is it really necessary to have an agent when one writes a book?

Question

Why??Also, the writer is a first-timer and is trying his/her hand in fiction.

Answer 1

Only if you want to have a chance of getting published.
Without an agent, the odds against your author's actually getting even read are incredibly high. Many publishing houses won't even accept "unsolicited manuscripts", while some do, but throw them in a pile that some junior staffer might pick one from, if he/she has any spare time.
Getting published without an agent is theoretically possible, but then, so's winning the lottery.
Now that's assuming you're talking about a "real" publisher, not a "vanity publisher", either storefront or on-line. If you're willing to PAY to be published, then you can always find someone to take your money.

Answer 2

No, it isn't necessary, but an agent does a lot of leg work, has a lot of connections, and can get your work seen by people that you can't otherwise contact. If you want to go it on your own, get a copy of the Writer's Market (there should be one in your local library) and look up the 30,000 publishers listed there. WM tells you what the requirements are for each of the publishers, but you will note that some of them only deal with agents.
As far as being a first-timer, Harper Lee wrote only one book, To Kill a Mockingbird, and it did okay. So there is hope for first timers.
Good luck!

Answer 3

As an author - you have a number of choices. First, get hold of The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook or The Writers' Handbook, which are chock-full of answers to almost all the questions you'll have. They would guide you to which agent(s) might be suitable, in terms of their interests, etc.

Practically, it's very difficult to get an agent to look at a piece of first-time fiction - most good ones get about 400 usolicited m/ss per week and so you have to have an idea that stands out from the crowd. Do Not Despair, because almost every agent will have a tale of missing a best-seller (Tolkein tried eight, I think), but you will usually need the first two-three chapters and a synopsis and huge amounts of persistence. What many authors do is find the publisher themselves - faut de mieux - and then use an agent to make sure that as first-timers they don't get ripped off and have accidentally sold the film rights for nothing.

But, you might also look at sites like lulu.com, which is a site that allows you to publish your own work without attracting many of the objections that are traditionally raised about 'vanity publishing.' I haven't tried them myself but they have a good reputation.

However - start with one or other of those handbooks, and persist. Good luck.

Answer 4

I wouldn't have the writer worrying about an agent just yet. As a first time author, it would probably be better if he/she began trying to submit short stories for publication so that a reputation might be built. After the writer has been published a few times, and he/she feels they are ready to contact an agent, then they could begin looking through the Writer's Market directory for an agent. It isn't necessary to contact an agent until the writer is trying to publish a book-length manuscript, as the majority of publishing companies will not accept unsolicited manuscripts. For now, however, if he/she is just writing, there's not need to worry about representation.

Answer 5

You need to write the book first, and edit it repeatedly. I've never heard of an agent considering fiction on just a proposal, especially not for a first time writer. It is a challenging process and you have not yet proven you can even finish a book, let alone one that is good enough to be published.

You should also consider submitting some poetry or short stories to magazines and journals that are appropriate to your genre. It is a hard road to become published, but having some credentials to your name can be helpful in getting an agent. Use the book "Writer's Market" as a reference to find places to submit to.

Once the book is written and edited, then yes it should be submitted to agents instead of directly to publishing houses. Many publishing houses now will not even open unsolicited manuscripts that don't come through an agent. There is just too much material for them to go through. Having a respected agent means that someone already thought your material was good enough to sell.

Beyond that, an agent will negotiate your contract for you. Unless you are a lawyer, I do not recommend you try this for yourself! Your agent can keep as many rights as possible for you.

Remember, a publishing house is not working for you, they are working for themselves! They are a business. An agent will work on your behalf to make the most of your book and get you the most money possible.

Once you are ready, you can use the book Guide to Literary Agents and the website Preditors & Editors to help you find agents to query:
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

Be aware that there will be a LOT of rejection if you really want to be a published author. There's a lot of competition and limited space and resources. But, if you are persistant then you CAN do this!

If you haven't read them yet, check out these books for help in your writing:

1) "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser-- This is an excellent reference for any kind of writing. It will make your emails, essays, stories, and other writing clearer. I recommend this to everyone who wants to improve their writing skills.

2) "Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life" by Anne Lamott-- This is slightly more geared towards fiction writing, but can be helpful when you are attacking ANY large project in your life. Definitely a must for creative writers, students, or people who are looking for an entertaining book on writing.

3) "Writing Down the Bones" by Natalie Goldberg. You didn't mention if you want to improve your writing for school, work, or if you are a creative writer. This definitely targets creative writing, and focuses on the practice of writing. I write a lot of poetry and am working on a novel, and this is incredibly motivational to me.

Good luck!

Answer 6

You can write the book first and then solicit it to various agents. One should also have "Writers Market" which has all the information any prospective writer needs; agents, publishing houses, magazines, contests, and tips on how to present your stuff to an agent so that it shines above the rest and garners interest.
Do not be surprised if it gets rejected either, it happens to everyone. It should be edited before sending it to an agent also.

Answer 7

Most book publishers won't even consider your manuscript if you don't have an agent. There are some out there that will take you on, but most are vanity presses.

Besides, if you obtain an agent you have a better chance at getting your manuscript into the hands of the people who matter. They can get you a better deal and get your name out there.

Check out P&E (Preditors and Editors) website for imformation on legitimate publishers, agents, etc.

Answer 8

Yes, for the simple reason that book publishers no longer accept unsolicited work. Meaning they only deal with agents that they already know and have dealings with via other writers.

So you need an agent who has connections with the publishers.

Answer 9

Do a web search for publishers and check out
http://www.publishamerica.com/weeklybooks.htm

Answer 10

I didn't. I wish I could afford a publicist, but it's not possible.
iUniverse did all right by me. Check out what they did below:
And good luck!
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0-595-41130-4