Most people who begin writing a novel have two primary objectives in mind: to tell a good story and to see their novel in print. When it comes to locating a publisher, however, the reality is that writers must first locate an agent willing to represent that novel. After all, no major publishing house will even consider a manuscript not presented to it by a literary agent.
Granted, writers can opt for self-publishing, which involves a considerable financial expenditure on their part, or else they can go with one of the print-on-demand services that have proliferated over the past several years. Before choosing the latter alternative, though, authors should realize that while such services do not charge for publication and do make books available through most online booksellers, these services do very little, if anything, to promote a book, and without extensive promotion, it’s unlikely even the best of novels will sell more than a few copies.
So, how do writers find an agent? This is not an easy question to address, since there are no pat answers or guaranteed approaches, but there are certain steps writers can take to help increase their chances.
Advance Preparation
The first thing a writer should do is learn as much as possible about an agent before submitting a query letter, for example:
- Does the agent accept e-mail queries or only those sent via snail mail? This information is typically available on an agency’s website or located in such useful books and magazines as Writer’s Market, Novel & Short Stories Writer’s Market, Writer’s Digest, The Writer, and Poets and Writers.
- What genre does the agent represent? For example, if he or she handles only contemporary fiction for an adult readership, then do not query the agent regarding a romance novel or children’s book.
- Is the agent actively seeking new clients? If not, then sending a query letter is probably an exercise in futility.
The Query Letter
The query letter is a writer’s introduction to an agent, so it is imperative to make a good first impression. In order to do so, keep certain guidelines in mind:
- Address the agent by name. Do not use “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Agent,” since this shows that one did not bother to do one’s homework.
- Make the letter as error free as possible. The surest route to rejection is to send a letter filled with grammatical and/or mechanical errors or careless typos. After all, this letter demonstrates one’s proficiency in language and overall writing ability. It also shows just how conscientious—or negligent—one is when it comes to one’s work.
- Do not try to be cute. The letter should be professional in tone, not chatty, or witty, or overly friendly. The agent is not one’s pal or even one’s acquaintance. The agent is a professional who prefers to deal with other professionals.
- Begin by stating one’s name and the purpose of the letter; for example, “My name is Brenda B. Snodgrass, and I am seeking literary representation for my novel Waltzing on the Edge in Wichita; then state the word count, the genre, and the intended audience, followed by a brief but attention-grabbing synopsis.
- Provide some personal information. This does not mean, however, that one should share one’s entire life story. One should instead mention one’s credentials, for instance, publications and writing awards, and perhaps one’s employment, but only if it’s relevant, for example, previous or current employment as a journalist, writing instructor, or copy editor; or employment that has qualified one to write about a particular topic, place, or event. Otherwise, omit employment.
Manuscript Submission
If an agent’s interest is piqued, he or she will usually ask for sample chapters or even the entire manuscript; and the writer should send exactly what the agent requests, nothing more and nothing less. It is also imperative that the materials be sent as soon as possible since it makes a poor impression when a writer does not promptly respond.
Before sending the requested materials, however, writers should make sure those materials meet certain criteria:
- They do not contain grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors, for if they do, the agent most likely will immediately send the writer a terse “Thanks, but no thanks.”
- The manuscript is formatted correctly:
- Times New Roman 12-point font
- Double-spacing
- One-inch margins
- Odd/even headers containing the book’s title on one, the author’s name on the other, and sequential page numbers
- Titles or numbers for each chapter
- Page breaks between chapters (these prevent chapters from “drifting” up or down into one another)
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