Besides query letters and mailings, how do I get a literary agent to consider representing me?

Question

I've bought the how-to books, receive e-newsletters, mailed dozens of letters and still I do not have an agent!

Answer 1

What do you write? You can meet and pitch to literary agents in person at writers conferences.

If you write romance, check out:

https://www.rwanational.org/eweb/StartPage.aspx

Organizations for writers have conferences, meetings, etc where you can talk to literary agents.

Here's a list of organizations for writers: http://shallabizness.blogspot.com/2006/02/join-writers-associations-and.html

(there's more online, just use a search engine)

There are even online writers groups where you can meet literary agents:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShalladeGuzman/

Answer 2

Unless you've got a name to yourself and are considered to be some sort of "expert" in your field, query letters are pretty much it. You could do some self-marketing by teaching a class or workshop on the topic you're writing about. You could also send out a press release to your local media promoting yourself and your writing.

Not surprised you haven't gotten an agent. They work on commission and don't want to take on somebody new unless they think they'll make money off you, and make it sooner rather than later. That just goes with the territory and is why most writers don't make it big. However, that doesn't mean you should give up because persistence does pay off!