Can anyone provide any reputable literary agents that take on new writers?

Question

I've done my research and i do have a list, but I was just wondering if anyone can provide me anyway to add on and/or compare to my list. Thank you.

Answer 1

Without knowing your genre, it would be impossible to say. You would either have to buy a copy of Writers Market (the 08 edition is out) or go to a library and use their copy of Literary Marketplace. Surf through and search for agents who are reading and accepting books in your genre. You should also look for who they represent and research those books. Are they selling? Doing well? But before you send anything to anyone - you have to google the hell out of them. Start with Absolute Write Water Cooler's Bewares and Background Checks, Writers Weekly's Whispers and Warnings and Preditors and Editors. Those three sites have information on who is reputable and who is not. You have to learn to check these things out and advocate for yourself. When you do come up with a name, make sure you follow their submission guidelines to the letter when submitting. If you don't you will get rejected. Pax - C

Answer 2

The best thing you can do for yourself is to find a community of successful writers and join them. There are many forums online that you can join. Do a search engine search using the words, 'novelist community' or something to that effect, and check some of them out. Be sure that you pay attention to the signatures that the members have on their posts and take the time to look at their websites or blogs as that is what they will usually add to a signature. (A signature is that informational line at the end of every post.)

In this way, you will only be joining communities of writers that are of your genre and that you respect. These are the writers that you will want to get advice from.

Also, you may want to join the site www.venturecapitalists.com. This is a site for entrepreneurs that is run by successful business people that want to help others. There are many resources on this site that will help you market your work later, help you with financing and tax issues among other financial things and they have a couple of successful writers that can also offer you advice. I warn you, these writers are journalists or article contributors and copy writers. But they will have a wealth of information that you can use.

Once you have found the right community for you, ask the members this question. I market and publish my own work without an agent, so that is all the help I can offer you.

Answer 3

Most will accept a manuscript if it comes as a referral from a current client.

Think of everyone you know that has a literary agent and ask him or her to give you manuscript to their Reader or Literary Agent.