In my previous blog post, we started to think about how to get an agent for your book, including how to write your synopsis and covering letter. We also considered what the benefits of having an agent are and whether it is worth it for your book. In this blog post, we are continuing with this topic by looking at how you should choose which agents to apply to and how you should pitch your book to give it the best chance of being accepted.
However, there are a few things to remember before you start looking for agents. Firstly, agents are nearly always paid on commission, meaning that they take a percentage of your earnings from the book. Be very wary of any agent charging you to read your manuscript or asking for any upfront payment – unfortunately, these are very common scams in the publishing industry.
Secondly, not all genres are suited to agents. In general, agents only take on books with high commercial appeal, so if you are writing a niche non-fiction book, it may be best to pitch directly to the publisher. Check what is normal for the genre you are writing in, rather than wasting time applying to agents.
Researching Agents
Before you start applying to agents, you’ll want to create a plan to do it in the most efficient and effective way possible. To do this, you’ll need to make sure you know exactly what genre your book is and what sort of market there is for it. Based on this, you can start to research agents that you think would be suitable.
The first thing to consider here is where to look. Obviously, there are plenty of agents that you can find with a quick internet search, but there is no way of knowing how reliable they are or if they are even genuine. Instead, you could use a directory where agents have to pay to be listed. There may even be some background checks done on them. Of course, this is still no guarantee, but it is a better place to start than the whole of the internet! One example is PublishersMarketplace, which charges member fees but does not require any checks.
The next thing to consider is how to choose the right agent for you and your book. There are three things to consider here – your book’s genre, the agent’s preferences and the agent’s track record. Taking each of these things in turn, you first need to think about the exact genre your book is and make sure you are only applying to agents who specifically say that they take on this genre. There is no point wasting your own and the agent’s time by pitching to someone who simply isn’t interested in your genre.
The next point to consider is your agent’s preferences. This is similar to thinking about your genre but is a bit more specific. Every agent will be interested in slightly different sub-genres and niches, so research your agents well to give your book the best chance possible. This also helps to ensure you have an agent who is as passionate about your chosen niche as you are, which makes it easier to build a working relationship.
Finally, what is the agent’s track record? Check how successful they have been with other writer’s manuscripts before considering them for yours. Have they had any pitches accepted by publishers? This is not a necessity, as some junior agents in an agency will not yet have had any successful pitches, but still carry the weight of the agency’s name. However, in this case, make sure the agency itself is making sales, as you would like your chosen agent to have some experience behind them.
As a new author, you may well have to choose a less experienced agent attached to a respected agency. They are more likely to be taking on new clients with no prior experience of publishing, but still have the name behind them. Try to make sure your agent does genuinely care about their authors, too – if you decide to work with them, it is important that they are someone you can have a good relationship with.
How to Pitch to Agents
The first thing to do when you actually get to the pitching stage is to make sure you have everything together. This will vary according to each individual agent’s requirements, but will usually be a synopsis, covering letter and the first three chapters of your book. You can read more about this in my last blog post.
Only apply to a few agents at a time, about five or six. This means that you always have a few applications out without applying to everyone at once, giving you the chance to edit and make adjustments if all of your first five reject your manuscript. You might want to write a list or create a spreadsheet to making keeping track easier.
Always be professional in your dealing with agents. Take rejections gracefully and respond calmly to requests for the full manuscript. Ensure that you show that you would be easy to work with and get along with. This can make the difference between interest and rejection.
Wrapping Up
I hope that this helps you with applying to agents. This can be a daunting task but is the first step towards publishing the traditional way. Next time, we will be considering how to pitch directly to publishers if you don’t have an agent. Good luck with your book, however you will be publishing it!
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