Do You Need A Literary Agent?

Posted by Rick

May 29, 2008

Ever bought a house? Wasn’t it nice to have a real estate agent who knew what they were doing so you wouldn’t have to? Imagine if you had to go it alone? A lot of writers do. Then again, a lot of writers have successfully established themselves without the assistance of an agent. But I would wager that once established they sought an agent’s advice for their next effort. Why you ask? Where’s the benefit? Have you ever paused to think that they aren’t worth the 10 or 15% they receive? I once read that exact sentiment in a book. I won’t reveal what book it was but suffice to say I have a sneaking suspicion that the author was slightly bitter over a rejection letter. A letter they probably received from a less than impressed agent.

So how can an agent help you? Let’s count the ways…

Agents know the Business - They know who to contact and what publisher to match your work with.
Agents are your #1 fan - They have to be to sell your work. A good agent will usually only take on a piece of work they are either passionate or feel strongly about.
Agents can read a contract - That’s their job and they do it well.
Agents can get Your work read faster - Some publishing houses will only accept submissions from agents. An agent can often times get your work read much faster than if you go it alone.

Still want to go it alone?