Finding the Right Literary Agent

Match your manuscript to agents with experience in your book’s category.

by Dan Poynter

Your mission is not to find just any literary agent, it is to find the right agent. Some are advocates while others are gatekeeper.

Some literary agents have a passion and a track record for certain kinds of books: cooking, travel, children’s, business, parenting and so on. To find the right agent for your manuscript, simply match the written Work to the agent.

Look on that shelf in the bookstore where your book will be. Check the Acknowledgment pages of similar books; some authors mention their agent. Locate and call authors of works similar to yours. Ask who their agent is.

For example, literary agent Patti Breitman, (John Gray, Men are from Mars and Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff), is a confirmed and renowned vegetarian. When she was new to the business, she attended many vegetarian conferences and let people know she was looking for manuscripts. After she sold a few, the word spread in vegetarian circles.

Now, Patti represents the founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Ingrid Newkirk (You Can Save The Animals); the founder of Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine, Neal Barnard, M.D. (Foods That Fight Pain and Food for Life), the 4th generation cattle rancher turned vegetarian who got Oprah sued, Howard Lyman (Mad Cowboy) and several others.

Today, Patti receives several queries and proposals for vegetarian books. As she is not taking on new clients, Patti declines the opportunity to work with even the best vegetarian authors. She will suggest other agents and encourage the writers to persevere because she shares their passion.

"It's harder for a new writer to get an agent than a publisher."
—Roger Straus, president, Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

At writers’ conferences, try this non-threatening way of approaching agents: Instead of asking an agent to read your manuscript. Place them in a more objective position by saying, "You are an agent and know most of the other agents. I realize agents have a track record in certain types of work. Which agents would you recommend for this manuscript?" You may be astonished at the positive reaction you get.

For more help, explanation and direction, see Writing Nonfiction: Turning Thoughts into Books.

Good agents specialize. Successful authors know where to look for agents.

Dan Poynter, the Voice of Self-Publishing, has written more than 100 books since 1969 including Writing Nonfiction and The Self-Publishing Manual. Dan is a past vice-president of the Publishers Marketing Association. For more help on book publishing, see http://ParaPub.com.