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How to get an agent
(Page 3 of 3)
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Once you've got a likely list of agents start to research. Don't just blast off your proposal package to them all. Getting an agent is a long process that takes a lot of work – and you get out of it what you put in. Make sure you read the whole listing for each agent carefully – they will all have their own submission requirements and you will need to adapt your proposal for each. If you don't abide by their guidelines then you're likely to get dismissed straight away.
If possible, do more research than just looking at the listing. If they have a website then go and study it carefully. If you can find a list of authors they represent or books that they've sold then go and read a few of the titles – remember that you're making a business proposal to these people and you need to be able to convince them that you have something they can sell – if you can convince them it's similar to things they've handled and sold in the past then you're more likely to get their attention. If you can't, then perhaps you ought to ask yourself whether this agent is likely to accept your work. Avoid wasting their time if you can, as it may come back to haunt you in future.
Above all, if you can demonstrate that you have a detailed and specific interest in that particular agency then they are more likely to repay the complement with a detailed and specific interest in you. This goes for making simultaneous submissions, as well. Some agents will accept these, some won't, but you always need to tell an agent if the work is under consideration elsewhere, and that's not going to look like you have a particular interest in that agency. Regardless of what anyone else says, I'd prefer to have one agent look really carefully at my work than have a hundred glance dismissively at it. Playing a numbers game is fine when you've got the numbers to go at, but with a limited number of agencies out there you need to make every shot count.
So that's my advice (if anyone disagrees with it you can let me know through the feedback page). Whether you take it or not is up to you – I still haven't got an agent, so maybe you shouldn't, but the advice above should tackle some of the problems and mistakes which I think I've identified as having tripped me up in the past, and maybe you can avoid making them too.
For tips on what not to do
when looking for an agent click here
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