Beginners Guide to Researching Literary Agents

The question remains for most writer hopefuls: how can I find a literary agent for me and my work. Lucky for you, it’s actually quite simple. Now that you know how to structure that query from this post, you can now research agents and start sending those babies out.

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FIRST!

If you can afford it ($25/year subscription) get a query tracker account. It’s a life-saver. And unless you plan to query one single agent then receive an offer (unlikely, though I’m rooting for you) then you will need a way to keep track. The site offers some wonderful features. And I believe there is even a FREE version offering some basics. I upgraded to premium for the 25$ and it really was worth it.

• Time-tracking your personal query as well as your responses — rejections, requests, offers, etc.
• List of agents, filtered by category, etc.
• Average query timeframe per agent (time for positive response/negative response)
• Real comments from other writers
• Data content to keep track of where your query is (roughly) in the agent’s slushpile
• Reports to showcase submission replies, timelines, genres, etc.
• Client lists for each agent
• Additional websites with agent information
• Forum/community

So as you can see, it’s got quite the list of benefits, and I highly recommend it. If anything, the organization factor just keeps you sane.

SECOND!

Publishers Marketplace is another great place to start. It also offers a FREE account or an upgraded account for $25/month. Once I got really serious about querying, I upgraded as well. The upgrade allows you to see the deals and dealmakers. In plain talk, you can see what agents sell — what type of book for what type of money.

MY TIP: Don’t focus on the money part necessarily but the deals. What type of books are they selling? How many deals do they have? This will give you a great idea of what the agent likes and how “successful” they are. Also, if you’re interested in a newer agent who may or may not have any deals, you can look at the agency deals. That too will give you an idea of the future that agent may have. Reputable agencies are just as important as the agent themselves.

THIRD!

Check out those agency websites. Go to the agency website for agencies like Writers House, Irene Goodman Literary Agency, InkWell Management, The Knight Agency, etc. There are too many wonderful agencies to list. But visit each individual site as well as that agent’s Publishers Marketplace in order to know HOW TO SUBMIT to EACH agent. This isn’t a mass email situation. You need specifics. And the best way to follow the guidelines is by going to agency websites and reviewing those submission details.

FOURTH!

There are a ton of resources out there for you. I’ve only listed a few of which I consider the basics above. But below are a few more places to research for agents.

• Google (that’s right…you’d be surprised)
• Interviews ranging from a variety of blogs or podcasts (one of my favorite sites is www.literaryrambles.com and my favorite podcasts are WRITE OR DIE and PUB(lishing)CRAWL)
• Manuscript wishlist — not every agent is on there but it’s helpful
• Association of Authors’ Representatives, Inc. This site shows reputable agents but its not a perfect list. Not every agent is listed so if they aren’t on there, that’s okay. Be sure to check out other sites to validate them though.
• Thanks to SFWA, we have a writer beware site which will tell you about scams or agents who aren’t legit, etc. I don’t typically use this site, but many writers do and it’s worth noting.

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A Word of Advice

Don’t take researching lightly! There are so many great sites to find out what you need to know about agents and agencies. Remember, this is a business relationship. But it’s personal too. You need an advocate and they need a trustworthy client.

If you don’t do the research for each agent, that agent can tell. Trust me. They also notice mass queries. Personalize each please! You don’t have to suck up, but telling that agent why you want to work with them can mean the difference between a rejection and a request. They’re people too.

Let’s Review the Steps to Take:

1. Research agents — make a list —and realize though it only takes one agent, you’ll probably need to query more than a handful.
2. Write that query — make it strong and personalize it with a line or two
3. Press send, drink some coffee, and try not to obsess (harder than you think)

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That’s it! Please leave a comment below with any other resources you’ve found helpful while researching/querying agents or of course, with any questions. Happy Writing and/or Querying!