How to Land a Literary Agent
Bottom Line? Be Prepared.
When I was working on my memoir, one of my biggest questions was how to find a literary agent. Luckily, one found me, and that agent helped me land a six-figure deal with a major press.
To first-time authors, agents are the gatekeepers of the publishing world. It’s virtually impossible to publish without one, and fighting through conference crowds to hook an agent with the perfect pitch is an industry fantasy that rarely comes true.
As a manuscript editor and craft coach, I get a lot of questions from first-time authors about how to land a literary agent. There’s a lot of info out there, but the best tips come from the source.
I reached out to literary agent and founder of GMA, Gillian Mackenzie, for answers to new writers’ top ten questions, from how to find an agent to how much their first book will sell for. Here’s what she had to say.
1. As a first-time author, how do I find a literary agent?
GM: The first step, before reaching out to query the agent, is having a fleshed-out and strong proposal (for nonfiction) or full draft manuscript (for fiction). In terms of who to reach out to: I suggest doing research about who is a good fit for you and your work by reading the acknowledgement…
