How to Get a Young Adult Book Agent

Publishers don't have the time or resources to sift through thousands of unsolicited manuscripts hoping to find something worth publishing. This is what agents are for. They review materials and make sure that they are worth publishing before they submit the manuscript to a publisher for consideration. Follow these steps to get a young adult book agent.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Make sure your young adult book manuscript is ready to be read by a professional. The agents that you approach will expect your manuscript to be perfect. This means no spelling or grammar errors, and the manuscript will need to be formatted correctly.

2. Search for the contact information for reputable literary agents that specialize in young adult books. It is very important that you only approach agents that work with young adult books, other wise you are wasting their time and your time. Also, as you compile names and addresses, make sure you understand each agent's submission guidelines. Some agents don't accept unsolicited queries, some only accept mail queries, some only email queries and other will accept a variety of query types. A good place to find a list of literary agents is the annual publication "Writer's Market." This book is usually published in late summer each year and it provides listings of agents and publishers by genre. Each listing also includes the submission guidelines for each agent or publisher. The cost of this manual is around $30 and well worth the annual investment.

3. Draft a form query letter to send to agents who specialize in young adult books. In this query you will want to use a hook for your book that describes the genre and the basic plot of the book. Then provide a general outline of what the story is about, who the main characters and struggles are and how the book ends. Also include a brief bio and outline of your published works. When you format your letters to send to each agent you will want to personalize each letter with the address of the literary agency and the name of the agent you are querying.

4. Query literary agents that you are interested in, but remember to follow the specific guidelines that each agent has. Some agents will only want a query letter to start with, while others will want a query letter, an outline of your manuscript and your manuscript.

5. Print and mail off quality copies of your manuscripts to agents that request them within 24 hours of receiving the request. Quick response is important in this industry as thousands of people are fighting for representation.

6. Prepare yourself to defend your manuscript. When an agent is interested in signing you they will call you or send you a letter of intent. If the agent is on the fence about whether or not to sign you they may call you and ask you questions about your manuscript. Some of the questions that you need to be prepared to answer include: (1) what makes your story unique? (2) who is your target audience? and (3) why should this manuscript be published?

7. Complete required paperwork quickly after reading it or having your attorney read it. When a young adult book agent is interested in signing you they will send you a contract and release forms. You need to read through this paperwork carefully so that you understand what their commission will be, what fees you will be charged and how your relationship will be set up. If you don't understand the legal terminology of the contract, have an attorney look at it before you sign it. If everything looks all right then sign the contracts, make a copy for your records and return it to the literary agency.