How Do I Find a Literary Agent?

A friend of mine recently asked about finding a literary agent, and I wrote him a long email detailing the various ins and outs of what can be a grueling process. I learned most of what I know by reading websites, asking agents and writers, and obsessively checking my twitter feed. It took months of research to get a complete picture of the process, and I wouldn’t wish the stress and confusion on anyone.

Well, maybe some people.

Anyway, I figure I’ll do prospective authors a solid and put all of that cumulative knowledge here, in one place.

Do I Really Need A Literary Agent?

Yes. And No. Although it is not strictly necessary to have an agent (some publishing companies allow you to query them directly), it is highly recommended. A literary agent acts as an editor, lawyer, confidant, cheerleader, and most importantly, a liaison between you and publishing companies. Need a professional opinion on your latest round of edits? Ask your agent. Need someone to tell you about the market for a YA novel about Alaskan fairies? Ask your agent. Need someone to tell you that you’re a special snowflake who writes killer dialogue? Ask your mom. Then ask your agent.

How Do I Find an Agent?

Typically, you are only allowed to query one agent at a given agency, so it’s important to CAREFULLY do your research. First, figure out what kind of book you’ve written. What age is it meant for (adult, YA, Lower/Upper Middle Grade, etc.)? Is it historical or contemporary? Is it genre fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, romance)? If it’s fantasy, is it urban fantasy or high fantasy? You get the idea.

Once you’ve determined your genre, you can start your research.  I recommend putting together a spreadsheet with columns for the agent’s name, their agency, what they represent, their submission guidelines, their contact information, their query turn over time, and their website address. This will make your life much easier.

Here are a couple of ways of finding agents:

1. Websites like agentquery.com and literaryrambles.com are GREAT resources for finding agents.
2. I  found a bunch of agents via Twitter (you follow one agent, you get a suggestion to follow two more…etc).
3. You can also buy books, but that’s really not necessary. Or cheap.
4. You should also find out who represents books that are similar to your own. I’m working on a YA fantasy project, so I found out who reps J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), Jennifer Bosworth (Struck), Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone), Veronica Roth (Divergent), and on and on.
5. Another way to get an agent is by entering contests on blogs. I found most of these through twitter. Even if all the agents ignore you, you’ll meet people who can be VERY helpful critique partners. I’ve made some great friends this way, and I rely on them a lot when it comes to feedback.
6. Yet another way to get an agent is through twitter hashtags. Keep an eye on #pitchmaddness or #pitmad. Basically, you write your book pitch in 140 characters or less (this part sucks, take it from me) and if an agent likes it, they’ll ask you to send them a query. It’s still the query model, but you already have an “in” that way.

Will Any Agent Do?

NO. You MUST find an agent who represents YOUR genre.

If you’ve written a boy’s middle grade story, why would you query someone who only represents adult literary fiction and romance novels? It’s a waste of time to query agents who don’t represent the type of novel you’ve written. They’ll delete your email without a second thought, and they’ll be right. You’re wasting their time.

Sorry to be such a downer. Here’s some good news to counteract all the truth I’m throwing at you: there are well over a hundred English speaking agents in NY alone, and there are also a bunch  scattered around the US and in England. Finding an agent in NY isn’t the MOST important thing, but I personally like the idea of having an agent who actually knows a publisher personally. Still, if you end up with one in Wyoming…that’s still fantastic.

All that really matters is that you find an agent who
a) represents your genre/project
b) is passionate about your project
c) doesn’t charge you anything up front. They get paid when you get paid.

You Keep Saying “Query.” Stop It.

I won’t, I won’t!

Querying is the fancy term for “sending an email to an agent asking them to represent you.” There are a ton of websites with query guidelines and etiquette, but here’s a fast and dirty summary.

A good query will include THREE ELEMENTS:

1. a brief summary (2 paragraphs or so) of your book
2. info about the title/word count/genre.
3. a short bio containing information that is RELEVANT to your novel.  Are you writing a non-fiction book about water skiing? You better mention that you have an Olympic medal in aquatic sports. Or whatever. Shut Up.

That’s it. But! I also recommend including a tailored message to your agent. Something like, “I’m querying you b/c of your interest in ancient mythology retellings.”  As you may have guessed, your agent research will really come in handy here. Did you read that post on their blog about how they are sooooo over weak heroines? Then tell them you agree and that’s why you’ve written a kick-ass female lead who saves the prince but doesn’t marry him! In other words, take a page out of Rihanna’s songbook, and make them feel like they’re the only agent in the world.

WAIT! Tell Me More about Summaries!

Oh, alright. The biggest hurdle is writing a summary of your novel that is snappy and interesting, but doesn’t get stuck in the details. I’ve written at least 4 different versions of mine so far, and I’m sure I’ll write another before I send it out. I recommend Googling query guidelines and sample queries to see how people write summaries, but here are the main things you need to have in your summary paragraph:

1. Main character’s name (and age if it’s a MG or YA novel)
2. What does the main character want?
3. What’s the conflict the main character is facing?
4. Something to set your story apart

That might not seem like a lot…but it is. You’ll see what I mean once you start writing your summary. Good Luck. You’re going to need it.

Okay, I’ve Written my Query Letter and It’s Even More Awesome Than My Book. Now What?

Good Job!

Now, remember that awesome spreadsheet you made? The one that has a million agent names on it (and thus your hopes and dreams)? What did your agent-of-choice say about their submission guidelines? Do they want just the query, or do they want you to include the first ten pages? Do they accept attachments, or does everything need to be in the body of the email? Did they include any directions as to how to address the email, or what to put in the subject line? DO THESE THINGS PERFECTLY AND YOU WILL BE AHEAD OF THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T READ THE GUIDELINES. AGENTS WILL LOVE YOU.

You’re welcome.

Okay, Okay. But Do I Send One Query and Then Wait? 

I recommend that you query in batches. There’s no point in sending out a query to every single agent on your list at once and then finding out that your query sucks. Instead, pick a few (maybe 10?) and send out your query. Make sure each one is addressed TO THAT AGENT AND THAT AGENT ONLY.

Then, you wait.  And wait. You’ll finally receive an email and….they’ve turned you down. SO WHAT!? It’s only one agent, so take a deep breath. Reread the email: what does the agent actually say? Did they send you a nice letter with specific reasons they’re turning you down? That’s fantastic! Think about those reasons and proceed from there. Did they send you a form letter? That’s cool; it’s what most of them do.

The important thing to remember is that YOU ONLY NEED ONE AGENT. You made a list for 2 reasons. 1) because I told you to. 2) So you have plenty of options. Don’t give up!

An Agent Emailed Me! They Want a “Full” MS!…. What The Hell Is That?

THAT, my friend, is AWESOME! If an agent responds to your query with a request for a partial or a full manuscript, it means they liked your query and they want to see more. No, you don’t have an offer for representation yet, but you’re on your way.

Once they’ve read your submission, they can say three things:  1) No Thanks. 2) Yes! Let’s Do This! or 3) Revise and Resubmit.

I HAVE AN AGENT! I AM A SUPERSTAR! HOLY CRAP! Now What?

I know less about what happens once you get an agent, but from what I can tell, they’ll most likely have you continue to work on your book, especially if they’re an editorial agent (it’s not a specific kind of agent, just an agent who is particularly into assisting with the editing process). When they think your manuscript (MS) is ready, they’ll shop it around to publishers.

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And then, once again, you wait and wait and wait.