Until some months ago, I had only a very hazy idea of who literary agents were and of their role in the publishing business. I always thought of them as being representatives of publishers who scout for writing talent. Now that I have written my first- as yet unpublished- novel titled ” It Can’t Be You” all of a sudden, I am in the process of discovering just how important literary agents are. I understand that very, very few authors get their work published directly by large publishing houses without being represented by a literary agent.
I found some very useful information at Guide to Literary Agents, which covers a wide variety of topics relating to literary agents and how to get them to represent you. The Editor’s Blog by Chuck Sambuchino has interviews with leading literary agents and an impressive list of links.
There’s a wealth of knowledge and information in here. Thanks, Chuck.
Very basic – but a few important points that I have learnt:
- The query is so, so important. Without it, you have no chance, unless you have terrific referrals.
- Follow submission guidelines strictly- go by what the agent asks for- not what you want to present.
- Develop a strong synopsis- you will need this later.
- Make your query very professional- yet personal and appealing.
Prem Rao : Stories from a Story Teller 
It appears we are both in the same boat. I recently completed my novel. I have had a few nibbles from publishers. But, nothing that is in concrete. I guess the best thing to do is to just not give up. Glad to see I’m not the only one shopping his novel around. 😉
That’s right. We shoud keep trying even as we keep writing! There must be thousands like us:)
Personally I used the on-line publishing facility at Lulu.com with which to present my work to the world, but although I have captured the attention of a small band of ‘fans’, the system isn’t really working for me, and I too am now engaged upon a quest to find an agent. I wonder how many thousands of people like us there are out here.
I guess there are zillions searching for the right agent. The irony is that there are agents out there who are looking for fresh talent!