Landing an Agent

(I know the panic and second guessing that comes along with signing your manuscript off as ‘final’, but once you’ve made the decision, try and stick to it.)

So, what to do next?

1. Use the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook

Simple. Get organized! Buy the latest copy of the Writers' & Artists’ Yearbook and read it. Don’t just skip to the agent lists, read the tips, the interviews, notes and advice guidelines. This book will act as your bible for the next year and the articles are there to help you, give you some insight into the process and what to expect. I realise your manuscript is ready and you may be eager to get on with submitting right away, but take a beat. Browse through the book, get familiar with it (if you’re not already) and make some notes. My version is covered in highlighter pen, post it notes and coffee stains.

2. Research Agents

Whether you’ve written a sci-fi, non-fiction, romance novel or thriller, there is an agent out there for you. The W&A Yearbook is full of agents with detail on what they accept and what they don’t. Follow it. If they don’t accept non-fiction, don’t submit to them. Shortlist the agents that appeal to you, who represent authors you enjoy reading and perhaps liken your novel to, whose website catches your attention. If you’ve heard an agent speak at a literature festival and enjoyed what they said, research the agency they work for and perhaps even any previous agencies. If you like the sound of an agent, follow them on Twitter, research them online, read articles they may have written or any interviews on them. Get a feel for their favourite books and whether yours would fit into that category (if an agent is a fan of YA and you’ve written a sci-fi, you might want to reconsider submitting to another agent within the same agency.)

I attended an event organized by the W&A Yearbook and listened to several agents speak; not only was it great to hear what they looked for in a submission, but I was able to ask specific questions. So where possible, try and attend as many agent events as possible, get familiar with the agents and even introduce yourself. If you’re lucky enough to live in the UK, there are a whole host of literature festivals (Bath, Worcestershire, Harrogate, Edinburgh) you have access to. You can meet agents, other authors, attend seminars and network. Check it out here.

3. Submission

This is the most crucial part of submitting to an agent and should be where you take the most time. You’ll usually be asked for a cover letter, a synopsis, an example of your work and sometimes an author bio – check the website for the latest information. Different agents have different requirements and make sure you’re aware of the variances. Some request a 1 page synopsis and the first 3 chapters, others request a 2 page synopsis and the first 10 000 words. When I was submitting, not only did I keep a different folder for each agent stating exactly what I’d submitted, but I saved all different ‘requests’ (e.g. 3 chapters, 10 000 words) into a separate ‘template’ folder so it was at hand when I needed it. I saved myself a lot of time.

My cover letter is where I spent a lot of effort. I’d already written my manuscript, had my synopsis at the ready as well as my author bio. I spent a lot of time researching agencies and the agents within them. Once I knew which agents I wanted to submit to, I shortlisted the first five I was going to hit first. I followed them on Twitter, got an idea of their interests, the books they liked reading and knew every single author they represented. If I hadn’t already, I read a couple of books written by the authors they represented, focusing on books in the same genre as me. Then I tailored my cover letter. I mentioned the books I’d read from authors they represent, if I’d seen them speak, why I wanted to work with them and any similar interests. One agent in an interview wanted to know exactly why someone would submit to them, so in my covering letter I wrote ‘I could imagine having a discussion about books at a pub with you’ and they requested to see my full manuscript the very next day. I think there is something in being honest, open and a little keen.

4. Stay organized and document everything

Treat the submission process like a mini project. Keep track of your submissions and where you are in the process. Whenever I submitted anything to an agent, I kept a table noting the submission date, what I submitted, who I submitted to, the date I should follow up (the website details this) and any additional comments. I’d note down any interaction with the agent including feedback so I could incorporate it before submitting to the ‘next round’ of short-listed agents. My last blog was about dealing with rejection, and receiving an agent rejection is hard. But I did find most agents to be quite responsive, considerate and constructive with their feedback. I had a couple who requested my full manuscript and the feedback provided was insightful and I incorporated much of it in an updated version of my novel. Don’t be scared to follow up and do keep agents informed, if another agent offers you representation or requests your manuscript, do make sure you let the other agents you’ve submitted know. This speeds up their response time and also lets them know other agents are interested.

5. Landing an Agent – the dream!

This day was like no other and I still beam just thinking about it. I remember the morning clearly. The night before I’d submitted to a relatively new agent, noting the website stated a six month wait. So seeing an email the very next morning, left me a little surprised and excited at the same time. I opened it to read I’d given my current agent, Bill Goodall from ‘A for Authors’ ‘goosebumps’ with my synopsis, which he’d happened to read as it came in. To receive such incredible feedback from an agent who’d been working in the publishing field for over 20 years sent my spirits soaring. I sent him my full manuscript and soon after I met Bill and his business partner Annette Crossland for a meeting. It was clear we were on the same page and they saw what I saw in my own writing. And I think that’s the point. You want to sign with an agent who loves your novel as much as you. They feel for the characters, the plot and they know where you want to go with it. I’m now signed up to ‘A For Authors’ and my book is being reviewed by a number of publishers. I still have to pinch myself sometimes as one year ago, I would never have thought I’d be in this space. 

It was a long process and of course I received rejections from agents but I tried my best not to take it too personally. That is easier said than done, but my book wasn’t right for them and as a result they weren’t right for me. But the best advice I can give anyone is persevere. Keep going and keep incorporating any feedback you receive - there will be an agent out there who loves your book just as much as you do.

Farheen is a British, Dubai-based writer and project manager. She studied English Literature and has completed several writing courses. She recently finished her debut novel Inside Out, which is currently being reviewed by publishers. For more information, please take a look at her website.