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agents. This is an area that may provoke more stress, more anxiety, and, in general, more confusion and dread than any other facet of writing.

Fiction writers need agents. But agents come with lots and lots of questions. How do I know when it’s time for me to find one? Where do I find one? How do I know who I’m dealing with? What questions do I ask? Is an agent in Iowa as effective as an agent in New York? How long does it take to find one? Why don’t they ever respond? Etc., etc., etc.

The nitty-gritty stuff is easy to answer. You know you need an agent when you have a body of work … a collection of short stories, say, or a novel … and you have adequate reason to believe that the work is publishable … maybe you’ve won an award, or published some of your work, or been told by someone whose opinion you respect (not your mother, unless her name is Nadine Gordimer) that your work is ready.

You can find hundreds of agents in Guide To Literary Agents or Writer’s Market, reference books available through this site on our books page, your public library, or sold at bookstores. You'll find helpful information, as well, on how to query and how to submit your work.

Once you're on the path to acquiring an agent, you enter a truly foggy area in the process -- how to judge a potential agent. How does one go about doing that? If you’re lucky enough to have a glowing recommendation from a writer who already works with a particular agent, then the fog lifts. But many of us do not have chums who are already aloft in the publishing business. What do we do? How do we know that a particular agent will handle us gently but effectively? That the agent will be responsive, aggressive, fair, honest?

here are some suggestions

...if you're a first-time author, consider a somewhat newer agent or agency. You'll have a better chance of receiving a careful reading. Newer agents are looking for clients. High-profile, established agents will be a harder sell.

...contact agents who do not charge a fee.

...do your homework. Check Writers Market and Guide to Literary Agents to be sure you're sending the type of fiction the agent handles.

...follow the agent's guidelines. If they say 'query first', send only that. And have your entire manuscript submission-ready. If an agent asks to see it, making him or her wait for six months while you do a final rewrite will not enhance your chances of success.

...don't be discouraged by one or even twenty-one negative responses. There are many many agents out there. If your fiction has merit, you'll eventually receive a positive response.

and some helpful web sites

The Authors Guild. Here you'll find good, solid, up-to-date information concrning writer advocacy, access to legal services, and publishing news.

The Association of Authors' Representatives. This site will answer any questions you have concerning agents.

Publishers Weekly. For all the current news in book publishing.
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