How to get an agent

This article is for all those who are prepared to dedicate themselves to the pursuit of publication.

If you are currently experiencing just a vague interest in being a writer or illustrator, stop reading now. You are unlikely to survive the rigorous commercial assessment to which your work will be subjected.

If you are a children’s writer or illustrator, do not think that the process will be any easier. It’s just as tough, if not tougher.

What is a literary agent and why would I want one?

You will probably already have noticed that contacts for many publishers are provided in the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook. This means that there is nothing to prevent you from pursuing publishers directly yourself. Indeed, if you can answer a confident ‘yes’ to all the questions below, and have the time and resources to devote to this objective, you probably don’t need an agent:

1.    Do you have a thorough understanding of the publishing market and its dynamics?

2.    Do you know who are the best publishers for your book and why? Can you evaluate the pros and cons of each?

3.    Are you financially numerate and confident of being able to negotiate the best commercial deal available in current market conditions?

4.    Are you confident of being able to understand fully and negotiate a publishing or other media contract?

5.    Do you enjoy the process of selling yourself and your work?

6.    Do you want to spend your creative time on these activities?

An agent’s job is to deal with all of the above on your behalf. A good one will do all of them well.

Is that is all an agent does?

Agents aren’t all the same. Some will provide more editorial and creative support; some will help on longer term career planning; some will be subject specialists; some will involve themselves more on marketing and promotion. Such extras may well be taken into consideration in the commission rates charged.

I definitely do want an agent. Is it easy to find one?

When I left publishing and talked generally to the authors and illustrators I knew, a number of them said it was now more difficult to find an agent than a publisher.

Why is this?

The answer is a commercial one. An agent will only take someone on if they can see how and why they are going to make money for the client and themselves. To survive, an agent needs to make commission, and to do this they need projects they can sell. An agent also knows that if he/she does not sell a client’s work, the relationship isn’t going to last long.

So the agent just thinks about money?

Well, some agents may just think about money. And it might be all you care about. But good agents also care about the quality of work and the clients they represent. They are professional people who commit themselves to doing the best job they can. They also know that good personal relationships count – and that they help everyone enjoy business more.

This means that, if and when you get as far as talking to a prospective agent, you should ask yourself these three questions:

7.    Do I have a good rapport with this person?

8.    Do I think we will get along?

9.    Do I understand and trust what they are saying?

Follow your instinct – more often than not it will be right.

How do I convince an agent that I’m worth taking on?

Start with the basics.

10.  Make your approach professional.

11.  Make sure you only approach an appropriate agent who deals with the category of book you are writing/illustrating.

12.  Check to whom you should send your work and whether there are any particular ways your submission should be made (if it’s not clear from the listings in this Yearbook or the agency’s website).

13.  Only submit neat, typed work on single-sided A4 paper.

14.  Send a short covering letter with your manuscript explaining what it is, why you wrote it, what the intended audience is and providing any other relevant context.

15.  Always say if and why you are uniquely placed and qualified to write a particular book.

16.  Provide your professional credentials, if any. If you are writing an autobiography, justify why it is of public interest and why your experiences set you apart.

17.  Provide a CV (again, neat, typed, relevant) and a stamped addressed envelope for the return of your manuscript.

Think of the whole thing in the same way as you would a job application, for which you would expect to prepare thoroughly in advance. You might only get one go at making your big sales pitch to an agent. Don’t mess it up by being anything less than thorough.

And if I get to meet an agent?

Treat it like a job interview (although hopefully it will be more relaxed than this). Be prepared to talk about your work and yourself. An agent knows that a prepossessing personality in an author is a great asset for a publisher in terms of publicity and marketing – they will be looking to see how good your interpersonal skills are.

And if an agent turns my work down? Should I ask them to look again?

No means no. Don’t pester. It won’t make an agent change his/her mind. Instead, move on to the next agency – the agent there might feel more positive. The agents who reject you may be wrong. But the loss is theirs.

Even if an agent turns my work down, isn’t it worth asking for help with my creative direction?

If I haven’t put you off yet, it just remains for me to say good luck – and don’t forget to buy plenty of stamps, envelopes and A4 paper. Many agents won’t take email submissions.