Information on Literary Agents

A literary agent is the representative for an author who has either written or has a specific proposal for a book, play or poetry series. Literary agents are not required to have a specific educational background or professional certification, although most have experience in the publishing, editing or writing industries.

Literary agents review manuscripts.

Function

Literary agents serve as the intermediary between an author and a publisher. Agents work with authors to polish manuscripts before submission, determine the best publishing houses for the material, lobby publishers to accept the work and negotiate contract terms. Literary agents help authors manage deadlines, work with editorial staff and track sales. Literary agents work on commission, receiving a percentage of advances and royalties from book sales.

Benefits

A successful literary agent has a network of contacts in the publishing industry, allowing him to find the most likely publisher for his client's work. Once a publisher has been found, the agent will negotiate a contract for payment, rights and publication schedule. These terms usually are more favorable than those an author could negotiate without assistance.

Types

Literary agents may specialize in a certain genre, such as science fiction or historical romance. Specializing allows literary agents to establish and maintain contacts in the industry as well as monitoring trends in a niche market. Other agents are generalists, representing a variety of authors and subjects. Literary agents may work for a large agency, such as Curtis Brown, a small agency or as an independent.

Significance

The publishing industry's manuscript-submission process has shifted in the past several years, with many publishers no longer reviewing submissions from authors without representation. By securing a relationship with a literary agent, authors increase the chances of seeing their writing in print.

Considerations

Not all literary agents are reputable. Some charge fees for reviewing a manuscript, while others may add incidental charges to contracts that end up costing the writer a significant percentage of profits. Warning signs can include poor sales records, the lack of membership in a professional literary agent group or association and agent commission rates that are above the normal charges for the industry.

References

• What Do Literary Agents Do?
• Finding Reputable Literary Agents
• Association of Authors' Representatives