How do you find an agent and how do you know he's a reliable one?

Question

Like everyone else, I'm currently working on my first book and I think I'm actually going to get this done. The problem is I don't really know how to market my book.

Answer 1

As an earlier responder mentioned, Writers' Market Books "Guide to Literary Agents" is the best place to start. It has a very comprehensive list of agents, their contact information, and what they have represented in the past. However, that is merely a good starting point.

Because publishing has very much become a "who you know" industry, it is always a very good idea to try to network as much as possible. This can be done with writers' organizations such as the Society for Childrens' Writers and Illustrators, the Horror Writers Association, or any other group that follows the various genres and niches of the writing/publishing industry. Local writing/reading/literary groups are also very good places to do that sort of networking. In Chicago, where I'm from, there are several that have a "grass-roots" membership that has expanded to hundreds of members, including many professional authors, editors, and publishing professionals. To me, those have been the most helpful organizations, particularly a reading series and small-press publisher named Twilight Tales.

On a more technical note, when approaching an agent, there are a number of things you can do to maximize your chances. First, print your manuscript out on the brightest 24-pound paper (at least 100+ brightness rating, and over 110 brightness if you can find it), in the highest resolution your printer is capable of. Choose a font such as Courier New (preferred) or another easily readable serif font. It's easier on the eyes and will encourage an editor to read it longer than if you printed it out in low-res on dingy paper. As an editor, I can tell you that this DOES make a difference. However, generally, you will only send the first 3–5 chapters or 50–75 pages to an agent with your initial query. If they want to see more, they will request it from you after you've "hooked" them with your initial submission packet.

Once you have your manuscript printed, you need a good cover letter. This letter should be no more than two pages (one if possible), with a 1 or 2-paragraph summary of your story that is designed to catch the agent's attention, listing any professional experience or background you have that would make you well-suited to writing your particular book, and also any reasons that you chose that specific agent to send your manuscript to (i.e., he/she has represented those sorts of books before, you were recommended to do so by a published author of your acquaintance, et cetera).

You will also need a synopsis of your book, which should recap the entire story in 2–3 pages. This should be detailed and clear, hitting the major characters, plot points, and reveal everything of note that happens in your story—including the ending, even if it is a surprise or twist.

A chapter-by-chapter outline is also valuable here. Summarize each chapter in a very short paragraph or two, so an agent can get an idea of how your story progresses through its length with regard to organization. This, too, should be only a few pages long.

Some agents will want a more detailed synopsis and outline, but there are fewer and fewer of those due to the greater number of manuscripts being sent out. If an agent does need something like that, a good measure of an expanded synopsis is 1 typed page per 25 pages of your manuscript's length. For an expanded outline, summarize each chapter in 1-2 regular-length paragraphs (c. 50-100 words per paragraph).

One of the best bits of advice I have received over the years from another author is to do your synopses, outlines, et cetera BEFORE you write the book. That way, you can use them as a guide to write the book. It is also FAR less exhausting to do it before you write the book, because after you've written your 100,000 or so words for your novel, in all likelihood, yo're going to be worn out and sick of the material, so doing the summarizing materials can be very daunting.

Even if you've done all that, you do still need to know if an agent is going to really work for you. Again, the "Guide to Literary Agents" and Preditors and Editors are excellent resources. There is no sure-fire way to vet agents, but organizations such as the Association of Authors' Representatives (www.aar-online.org) do have codes of ethics that their members much follow. If an agent is an AAR member, then it's generally a good bet that he/she will be reputable, diligent, and will work hard to get your book published if it's a viable commercial property.

Answer 2

I really like the current issue of the "Guide to Literary Agents". It is from the folks at Writer's Market, who do an excellent job is creating resources for authors to start their research of agents. I'd also recommend their book "Formatting & Submitting your Manuscript".

As for finding out if they're reliable, and excellent resource is the website Preditors and Editors-- they are a good jumping off point to start your quest!
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

Happy writing!

Answer 3

I have a suggestion for you... If you like writing, put all of your energy into writing and don't think about publishing. I have had very bad luck getting an agent to even look at my queries, and many on-line blogs suggest that the whole industry is essentially a closed game. One insider said that publishers and agents are so inundated that they throw dozens of queries directly into the trash every day without even opening the envelopes. If that's true, Guide to Literary Agents is really just a product that is being sold to make money, and that wouldn't surprise me in the least. What that means is that "success" is determined by connections and lottery-like chances. If you want to pursue that kind of game, you are free to gamble with your time and energy, but it also makes sense to simply continue to write, share your work with friends and fellow writers, and don't be taken in by the false lure of celebrity status. The world is changing so quickly... think about it--every form of storytelling has had its day. We had the age of oral tradition, the age of minstrel storytellers, the age of morality tales, and the age of celebrity novelists... it's time for another age, and the information explosion is ushering it in. It is the age of the micro-audience.