How to get a writers Agent!

NOTICE: Previous article was on how to write a novel. Check it out! Thanks.

            So you have slaved away at your computer, neglected people, and quite possible pulled out a few hairs (who am I kidding, you are probably bald by now) trying to get your novel perfect. The next step is obviously—to get published. So how do we go about doing that? An Agent. An agent is basically the wheels to your car. Without it, you are stranded to pull and lug that car around with no help. An agent helps place your novel in the right “hands” and increases your chances of getting published by 100%. Maybe even 200%. However, there are a few steps to get an agent, and it isn’t as simple as this article is going to make it out to be. But that is why I am here, to guide you through the awesome (I wanted to use the word magical, uh…resist) journey of writing a novel and getting it published!

            Step 1: Make sure you have written a great manuscript. I’m sure that sounds a given, but there has been countless people trying to get agents and they have nothing to offer them. When you write an agent, they are not going to accept you based off of the ideas you have, they need proof, and the manuscript has to be FINISHED. Next, understand what genre your story falls into. If you are writing about a talking apple that falls in love with a silent orange, but they  cannot be together because the orange’s mother won’t let it...then you are probably not writing a thriller. (Is it sad that with the names celebrities are naming their kids now a days, I could easily be referring to people and not fruits…) It would also help to understand which age group your novel is geared towards. Well, was the first step easy-peasy? On to the next.

        Step 2: Let’s face it; agents love a well edited manuscript. They even go crazy if it is mentioned in the query letter (will talk about the query letter in later step). They act as if a skinny girl has just discovered “Diet Water.” Yea. That excited. So your next step would be to get it professionally edited. Now this step is only for those who have the money. I can tell you, every editor charges differently. Some charge per hour, and some charge per word. I found an online editor that charged between $0.01-0.02 per word, so the 80,000 word manuscript cost $1,500 to edit…which is a butt load. And I know most people can’t do that, heck, I know almost everyone can’t afford that. If you have a friend who is an editor, this is where your life gets easy, if not, then you will have to settle without a professional edit.
   

            Step 3: How’s it going guys? Are you moaning and groaning yet? Well get used to it, this part of the writing process is the hard, but just wait until you get to the query letter part…I’m such a downer. SO. Now it is time to actually find an agent. This part is actually kind of fun—if you are a loser like me. You need to research agents. Many agents. You need to know how much experience they have, if they are accepting query letters from unsolicited writers (writers that don’t “know” people or have ever published before), the type of genre they are taking in, and if they have a desire to work with writers on a longtime schedule. This is the only time YOU will be able to judge someone else...after this, agents judge you, publishers judge you, reviewers judge you, and readers judge you. So enjoy it. I had this thing where, if the agent didn’t have a professional website (or no website at all) I would just click away. If you are professional, then don’t waste my time. Ironically, almost all agents think the same way. So always be professional. A great website to find agents is http://www.writersmarket.com/ . Fantastic website. They find hundreds of agents for you. You click in the genre you want, what state you are looking for the agent to be (the agent can be anywhere, but New York agents have more of an “in” with top dog publishers) and if they are looking for new writers. It is truly amazing. But that is just one feature to the website, they have many other awesome things for writers, the only downside is that it costs $50 for a year’s subscription. I am kind of...okay very frugal with money (unless I’m buying food of course…) so I never buy anything unless I have researched it and take 50 million years to decide. I paid for this subscription right off the bat and I have no regrets, it was amazing. And no, I am not getting paid to advertise them; I am just trying to help you out. Another website is http://www.agentquery.com/ . They are FREE but nowhere near as good as the previous website. (Breath) Now that we got that out of the way, time for the next step.

            Step 4: Start to build a resume. The more credentials with “merit” are beyond notable for agents. What I mean by credentials with merit is, having articles published in magazines, won an award for your writings. Those kinds of things. Stating “I have a PHd in math, and I have solved world hunger,” does not have merit in the writing business. (Okay, maybe the world hunger one wasn’t a good example.) If you do not have writing credentials, do not threat, it isn’t required, it is just helpful. I had ZERO credentials before I became published, and so has many, many other writers. But if you have them, now is not the time to be humble.

            Step 5: Write a synopsis of your book. Almost 80% of agents will ask for this, and it will also help you as a writer to learn how to sum up your novel to a few pages…because trust me, when you get to writing a query letter…it gets brutal. A synopsis is basically a review without the rating or the anti-spoilers. You explain your novel from start to finish and put in all the twists and every climax. But it is condensed to a few pages. 2-3. Any more questions regarding a synopsis, comment and I will get back to you.

            Step 6: Now the part you have all be waiting for (drum roll please) write a query letter for the agent. (NOOOOOOO) I will be honest, and I will not be like all the other “advice givers” out there. This part of the writing process sucks no matter who you are. For just one novel, I have written 5 different query letters. The last one came out perfect, and an agent loved it. The query letter process is the most important. Query letters have either won over the agent, or lost them. This step is not something I can just write down in a second. I will give you an overview but I will post how to write an effective query letter in another article. Basically:

Dear [agent’s name]: (very important to know their name.

The hook. There is where you write a sentence or two that will capture the agent instantly.

This next paragraph gives a summary of your ENTIRE novel. No spoilers, no twists. You want to let the agent know what they will be reading, but leave them wanting more.

This next paragraph is for your credentials and about yourself and what genre and age group the novel is geared towards.  

Finally. Thank the agent for taking time to read your query and possible the first chapter you attached, and leave your name, phone number, and email. And PLEASE use a professional email. I can’t tell you how many times people use Chocolate_finger_licklick22@yahoo.com. If you don’t have a professional one, then make one. Britnany_Spears@Yahoo.com is perfectly fine. Okay, maybe that example isn’t a great one either.

Thanks for reading this article! I will see you tomorrow.