending sample chapters from your novel or memoir, start from the beginning of the manuscript. (Don’t select a middle chapter, even if you think it’s your best.) For nonfiction, usually any chapter is acceptable.

Important: Almost no agent accepts full manuscripts on first contact. This is what “no unsolicited materials” means when you read submission guidelines. However, almost all agents will accept a one-page query letter unless their guidelines state otherwise. (If they do not accept queries, that means they are a completely closed market.)

After you send out queries, you’ll get a mix of responses, including:

No response at all, which means it’s a rejection. Don’t sweat it—this is normal. Move on.

A request for a partial manuscript and possibly a synopsis.

How to Write a Query Letter

Learning how to write a superb query letter is almost as important as writing a great manuscript. An enticing letter will grab the agent or publisher’s attention and say, “I am worth your investment!”

Query letters differ a little depending on who the agent is, what their guidelines are and what type of book you’re writing whether that be a novel, nonfiction, poetry, or whatever. There are,…

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Is a book agent for you?

The world is filled with authors who have yet to write the first word of their bestselling book, let alone get their book published.

Then there are those who do write their book and either self-publish or pay a hybrid publisher to get their book to market, but do nothing to market their book. This is where their story ends.

The “stars in their eyes” author waits and waits and waits for their book to hit bestseller status on any number of charts. And they wait some more.

A very common scenario.

An uncommon scenario is an author writing the book, publishing it and putting daily effort into marketing their book. Even if you sign with an agent or traditional publisher, you have to market. But first…

Is an Agent for You?

Some authors focus their attention on finding an agent. For years, I resisted this route. I was content in marketing my own books, keeping most of the profits and using my book as an entry point for speaking engagements and consulting gigs. I’ve done well with this model, but in some ways I feel I’ve created my own glass ceiling.

Admittedly, there’s a part of me that finds the whole process of securing an agent a daunting task. There’s a lot to it.

Here’s a quick overview of a few of the tasks at hand.

Research the type of agent that’s a good fit for your manuscript

Write a query letter

Write a synopsis

Develop a marketing plan

Recently, I’ve seriously entertained the thought of seeking an agent. From my research, I realize I have a lot going for me that agents find appealing.

The number one area an agent is interested in, besides a book that sells, is your platform.

What is a Platform?

Your platform is the ability to sell books because of who you are or who you can reach. Your platform includes your website, blog, guest blogging you have done and will do, podcast and radio interviews, television, speaking at conferences and social media reach.

According to Courtney Carpenter in her article, The Basics of Building a Writer’s Platform, your platform is how visible you are. The definition of platform, broken down, is your personal ability to sell books through:

Who you are

The personal and professional connections you have

Any media outlets (including blogs and social networks) that you can utilize to sell books

A mistake many authors make is thinking they should wait until their book is done before building their platform. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Begin now. Regardless of where you’re at with your book, you need to put effort every single day into your platform. Understanding marketing and promotions is key to your platform.

If you’re looking to increase your visibility, develop a rock-solid platform and understand how to market your book, there is an incredible amount of great information available in the Book Accelerator program.

Get Excited

As I begin the process of creating a proposal, I’m excited. Why? Because I have the foundation of an outstanding platform.

Any proposal will need to include a marketing plan, what visibility you currently have and what you can generate, have you done interviews, will you book interviews, what social media presence do you have and what are you willing to do to generate sales?

Here’s a bit of some of what I would focus on in a proposal to an agent.

Marketing Plan

I’m constantly enhancing my knowledge by studying, reading, attending conferences, participating in mastermind groups specific to marketing and testing strategies.

In addition to well over three decades of marketing knowledge and experience, I never accept my current level of knowledge as the end all, be all. To think we know it all is the mistake of fools.

This would appeal to some agents.

Visibility overview

Not a day goes by that I don’t do something to increase my visibility in front of my ideal readers. This is an ongoing process and requires daily action. It also requires testing, analyzing and adjusting as needed.

Beyond posting memes and quotes for your family and friends on Facebook, what are you doing to gain visibility? Are you clear on what social network is the best fit to reach potential readers and build a community of raving fans?

If not, put time into understanding the various networks based on the genre of your book, the type of people you want to reach and who would be interested in what you have to say.

Interviews

Over the years, I’ve been interviewed hundreds of times on podcast and radio shows. Many of the hosts have invited me back more than once. This is something agents and publishers look for in an author.

Don’t overlook the power of podcast and radio interviews to rapidly grow your platform. Rather than taking a “throw a bunch of mud on the wall” approach, be very clear on which shows are a great fit for your message.

Speaking

By far, being able to engage an audience with speaking, is one of the most enviable skills an author has. Having spoken to thousands upon thousands of men and women over the years via breakout sessions, panels and keynote presentations, I can assure you this; when you put effort into your speaking skills, you can pretty much write your own ticket to success.

If you fear speaking, hire a coach, join a Toastmasters group and do what you can to find opportunities to share your message through speaking. The more you speak, the better you get.

Make Your Marketing Plan Rock Solid

Begin now to build your platform. You never know when all your efforts will pay off and you get the call from a producer of a talk show, a huge radio show or even an agent indicating they want to represent you.

As Jane Friedman mentioned in her article, “Many people write their marketing plan in extremely tentative fashion, talking about things they are “willing” to do if asked. This is deadly language. Avoid it. Instead, you need to be confident, firm, and direct about everything that’s going to happen with or without the publisher’s help. Make it concrete, realistic, and attach numbers to everything.”

Are You One of the Lucky Ones?

It has been said that luck is when opportunity and preparedness meet. Are you prepared for the opportunity that is waiting to show up?

If you are writing a book, number one would need to publish myself somewhere. And for that, you passion a printer. If you are new fashionable the unremittingness, you surely wouldn't stand for more many contacts and your plexus must be small, so self need a formal agent to get to the publisher. Literary agents endeavor as middlemen between book authors and publishers and simplify the mass means. The interests make it easier on behalf of both the parties to find each one other. It bum remain really frustrating for a imaginative book author to find a suitable and relevant grapevine to elude his book brought to notice.<\p>

Tips to pronounce judgment Book Agents : Relevant Agent : Announcement the category of your scenario well, and replenish a spreading agents accordingly. A random book aide-de-camp who represents all types of log is puzzling unto find. When your letter reaches the hands of the right bookish agent, it seriousness reach the right teller beside. You have got to have an eye to filter out the gem against the sweepings. <\p>

Agents at any cost Good Net : Stand for a book agent who has a well-mannered and wide network with regard to bookish agents; larger the network, greater are the chances of finding the right publishers. An agent who doesn't know too many publishers is mal a propos as you need to pitch your manuscript to a large the story of publishers at a time. The screed rejection rate is very high harmony the publishing industry. So, when you please your manuscript to a muscular quite the contrary. of publishers, you increase your chances with regard to success as the probability of selection increases even if there are rejections. <\p>

Talented Agents : Part for a literary agent not precisely for representation of your book; i myself in rut choose an agent based at generous other factors near the one who offers editorial guidance and helps you back up contacts together on good editors and book publishers in the industry from the valuable network they have. An manager be forced be tidal pond effectual against explain the terms and conditions of the contract whose language has intricacies that are not universally easily understood by a abecedarian chalk author. Contact an agent azygous for books and novels but not inasmuch as apollo or rhyme books. In that this, me may have till approach the publisher directly. Ask an agent if he is well-versed in cooperation with the process of wheedling the rights vice your docket. A fashionable and intelligent coadjutant definiteness help you get the generality currency out of selling your rights and a much higher antecede of royalties. <\p>

Ethical Agents : Usually, a book molecule won't ask for a fee to represent you. If an agent does this, chuck better self and go elsewhere. <\p>