How to Find a Literary Agent for a Novel
Few publishing houses accept unsolicited manuscripts. Therefore, it is important to be represented by a literary agent. Agents do the hard work of getting written works into the hands of editors. While having a literary agent doesn't guarantee that a novel will be sold, it makes it far easier to get a foot in the door of the publishing world. Finding the right agent for you requires a lot of time and research, but it can be well worth it in the end.
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Instructions
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Complete the novel. Sometimes literary agents will ask for only the first 20 or 30 pages of a novel, but others might request an entire manuscript. Finishing your novel before submitting it to literary agencies is a safe bet.
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Determine the potential readership of your novel. Is it literary fiction? Genre fiction? A Young Adult novel? Some agents don't represent certain genres, such as science fiction/fantasy. You'll want to shop your novel to agents and agencies that market works in that genre.
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Research where to send a query or manuscript. Look at novels that are similar to yours and read the authors' acknowledgments. Authors generally thank their agents in that section. Search online for directories of literary agents. Go to the websites of agents or agencies, if they are available, and look at the books or authors each agent has represented. This should help you find an agent who is the right fit for your book.
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Pick an agent to submit your novel to. The right agent will best represent the author and his particular needs. Read the agent's statement at her website. This should provide information on the agent, her biography, her credentials and her successes in getting notable books published.
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Check the guidelines posted by the agent or agency. Each agency or agent will have specific requests, and you'll want to follow them to the letter.
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Write a synopsis or query, depending on the agent's guidelines. A synopsis is a general outline of the novel's plot. An outline briefly spells out what happens in each chapter. While queries are generally written for non-fiction books, sometimes novelists are asked to write them before submitting full manuscripts. A query is a book proposal or pitch; it details what the book is about and provides biographical information, such as previously published works, that might be relevant to the agent.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure your manuscript is in top shape before submitting it. It must be free of grammatical and spelling errors. Don't submit a manuscript until you consider it virtually ready for publication. The manuscript will be edited later in the process, but you should minimize the need for editing.
Include self-addressed stamped envelopes (SASE) so that materials can be returned.
Follow up on your submission only in ways prescribed by an agent. If phone calls are not allowed, then write letters or send emails. Wait at least six months before following up. The slush piles in many agencies, especially large ones, are huge, so your manuscript might not be read for some time.
