How to Find a Literary Agent
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Article by: Maria Achihaitei, freelance writer at Globe Soup.
NB: This article is aimed at fiction writers with a complete manuscript looking to publish in an English-speaking country.
You've just committed that final word to paper. After months of strenuous work and an unhealthy dose of caffeine, you've reached the summit –or so you thought. Beyond looms an even greater peak: publishing.
Unless you attempt self-publishing, you will need a literary agent. Agents provide editorial advice and query publishers about your work. They are the Sherpa who will place the ladder over the crevices, shelter you from the snowstorm, and bring you to the top.
Finding one may seem daunting, but we are here to ensure your bag is well packed!
Step 1: Edit your story
Even after draft 18, keep editing. Agents see hundreds, sometimes thousands of submissions in their mailing box every month. Yours must be the North Star, shining bright enough to guide them to you.
AI-assisted language checkers such as Grammarly or LanguageTool can help you polish your grammar and spelling. However, you will most benefit from actual people’s opinion: beta-readers.
Beta-readers will offer invaluable feedback on matters such as style, plot, or character development. Your friends and family can be the first to take on that role. Join some writing groups to meet more objective and experienced beta-readers, usually on a story swap basis. If you would like a professional opinion on your manuscript, you will come across online editing services that can provide varying amounts of feedback for a fee.
Also make sure your novel is the right length. Debut novels should sit at 80,000 to 90,000 words, perhaps a little longer for sci-fi or fantasy, but anything over 120k will likely be discarded.
Step 2: Research agents
If you have been to literary salons, you might already have connections. If not, the Internet is full of resources that can help you find the perfect match. QueryTracker or The Manuscript Wish List are great websites to start looking. Filters such as preferred genre and themes will shorten the list for you. Alternatively, you could research who represented some of your favourite writers.
Start by checking agents’ websites. If it sounds like they might enjoy your story, follow them on social media. Take a peek at the novels they’ve represented: are they similar to yours?
Make sure you understand agents’ preferences. If they want horror, don’t serve them romance. If you are looking to query soon, also verify that they are open to submissions!
Events such as Twitter pitch parties, where writers pitch their completed manuscript in 280 characters or less, can be your opportunity to catch an agents’ eye. You could also participate in competitions aimed at unpublished writers, where the first price usually involves networking, an editorial consultation, or sometimes even a publication offer.
Step 3: Read submission guidelines
Instructions are available on agencies’ websites. Most agencies require a cover letter, a short synopsis, and a sample of your writing.
Some agencies will require you to fill an online form, which will automatically format your entry, while others receive email submissions. Pay particular attention to the latter, as it will be up to you to edit your document according to their wishes.
Follow the guidelines to the letter. These may include advice on the font style and size, spacing, document format, and more. It would be a pity to be rejected because you sent a PDF instead of a Word document, or decided that your title would stand out more if it was bright red.
If there are no specific instructions, it is good practice to use a black, 12pt Times New Roman font, have 1.5 or double line spacing, and number your pages.
Step 4: Craft your submission
Bear in mind that everyone has different opinions on what should or should not be included in each of these elements. I have compiled this advice from my own experience and research when I first tried to query agents, but it will not apply to every single agent out there.
Cover letter
Possibly the most important part of your submission, as many agents read this first. Your cover letter should comprise, not necessarily in this order:
o a personal address: “Dear Ms Smith” NOT “Dear Agent”
o a short pitch –think condensed back cover blurb
o title of your novel, word count, genre
o target audience
o comparable novels or authors (not all agents require this)
o brief author biography –your chance to put forward any writing credits, including published work, competitions you’ve won, your blog, a Lit or Creative Writing degree… Be sensible though. They wouldn’t care very much that you were the judges’ pick for your middle school poetry competition.
o your contact details
o a polite sign-off
Try to make each query sound personal. If you have already met the agent or were recommended by someone they work with, mention it. Think back to the agents’ preferences; phrase your blurb and present your themes in a way that shows you have done your research.
Synopsis
This should be in the present tense, third-person omniscient narrative. Keep it under one page, and summarise the whole story, from start to end. Don’t delve into the depths of a side plot, but rather focus on the main narrative arc. Describe the setting, main characters, conflict, and overarching themes.
Give your synopsis to someone who has not read your story (and doesn’t mind spoilers). They should now understand what the novel is about. If they tell you they are confused, revise the structure or remove excessive details.
Writing sample
Generally, the first few pages or chapters of your novel. Instructions vary widely between agencies, so you may need a different version for each submission. One point that everyone agrees on, though: your sample should be the beginning of your story. Even if you think chapter 17 would be more interesting, don’t send it.
Many agencies ask for the first three chapters –occasionally, just one or two. To avoid the inherent differences in chapter length, others require a set number of pages or a word count, typically 5,000 or 10,000.
Remember the agent will only read on if they are hooked from the beginning. Your first sentence, first paragraph, first page, first chapter –each should raise the right questions, give the agent the flavour of your story and urge them to feast on at your table. This article will help you decide if your first sentence makes a perfect appetizer!
Step 5: Send and wait…
You’re ready. You’ve edited, proofread, checked, reworded. You’re happy with the result. Now all that’s left to do is press that button and wait for an answer…
You might get an automated confirmation email. You might get nothing at all. Don’t panic, don’t resubmit –many agencies simply don’t acknowledge reception.
No matter how tempting it is, don’t query more than two or three agents at a time. We are all itching for the world to discover our genius, but if every agent in London receives the same email on the same day, it might well end in the trash folder unopened.
Rejection?
Keep track of your submissions and of agencies’ approximate response delay. Some agents take months to answer; many others don't send rejection emails at all. If they gave you a timeframe and this has passed, it unfortunately means that they are no longer considering your novel, even if your inbox remains empty.
Most rejection emails are copy-pasted, formal yet encouraging: “We are not quite the right fit for your manuscript, but someone else might well feel differently.” Don’t expect personal feedback or editorial advice.
Of course, you will be disappointed. But remember –publishing is subjective. JK Rowling was reportedly rejected 12 times before finding an agent for Harry Potter. Trust yourself.
If you receive several rejections, take a break from submitting, edit your query some more, and try again with other agents. Do not send the same manuscript to an agent who has already refused it.
Full request and offers!
When an agent thinks your novel is promising, you will receive a “full request”. Congratulations! You story was more interesting than the other 300 that the agent received that week, and that in itself is a great victory. Fingers crossed, the agent will find the full manuscript as enthralling as the sample you initially sent. That might well be the beginning of a beautiful partnership!
If you receive an offer of representation, dose your enthusiasm, and read the contract thoroughly. If you are planning a decalogy, are they signing you for book 1 or for the whole series? What is the duration of the contract? Are they asking to be paid upfront? This last point should raise alarm bells in your mind. Serious agents will not ask you for money. Their pay relies on sales, just like yours; they typically take 15% of your royalties. More than 20% would be very suspicious.
Also bear in mind that agents want to be your exclusive representative. This means that if you sign with agent B, you will no longer be able to accept offers from agents A or C. Remember to let them know that you have found representation elsewhere.
Don’t despair if an agent doesn’t make an offer at this stage. You have come a lot closer to your goal than most writers, and with time you will reach it. After requesting a full manuscript, agents provide at least some amount of feedback on your work, even if they decide not to represent you. Use their advice to edit your manuscript, and keep trying.
Hopefully, this article will have given you the keys to unlock many agencies’ doors! If you decide that “traditional” publishing is not your thing, remember self-publishing is an option.
Good luck, and I look forward to reading your masterpiece someday.
In hindsight, Maria realises that her childhood prose had little chance of striking the right chord with agents. She has since been honing her skills, and still dreams of publishing a novel someday. She also writes poetry, plays, and short stories, and is an avid beta-reader.
She draws inspiration from her medical studies and her hobbies, ranging from medieval reenactment to Scottish Country dancing and (almost) every outdoor sport you can imagine.