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Do You Need An Agent For Your Book Project?

by trycmcw

Why not just send your manuscript directly to publishers? Writers
ask companies to help them find publishers for their book
projects all the time. The business of finding a publisher for
your work is a multi-step process.

After your manuscript has been completed, edited, and formatted
according to industry standards, the next step is to launch it
properly into the world. Our advice--find a reputable agent
first. Agents are the interim contact you need to connect your
work to a publisher. 
 
Keep in mind that agents do not want to deal with short works
such as poetry and short stories. Agents work on commission, and
there is no way to support themselves from sales of poetry and
short fiction.
 
The majority of larger publishing houses no longer accept
unagented submissions. It may seem a waste of time to query a
large number of agents before querying publishers. However, this
is a time-consuming, but very necessary, part of the submission
process for book manuscripts. 
 
If you want to get a good read, you'll need an agent. Agents
know what editors want. They spend much of their time cultivating
relationships with acquisition editors. These are the folks who
present books to their publishers for consideration.

Networking with editors is an important part of an agent's job.
Editors are happy to receive good manuscripts from agents. It
saves them time.
 
Good agents will help negotiate a decent contract for you. This
is their area of expertise. Publishers are interested in making
money and taking care of their needs. Your agent will function as
your advocate and make certain you receive a fair deal. If you
don't know about subsidiary rights and escalators, make sure an
agent is on your side. Your agent will know which clauses are
boilerplate and which may hurt your career. (Some people believe
an attorney can replace an agent. Unless your attorney
specializes in book contracts, find a good agent.) Because agents
work on commission, they are interested in getting you the best
deal.

Agents will monitor your royalty statements and help ensure that
you receive prompt and proper payment. Most agents are paid 15%
commission. A reputable agent should also provide you with copies
of all rejection letters.
 
Do not begin querying agents until your book is complete. Unless
you're famous, agents won't even read your query unless the book
is ready to go. Nonfiction proposals are sometimes the exception
to this rule. However, you'll need to prove you can write the
book, not just pitch it.
 
There are many people who advertise themselves as agents.
Generally, they are NOT. Legitimate agents do not drum up
business. There are literally tens of thousands of writers
approaching a limited number of agents. They've got more work
than they can handle. Your query packet must be perfect and
represent you as a professional. It's a difficult and
time-consuming process, but there is no way around it. Get some
professional help. Finding an agent need not be a daunting task.
 
If an agent requests money from you, run for the hills. Some
expenses such as postage and copying costs are to be expected.
However, over the years, unscrupulous people posing as literary
agents have scammed would-be authors out of lots of money.
Sometimes these scams are disguised as "editorial help." Stay
away. An agent should not insist that you have your manuscript
doctored before agreeing to represent you.
 
Your agent should act in partnership with you throughout the
publishing process. A good agent offering good advice is a
wonderful asset. There is no better way to build your writing
career.

Author is a writer for Writer's Relief, a company that helps
creative writers
find the best markets for their work. Writer's Relief also
offers a FREE E-mail
Newsflash for Writers. For more information visit <a
href="http://www.WritersRelief.com">http://www.WritersRelief.com</a>.

Syndicated by Top Gazebos - www.topgazebos.net

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