A literary agent represents writers and authors and is equal parts opportunity finder, deal negotiator and career advisor.
While it’s not required to have an agent to get a traditional book deal, most writers recommend having one.
Benefits of having a literary agent
Since they’re up-to-date with the latest book publishing trends and have in-depth market knowledge, literary agents are positioned to handle the business end of writing—allowing you to focus on the writing end of writing.
I met an author who told me how he got a book deal without an agent. I’m glad to meet someone who had a positive publishing experience this way but I have questions.
- Why did he skip this step?
- What made him want to pursue traditional publishing on his own?
- Would he do it again for his next book?
Free download: Is It time to write your book?
If you want to write a book but don’t know what to do next then this is the right worksheet for you. First, I’ll guide you through the four steps you need to take BEFORE you start writing. Then I’ll help you determine why you’re writing a book, decide on your theme and genre and schedule writing time.
This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by signing up here. Just pop your email address into the form below. Once you’re in the library, navigate to the writing section and look for “You’ve Decided to Write a Book Worksheet.”
Here are a few ways having a literary agent benefits a writer
Legitimate agents work on commission so they don’t get paid unless you do. Talk about common interests! You can rest assured they have your best interests at heart.
Agents have a strong knowledge of the publishing business and have access to major publishing houses. They know they right people working in the right places and can get those doors open quicker than you can.
They read a lot and know what sells. Literary agents know good writing, they know the market and they know what editors are looking for. They know what you need to do to get a book deal.
And my personal favourite
Think of a literary agent as a connector. They connect authors with the appropriate publisher, negotiate the best deals possible and mediate any issues between the writer and editor that may arise during the book publishing process.
If you want a literary agent take some time researching the different ones out there and make a list of ones you think are a good fit for you and your writing. You find a literary agent through querying your book. While there aren’t really “types” of literary agents they all have different areas of expertise and preferred genre.
Obtaining a literary agent isn’t necessary if you’re self-publishing a book. You may consider hiring a publicist or business coach, but these are different roles than what a literary agent plays.
Other posts you’ll find helpful
- Jeff Herman’s Guide To Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents
- Platform Building: Smart and Strategic Tips for Writers
- Four Types of Literary Agents by Books and Such
One more thing. You may be interested in my free resource library. This is where I keep my files, downloads, ebooks, worksheets and whatever else I manage to create. I love sharing what I learn and want to keep adding to this library so it becomes a wealth of helpful goodness.
This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.