Writer Asks: How do I get an agent?

I would like to know how one goes about finding an agent to help them to publish a novel as my oldest daughter is currently working on a few novels.

(Please note I am not an agent. This advice comes from my observations while working with and talking to agents.)

Research

The first step is to develop an understanding of the publishing industry and the role agents play.  Learn what agents do and what they don’t do. Know what the standard business practices are and what the new trends are. You certainly don’t have to become an expert but you need to know enough to ask the right questions and make informed business decisions.

Prepare

Don’t start querying until you are ready. Though many agents will edit for clients, do not expect to get an offer of representation on your rough draft. Make sure your manuscript is complete and thoroughly edited. Get critique partners to review it for you or take it to a writer’s workshop. You only get one first impression so only submit your best work.

Query

Though you should query as many agents as you can, it is unwise to simply blanket the industry. Once again, research is key. Look up the agent’s current list and sales history to get a sense of the work they do. Then prepare your query. There is no perfect query letter but you can find plenty of templates online. The most effective ones I have seen include the word count, genre and/or intended audience, a synopsis, and a bio. Pay careful attention to the agent’s submission guidelines and follow them.

Repeat

This is a long process. Be patient. Be persistent. Keep writing.

Accept

Before accepting representation think carefully. Are you comfortable with the terms of the contract? Are you comfortable having a close business relationship with this person? If you are unsure about something, ask. Make sure you get the best agent for you.

Hope that helps!

Writer Asks: Should I submit the prologue?

If the submission guidelines ask for a query letter plus the first x pages should I submit the prologue or skip to the first chapter?

If your prologue is not compelling or relevant enough to be the first thing an agent reads, you need to re-evaluate having a prologue at all. Whereas an agent or editor may read a query, a pitch, and maybe a synopsis before they read your manuscript, a reader is likely to dive into your book after merely glancing at the cover copy. Is your prologue good enough to keep that reader’s attention? If not, it has no business being in the book. 

Prologues are a completely legitimate literary device and I would not dissuade anyone from using them. Just do it effectively.  An effective prologue should set the tone of the book. It should contribute to the world-building and/or the character development. It should be essential to the plot, perhaps in a subtle way that the readers and characters will find out about later. It should not be something you are willing to leave out.

Do you write prologues? Why or why not?

Writer Asks: Should I re-submit my manuscript?

I recently submit my manuscript to you but have since edited it. Is it okay to send the updated version for consideration instead?

I would want to know why there have been changes in such a short amount of time. Are they small changes (like a spelling variant)?  If so, they are unlikely to sway the reader one way or another—no need to re-send the manuscript. If changes are major, I’ll begin to think the manuscript wasn’t ready when you queried the agency. Does that mean it’s also not ready for the agency to sell?

I am of the opinion that a novelist should not seek representation until the book is done.  By done I mean thoroughly edited, completely polished, and in the best shape you think you can make it. Of course you might get feedback from agents and editors that will make you want to revise and that’s great. But don’t start the submission process until you are confident you are submitting your best work. After all you wouldn’t want the agent or editor to pass on the manuscript based on something you were planning to fix anyway.

So, to answer the question, I’d say no. You have no idea how far into the agency’s process your manuscript is, or what they currently think of it—they might give you feedback that will help you revise. Bide your time, make all the revisions you need to make, then (if the agency policy allows it) re-submit the new manuscript.