Benefits of an agent?

I see you've dodged a vanity publisher. Always a good step.

Not everyone needs an agent and there are actually a few successful writers on this cite who don't have one.

Here's a few pages to get you started:

http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/agents/

http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/real/

http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/

The cite is SFWA, but I think a lot of the advice (if not all of it) applies to other genres.

Good luck.

An agent does several things for an author.

1) They open the door to publishers who do not accept author submissions (which includes most of the top publishing houses).

2) They assist in contract negotiation. A good agent should be able to arrange contracts that are enough of an improvement over the offered terms to cover their own fee, often more. They also know all the contractual pitfalls that authors can be trapped in and help the author to avoid such difficulties.

3) Many agents offer editorial help, suggestions on how to make the manuscript stronger, moral support and a good kick in the rear when the author needs it. (avoid the agents who give you a kick in the rear just for the hell of it)


I think it's certainly worthwhile for a new author to look into getting an agent. Not necessary, but IMO they can dramatically improve an author's chances of success.

Just watch out for the bad ones. A bad agent is worse than no agent at all. Never pay an agent a dime of your money up-front. Their pay should come entirely from your royalties. If you don't get paid, they don't either.

Adding to the above they also seek out film/audio/foreign deals. They know what editor is looking for what, what editor is at which house etc.

Agents also ensure that publishers adhere to contract terms, ensure that payments are made promptly and in accordance with the contract, stand up for their authors if and when publishers are less than helpful, and (don't forget this one) almost always earn the writers they represent bigger advances than the writers could negotiate for themselves.

A good agent is well worth having. A bad agent? Nope.

Or, once you have a list of people you think you might like to sub to, check out the bewares and background checks forum here. Lots of info.

This advice has been offered on other threads, but it's worth repeating here.

Look for already-published books similar to yours. Then research the author's name to see if they have an agent. From there, you can find out if the agent is taking new clients, and whether you want to submit to them. We've thrashed out the pro's/con's of an established agent with a big agency (but maybe not that much time for you), or a new agent with lots of enthusiasm (but maybe not enough industry contacts to be an effective seller). That will have to be your choice.

You can get an agent by querying, meeting them at conferences and workshops, and getting recommendations from their current clients. The best way to get an agent, really, is to make sure you're ready to get one.
Your mms must be polished and strong, and you should have an idea of future works, either sequels or standalones. Agents want writers who want careers!

I blew two years of research and querying because I wasn't ready, on a project that (though it won some minor awards) still needs revision. I used a quickly-written genre novel to snag an e-pub offer, then begged an introduction to a well-known agent to help me with the contract (for a percentage that I judge reasonable, since it may save my career). The agent wants to see my mainstream work, when it is ready. She's not 'my' agent yet, but this is closer than I came in querying nearly 70 other agents.

Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Two suggestions: 1. Make sure your work is as good as possible before the agent hunt. You can ask folks in the beta readers section of this site if they'd like to read and critique your work. 2. Preditors and Editors is an excellent online site for weeding out the bad agents.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Check QueryTracker and there's a good forum called Bewares and Background Checks here on AW. Publisher's Marketplace is another good place to look and has details about recent sales for many agencies.

About 90% of the reputable agencies are on QT/AQ, but some of the very best don't advertise at all. They're harder to find, but can be worthwhile.

I highly recommend you hold off on querying until you hit that 50 post mark and can get some feedback. To push you up to that 50 post mark, the best way is to hang out in SYW and critique the work of others. That will give you a handle on how SYW works, and it makes it much more likely for other users to give your material a look.

Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Even without 50 posts you can go into the Beta Readers section of this site and ask for readers. You just can't post what you've written there.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

My agent was invaluable. She had rock-solid faith in my novel. She marketed it aggressively. She just signed me up for a 3-book deal with a major publisher. We got offers from two publishers at the same time. She pitted one against the other and drove my advance higher. Then she went through the contract with a tooth comb (I cannot even tell how intimidating a publishing contract can be: it's a 24 page legal document) and explained everything. She hired the best Contracts Attorney and negotiated for me a whopping deal. She kept me updated on every move. She was right on the ball the entire time, while I quietly sweated behind the scenes - just watching the emails fly between her and publisher's legal. Phew! It was a couple of nerve racking weeks before we signed the deal. We ended up selling world English rights and keeping movie rights, merchandising rights and foreign rights to sell separately. You have no idea how confusing a publishing contract can be. Very difficult for a lay person to understand.
DO NOT UNDERMINE THE VALUE OF A LITERARY AGENT. I WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD WITHOUT MINE.

And oh - forgot to add this one. My agent helped me clean up and make my manuscript submission-ready. She turned out to be a super editor too. Here is an interview I did with her for my blog.