An Author's Guide: Is a Literary Agent Appropriate for Me?

Do you need an agent?
All writers who write for publication must eventually answer this question. This article covers the basics of what agents do, why you may or may not need one, and how to find an agent if you choose to go that route.

First, what does an agent do? They represent the author when submitting to publishers, dealing with contracts, and collecting royalties. They can't sell a project that was never marketable, and they won't overhaul your book for you. If they offer editing services or recommend a book doctor, please be wary of this agency. A good agent, listed with AAR, never requires reading fees, editing fees, or any other ambiguous fees, though most will charge for their expenses via a deduction from royalties due after they make a sale for the author, in addition to 15% for domestic sales and up to 25% for international and film sales. Occasionally, you might find an agent who requires the author to pay for mailing costs, phone calls, and supplies on a quarterly basis. Unless the agent is taking 10% of royalties instead of 15%, be cautious with this type of agency, too.

How do you determine if you need an agent?
It depends on what type of books you're writing and trying to market. It also depends on your ultimate career goals. If you want to go the route of traditional publishing, you'll probably find you need an agent. Most of the major publishers won't even look at an unsolicited submission by an author without representation. However, agents can be almost as difficult to acquire as a publisher. A bit of well-known advice is to approach a publisher who still allows submissions without an agent. If they accept your book, tell them you'll have your agent contact them to negotiate the deal. As soon as you get off the phone, call, write, or email the agent you want to represent you. (You have researched this, haven't you?) Most of the time, they aren't going to turn down a commission for something they didn't have to work for. They'll also likely represent you in future deals, with the houses who won't look at your work unless it's vetted and submitted by an agent.

You can do print publishing without an agent. It's still possible. Most major publishers will accept author manuscripts without agents for consideration if you have established yourself with other print houses first. The major advantage to having an agent is they do all the negotiation for you, often pushing publishers beyond the bounds most authors would feel comfortable approaching. It's okay for the agent to look avaricious, and they usually get the author a higher return. In some cases, the increased advance they negotiate even pays for the agent's cut.

If you're planning to go the small-press or e-publishing route, you don't need an agent. In fact, you'll probably have a difficult time finding one who will be interested in the smaller returns they would see. Since most small-press and e-publishers don't give advances, there is little advantage in having an agent when submitting and publishing with these houses. Unless the author is lucky enough to find a flourishing small-press or e-publisher, their returns will be so small they won't want to share fifteen-percent anyway.

Also, you won't need an agent if you plan to primarily write articles, short stories, and poetry. Most agents won't represent these items because there is little money to be had for them. Most magazines have a set amount they pay, and that isn't open to negotiation. If you're a published novelist with an agent, you might be able to get your agent to represent these smaller deals, but why would you want to? If you're only getting $100 for an article, why pay someone $15 for mailing it when you could do that yourself for just the cost of shipping?

How do you find an agent?
There are several resources available to you. If you prefer print resources, a must-have book is the Guide to Literary Agents, updated yearly. Typically, you can buy the editions every other year and still have current information. You can also find a less extensive list of agents in Writer's Market, also updated yearly.

If you prefer the Internet (or not spending $30 on a book), an excellent site for researching agents is http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/pealx.htm. This site will list most agents available, including whether they are recommended, not recommended, or so obscure no one has bothered to report on them (or maybe, they have no reports just because they are small, but still competent).

That reminds me of another point. If the agent is in Podunk, USA, without contacts to New York, they will be no more credible to the publisher than the author would be. Choose carefully when shopping for an agent. It isn't always the case, but most new agencies need a few years to establish themselves. Be cautious about the agent's location, their client list, and the number of sales they've had during the last year.

What do you do now? You've found the agent you want to approach. You follow their submission guidelines exactly, down to the letter. Don't send an email query if they only accept snail mail submission packets. Don't include a query letter if they only want the synopsis (or outline for non-fiction) and first 50 pages. An author who isn't established should never try to find an agent for an unfinished work of fiction. However, it's usually preferred that the non-fiction author find representation with the first three chapters, and then finish the book once a publisher signs them, so the book can be tailored to the publisher's vision of the work.

I'd like to close out this article by printing a Q&A session I had with Lisa Payne, an Agency Associate at the Knight Agency. Her answers give more in-depth information about points covered in this article.

Why should an author get an agent? How can they determine if they have need of one?
An author should get an agent if she writes book length fiction or non-fiction and desires to get a good hearing with the appropriate house for her work, as well as the best deal for her book. Due to the increasing number of writers submitting material, many of the larger publishing houses won't even look at an unagented manuscript. Agents already have contacts with the appropriate editors in the genres that they handle, and can get the right material to the right people. Also, agents are contract negotiators. They try to get the best monetary sum for the work, and they strive to retain as many rights as possible to benefit the author.

The only case I can think of where an author may not need an agent is if they primarily write article-length pieces. Although I have heard of article free-lancers who do have agents, I believe most of these writers handle the networking and negotiating aspects themselves. (However, as we handle only book-length works, my information might be inaccurate in the article arena.)

What is the function of an agent?
Although literary agents have many functions, their chief ones are presenting their client's materials to the appropriate editors and negotiating the many aspects involved with the contract. Many agencies, like ours, also focus on helping authors build a career, not merely sell one book. This translates into light editorial input and brainstorming sessions with our clients to assist them in creating the best work possible.

What is the best way to get the attention of an agent (aside from following the submission guidelines, writing well, etc.)?
If you really want to get the attention of an agent, then do your homework. Find their current submission guidelines (hint: visit their website instead of relying on a most likely outdated resource book), and follow them. I repeat, follow them. They have guidelines for a reason, and complying with their wishes will save you and them much time and frustration. Write an intelligent, professional query letter, and give them a reasonable amount of time to receive it, read it, and respond. Keep in mind that many agents receive between 200-500 queries a week and consequently appreciate creative (yet not frighteningly weird), friendly (yet not stalker-ish), and mature inquiries. Also, be aware that there is a high level of rejection in soliciting an agent due to the vastly skewed proportion of writers to agents. Learning how to handle rejection gracefully will increase your chances of getting an agent.

What should an author look for when shopping for an agent? What sets apart the good ones from the great ones?
In searching for an agent, authors should look at several factors, including: recent sales, the publishing houses they have sold books to, as well as the ones they have contacts with, and what associations they are affiliated with. Authors obviously want an agent who is successful in selling projects, especially with the houses that would be a good fit for the manuscript they are shopping. As far as memberships, the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR) is a good indicator of a legitimate agent. The AAR strives to protect authors' rights, as well as keep agents informed about current trends (and legal changes) in the business. While there are some legitimate agents who are not a part of the AAR, most reputable ones are.

A quick word of caution: beware of agents who charge a reading fee, who like your work but suggest massive editorial changes that they will do for a (usually outrageous) fee, or who try to sell your manuscript to a vanity house (which you could have done yourself).

What is your idea of the dream client?
Our idea of a dream client is someone who is hardworking, reliable, loyal, and informed; respectful of our time and appreciative of our efforts on her behalf; receptive to feedback and a team player; and who is realistic in her publishing goals and committed to a long-term process of building a career.

Any other comments?
A final soapbox note: many writers, frustrated in their search for someone to help them publish their work, hold a misconception that agents are elitist, evil creatures who delight in rejecting every author they encounter. This simply isn't true. Agents are definitely human (meaning we have feelings, families, opinions, and occasionally make mistakes, just like you), and all we really want is to discover talented authors with projects that resonate with us and try our hardest to make sure they get published.