Here are some guidelines and inside info I pass on to all clients. Please be aware that I do not act as an agent or as an intermediary with an agent.
First, the two best directories for finding the names of agents and agencies are THE WRITER’S MARKET GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS and JEFF HERMAN’S GUIDE TO BOOK PUBLISHERS, EDITORS, & LITERARY AGENTS. These are the bibles.
I personally advise clients to use these directories in conjunction with information provided by agency websites when these are available. A website will often list more up-to-date info than the directories, as well as a list of new agents and sub-agents that are in the process of building a client list.
Since 9/11, most agencies do not like to receive large packages, so it is now common practice for agents to ask for a sample chapter or two, then a hundred pages, then the entire book if you have piqued his or her curiosity. Unfortunately, this longer submission process can take six months to a year to complete.
Always follow the proper submission etiquette as prescribed by individual agents, their policies varying widely. Never call agents to pitch your ideas. It’s the fastest way to aggravate them. Presentation counts, and you should always send clean, crisp manuscripts typed in Times New Roman, font size 12, with 1.25″ margins all around. And be patient. A few agents will respond rapidly, but most take weeks to months to reply.
Some agents allow multiple submissions. I always advise sending out ten queries at a time unless the agent is not open to multiple submissions. It’s a numbers game, and if you get a ten to fifteen percent response rate after contacting a hundred agents, you are ahead of the pack.
Always check the directories to see how long an agency has been in business and what its sales record is. If an agency consistently only sells two or three books a year, or if it has been in busines five years and has only sold four titles in that time, don’t waste your postage.
It takes a thick skin to run this gauntlet, but perserverance is necessary in selling your work.
