Let the Author Beware: Seeking a Literary Agent

Thebook is written and polished and you’re ready to find a home for your baby. Authors have two choices. Either find a publishing house on your own, or acquire a literary agency to do it for you. Finding a literary agent is usually the best choice, as many of the larger publishing houses won’t look at manuscripts unless submitted by an accredited literary agent. But before you dive into the latest edition of the Literary Market Place or Guide to Literary Agents to find one, be aware of several things.

First, don’t assume that if a literary agent expresses interest in your work that they are trustworthy. The old standard, ‘Let the Buyer Beware’ holds true for services offered in a variety of professions. How to protect yourself? The best way is to find information sources regarding a particular agency. Are they a member of the AAR (Association of Artist’s Representatives)? Do they belong to the National Writer’s Union? The Internet makes finding the answers to these and other questions quite simple. In addition to accessing these various resources, there are several points and questions that need to be considered.

Such things as experience are important, but many new authors will find that getting such an agent or agency to represent them is difficult. Most already have a full clientele list or will only take references from published authors. Past sales records should also be considered. Is the agent or agency new to the business? If so, they will not have accrued a hefty listing of published works, and may not have the industry clout that more experienced agents or agencies have. Still, that’s not to say they won’t, someday. Another question to consider is fees.