Question:Do Literary Agents look for new authors? If so, how do I get an agent? Answer: I'll begin this answer with a question: Have you written a book proposal on this book or the entire manuscript? Even if the manuscript is short, you still need to write a book proposal. Many people make this mistake when they try to publish a nonfiction book. If you are writing a … [Read more...]
What Every Author Should Know About Literary Agents
Many publishers will no longer accept a proposal unless it comes from an agent. While agents don’t guarantee your book will be published, they can ensure that it gets a reading and advocate for you all along the process. You can find the right agent for you if you know where to look. Why use an agent An agent … will critique your book proposal before it is submitted … [Read more...]
What Could An Agent Do For A Self-Published Author?
Traditionally, an agent shopped a client’s book, negotiated a deal with a traditional publisher, and then focused on selling subrights. But what could an agent do for a self-published author? I think the answer is – it depends. The truth is, if you self-publish a book and sell only 200 copies, an agent is going to have the same (if not worse) luck trying to sell … [Read more...]
Finding the Right Agent
Your mission is not to find an agent, it is to find the right agent. Do you want an advocate or a gatekeeper? Some literary agents have a passion and a track record for certain kinds of books: cooking, travel, children’s, business, parenting and so on. To find the right agent for your manuscript, simply match the Work to the agent. Look on that shelf in the bookstore … [Read more...]
Authors: Hire An Agent’s ‘Agent’ to Sell Your Book
Landing an agent for your book is more difficult now than ever before. You have to know exactly what to say and how to say it in your query letter to beat out your competition and to increase your chances of ever getting signed. As a professional book publicist, (www.book-marketing-expert.com) I am frequently asked to find an agent for my clients. While I know many agents … [Read more...]
How To Work With Book Publishing Agents
The world of book publishing is very competitive and publishing houses get thousands of submissions from hopeful authors everyday. Book publishing is a lucrative business; if you ever come up with a best seller, you're assured of top revenues year after year. But how do you even make an entry into this highly competitive business? One thing you can do is to engage book … [Read more...]
Find an Agent for Your Book
Having an agent can make it easier to sell your manuscript to a major publisher and, in some cases, is an absolute necessity. But how can you find an agent for your books? More importantly, how can you find the right agent? There are a number of good directories where you can find listings of literary agents, including Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and … [Read more...]
Insider Tips for Getting a Literary Agent FAST
So you finally put the pen to paper and completed your long-awaited manuscript… What to do now? Should you expect literary agents to come knocking down your door? Absolutely not! If you have not yet embarked on a literary agent search, you may be surprised to find that most agents don’t want to speak to you because it is a competitive industry, to say the least. So how do … [Read more...]
Should You Choose a Literary Agent or Self-Publish Your Manuscript?
It may seem that the most difficult part of getting your book published was writing the manuscript in the first place, but think again! Once you have finished your first novel, you have to make the important decision between getting a literary agent or deciding to self-publish. In the high-tech and innovative new world of publishing, the Internet makes it easy for you to … [Read more...]
How to Pitch Your Book
Any opportunity you have to get in front of an agents or publishers and tell them about your book is a precious opportunity, no matter how brief the encounter. Don’t waste it. Make the moment memorable (for the right reasons) by crafting a series of brief, targeted talking points about your project. Qualities of a Good Pitch: It’s brief: A good pitch starts with a single … [Read more...]