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The
Safest Way to Search for an Agent
Searching
for an agent is difficult enough without worrying about whether the
agent is dishonest.
Unfortunately, you do need to worry. Too many agents engage in
abuses--charging
up-front fees, participating in kickback referral schemes, urging
writers
to pay for expensive editing services--for you to assume that every
agent
who expresses interest in your manuscript is reputable.by Victoria Strauss To give you some idea of the magnitude of the problem: Writer Beware, a publishing industry watchdog group of which I'm a staff member, has assembled documentation on nearly 400 agents in the USA, Canada, the UK, and Australia who engage in the practices mentioned above. This is just the tip of the iceberg. In the USA, for instance, there may be as many as a thousand people doing business as literary agents, but less than half these can be considered reputable (most of whom are members of the Association of Authors' Representatives--the only professional trade group for agents in the US). The problem is less widespread in other countries, but it does exist. Most aspiring writers know the basic drill: assemble a list of agents, prepare and polish a synopsis and sample chapters, write a dynamite query letter, send out submission packets...and wait. To this must be added another step: weeding out the questionable agents who will inevitably wind up on your query list. The Procedure 1. Begin with a good market guide. If possible, it's a good idea to use more than one guide, because all have a different mix of information (and some can be out of date). Below are recommendations for general guides to the literary marketplace; if you write in a particular genre, there may also be a guide that specializes in your area. For US-based writers, I recommend Literary Marketplace (available in your local library), Jeff Herman's Writer's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents, and Rachel Vater's Guide to Literary Agents. In the UK, Writers' and Artists' Yearbook and Writer's Handbook are both comprehensive resources. In Canada, there's The Canadian Writer's Market and The Canadian Writer's Guide (the latter published by the Canadian Authors' Association); and in Australia there's The Australian Writer's Marketplace. Also helpful is John Baker's Literary Agents: A Writer's Introduction--not so much for the agent listings, which though useful are somewhat idiosyncratic, but for the insight it provides into the way agents work. Unfortunately, there's not a market guide in existence that doesn't contain at least some questionable agents, who slip in despite the best efforts of the editors--so don't assume that a listing in a respected market guide is proof of an agent's honesty and/or expertise. To protect yourself, follow the steps below. 2. Use the information in the guides to make a list of agents who are appropriate for your work. This list can be as large as you like (but see #1 in the "Practical Advice" section, below). 3. Expand your list by picking books you think resemble yours, and finding out who agents them. This is not as difficult as it might seem. Some writers thank their agents in the Acknowledgements sections of their books, or name them on their websites. A websearch on the author or the title may yield the information--through a newspaper interview reproduced online, for instance--as may a search of Publisher's Weekly or Publishing News, which regularly report on who's selling what to whom. If you're a genre writer there are even more resources--for instance, Locus Magazine reports on US science fiction/fantasy/horror sales. Also, some publishers maintain rights guides on their websites, where agents for recently-published books are listed. (For links to rights listings, see my related article, Researching an Agent's Track Record.) 4. Check the membership roster of the Association of Authors' Representatives (USA), the Association of Authors' Agents (UK), or the Australian Literary Agents' Association (Australia). You can obtain these rosters by visiting the AAR website, the AAA website, and the ALAA website (there's no similar association in Canada). Membership in these organizations is one indication of legitimacy, since agents must meet competency requirements in order to join, and abide by a code of practice that excludes some common abuses, such as referral kickback schemes. Note that membership is not an infallible guarantee of quality--Writer Beware has received serious complaints about some AAR members--nor is any particular AAR, AAA, or ALAA member necessarily the right agent for you (a very different, but equally important, issue--again, see the "Practical Advice" section, below). But you're certainly safest if you give AAR, AAA, or ALAA member agents priority on your query list. 5. Place a question mark beside any agent who isn't a member. This doesn't necessarily indicate that the agent isn't reputable--some countries don't have trade associations for agents, and even in countries that do, some successful agents choose not to join, or haven't been in business long enough to fulfill the membership requirements. But it's wise to do some extra research on agents who aren't members. 6. For agents with a question mark, do any or all of the following:
The above steps should ensure that you have a list of agents to whom it's appropriate to send your work, and make it less likely you'll query a questionable one. It's not an infallible method, but it does offer more protection than sending out submissions based solely on the information you find on the Internet or in market guides. 7. Some additional recommendations:
Some Practical Advice on Querying 2. Use up-to-date sources. Print market guides are expensive. I often hear from writers who've picked up a two- or three-year-old edition at a used bookstore as a way to save money. But things change fast in publishing, and even a year-old guide may contain outdated information. Bite the bullet and spring for a new copy. 3. Be businesslike. In the UK, where agents commonly ask for a synopsis and writing samples as part of a submission package, query letters are not a big deal. Typically, UK agents just want a brief covering letter, with title, word count, and genre, a short, straightforward description of your book (as in a couple of sentences), your contact info, and a description of your writing credits, if you have any. In the US, on the other hand, tremendous emphasis is placed on the query letter. Often a query is all an agent wants to see initially, so the query may be your one chance to snag an agent's attention. A query to a US agent needs to provide not just the information described above, but a dynamic and intriguing snapshot of your work, via a dramatic one- or two-paragraph synopsis. Remember, however, that a query letter is also a business document. Keep it professional, and keep it brief (a single page if possible). Really unusual or inventive or passionate query letters that break the business mold can also work, if you're able to create them--but not many people can. Unless you're really sure you have the skill to carry this off, stick to a business format. 4. Pay attention to the agent's submission requirements. How-to-write books often give general guidelines for what to send (query letter, synopsis, first three chapters). This is fine when an agent doesn't have specific preferences--but many do, and don't want to see all of this initially. Sending a submission that doesn't conform to agents' stated guidelines may provide a good reason to set your submission aside. Don't query or submit electronically unless the agent's guidelines specifically say you can do so. A certain curmudgeonly and intrusive website that provides agents' email addresses, often against their will, makes it possible to bypass agents' wishes in this regard--but don't yield to the temptation. Agents' preference for paper submissions is a big beef among many new writers--why aren't agents more willing to save paper and stamps by accepting e-submissions? There are many reasons--one being that agents do a lot of their reading out of the office, and paper is portable--but the bottom line is that it's a buyer's market, and the buyers get to set the terms. Sending an e-query to an agent who doesn't want e-queries won't get you any points for initiative; it'll probably just get you ignored. (Be aware also that many agents with a policy of accepting e-queries also have a policy of not responding to them unless they're interested. Snail mail queries are more likely to get a response, even if it's just a form rejection.) On a related note: keep it plain. Fancy packaging such as colored paper or elaborate binders, or extras such as author photos or mockups of your book cover, are not welcome. They will make your submission stand out--in the wrong way. 5. Spread a wide net. If an agent asks for your entire manuscript, she will often request an exclusive reading, but you can query and/or send partials to as many agents as you want. 6. Be bold. Query every agent who might be appropriate for your work, no matter how successful. Many new writers limit their queries to small or new or never-heard-of-'em agencies because they believe, or have been told, that established agents don't work with first-time writers. But this is the best way of getting stuck with a dishonest or incompetent agent. Certainly it's hard to attract the attention of an established agent. But no agent worth his or her salt will turn away a promising manuscript simply because the writer has never published anything before. Agents' client lists are constantly in flux--writers move on, retire, die, or stop selling--and an agent who isn't on the alert for new talent will soon be out of business. Successful agents are also well aware that future literary stars and bestsellers often come from the ranks of the previously unpublished. A quick check of the news and reviews in trade magazines like Publishers Weekly provides a good demonstration of how many writers are selling first novels via well-established agents. Still not convinced? Here's another way to look at it. If you wanted to put your home on the market, would you employ a real estate agent who'd been trying for years but had never actually managed to sell a house? It's no different with literary agents. You want someone with demonstrated competence, in the form of a verifiable track record of commercial sales. If an agent has been in business for a couple of years and has no real track record (or won't share sales information--a major red flag) it's a strong indication that he doesn't have the skills or the contacts needed to get editors' attention. And if he isn't having much luck selling his other clients' work, the odds he'll sell yours are pretty slim. Many writers believe that the words "literary agent" on a letterhead is a guarantee of editors' attention, and that having an agent--any agent--will automatically open doors that are closed to unagented writers. But this really isn't so. Editors are well aware of how many incompetent and/or fraudulent agents there are; it's one of many reasons they prefer to work with agents they know, either personally or by reputation. Unknown agents may receive a little more attention than unagented writers, but not much. And if--as many amateur or fraudulent agents do--the agent uses obviously unprofessional methods (submitting substandard or inappropriate material, "blitz" submitting to a dozen or more editors at once, using form letters, using the client's own query letter, including a "marketing" plan with a novel submission, "bundling" several queries in a single submission...the list goes on) the editor will immediately tag them as questionable and toss their submission onto the slush pile. So do query that successful agent--not just because you can, but because he's the only kind of agent worth having. 7. Be careful with new agents. First-time writers are often advised to query new agents just setting up shop, since these agents are usually actively looking to build their lists. This is good advice, with one caveat: not all new agents are created equal. Contacts and an inside knowledge of the publishing industry are essential for success. Someone with these assets will probably start making sales right away, but someone who's coming to agenting from a non-publishing-related field is going to have a much tougher time getting up to speed--if indeed they ever do. If you're thinking of querying a new agent, make sure s/he has either solid commercial publishing experience (as an editor, say), or has previously worked for another (reputable) agency. Make sure also that s/he really is new--in business a year or less--and not just using a "new to the business" claim to cover up several years of pitiful track records (a common tactic among incompetent agents). As a general rule of thumb, a new agent should begin making sales within six months to a year of starting up. Resources Mentioned in This Article The Association of Authors' Agents. (http://www.agentsassoc.co.uk/) The professional trade group for UK agents. Their website hosts a membership roster and the AAA Code of Practice. The Australian Literary Agents' Association. (http://austlitagentsassoc.com.au/) The professional trade group for Australian agents. The website includes a membership roster, a Code of Practice, and an extensive list of writers' resources. Agent Research & Evaluation News. (http://www.agentresearch.com/news.html) Informative articles on agents and the deals they make. Publishers Weekly. (http://publishersweekly.com/) The online version of the print magazine; it's mainly US-focused, but covers international publishing as well. A subscription is needed in order to see content. Publishing News Online. (http://www.publishingnews.co.uk/) Also an online version of the print magazine. Comprehensive news about the UK market. Publisher's Lunch. (http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/free/) A daily e-mail newsletter with all the latest news about publishing worldwide. A full subscription costs, but the "lite" version is still free. A nifty feature is the weekly Deal Lunch, which covers recent agent/publisher deals. Publishers Marketplace. (http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/). An extensive professional website where many established agents have listings that include recent sales (as usual, though, there are a few bad eggs). Paid membership is required for full access, but agents' listings are visible to the public. AgentQuery. (http://www.agentquery.com/) Another useful online agent listing at a site whose owners are careful about vetting the agents they include. Writer Beware. (http://www.writerbeware.org/) I maintain this website for SFWA. There's detailed information about literary agents here, as well as sections on book doctors, subsidy publishers, contests, copyright, electronic rights, and online publication. Preditors & Editors. (http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/) Agent listings, with notations as to which agents aren't recommended for fee-charging and other abuses. Agent Research & Evaluation Verification Service. (http://www.agentresearch.com/agent_ver.html) Another place to check up on agents. AR&E will search their database for sales the agent has made, and let you know if there've been any complaints. Researching an Agent's Track Record (http://www.sff.net/people/VictoriaStrauss/trackrecord.html) My article suggests a procedure for researching agents' track records, and offers a number of resources to help. For US writers, some excellent resources on crafting query letters:
Order Books Mentioned in This Article Agents Directory (USA) by Rachel Vater Guide to Literary Agents (USA) by Joanna Masterson Writers' and Artists' Yearbook (UK) by Ian Rankin The Writer's Handbook (UK) by Barry Turner The Canadian Writer's Market The Canadian Writer's Guide The Australian Writer's Marketplace Literary Agents: A Writer's Introduction, by John Baker Copyright
2002-2007 Victoria Strauss
Victoria Strauss is the author of seven fantasy novels, including The Burning Land and The Awakened City. She’s a regular book reviewer for Fantasy magazine and SF Site, and her articles on writing have appeared in Writer’s Digest and elsewhere. In 2006, she served as a judge for the World Fantasy Award. An active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, she's Vice-Chair of the Committee on Writing Scams, and maintains the Writer Beware literary scams warning website at www.writerbeware.org. She welcomes visitors to her own website: www.victoriastrauss.com. This article may be reproduced, with permission, proper attribution, and without alteration, for distribution to writers' groups. Contact Victoria Top of page |