Ask a literary agent your question about how to get a publishing agent here. You’ll also find answers to questions other authors have posted. This article is part of our free 15-Part Guide About How to Get a Book Agent. It was created by, and is curated by, a former literary agent who’s now helped hundreds of authors get book agents as an author coach and consultant. See successful authors at How I Got My Literary Agent.
ASK A Literary Agent – FAQ
This Ask a Literary Agent FAQ answers questions about: the definition and role of a book agent, who publishing agents are, when you should query literary agents, how much representation costs, the best way to find book agents looking for authors, submissions to literary agents, how to handle an offer for representation, what happens after you get a book agent, and more.
Author Representative definition and role
When you Should Get An Author Representative
How Much An Author Representative Costs
Finding An Author Representative
- How to find a literary agent?
- How to research book agents?
- Who are the best publishing agents?
- Who are the top 10 book agents?
- How to find publishing agents near me?
- Licensed book agents?
- Established publishing agents?
- New book agents?
- Publishing agents to avoid?
- Book agents seeking submissions?
- How to do a publishing agent search?
- Find a list of book agents?
- Publishing agent database?
- Book of literary agents?
- Where to meet publishing agents?
- Book agent events?
- How to Pitch a Literary Agent at a Conference?
Submitting To An Author Representative
- Literary agent submissions?
- How to contact a publishing agent?
- What to submit to a book agent?
- How to write a publishing agent query letter?
- How to write a synopsis for a book agent?
- How to write a publishing agent proposal?
- How to submit a book to a literary agent?
- How many publishing agents should you query?
- Best time to submit to book agents?
- How long to hear back from publishing agents?
- Book agent response time full manuscript?
- What happens when a publishing agent requests your full manuscript?
- Book agent not responding?
- How to follow up with a publishing agent?
- Book agent rejection letters?
- Revise and resubmit to a publishing agent?
Representation Offer From a Book Agent
- Getting an offer of representation from a literary agent?
- First meeting with a book agent?
- Questions a book agent will ask?
- Questions to ask a publishing agent?
- Multiple offers from publishing agents?
- Choosing a book agent?
- Literary agent contract?
- Standard book agent contract?
- Publishing agent contract terms?
- Book agent contract red flags?
- Publishing agent lawyer?
What Happens After You Get An Author Representative
Mark has helped hundreds of authors get offers from literary agents and/or traditional publishers. Writers of all Book Genres have used our Literary Agent Advice coaching/consulting to get Top Literary Agents at the Best Literary Agencies on our List of Book Agents.
Ask a Literary Agent
Due to time constraints, we can’t answer questions that have already been answered. Please make your question clear, and concise, since the submission form below is limited to 500 characters.
If you want to remain anonymous, type “Anonymous” in the name field. You’ll receive an email when a reply has been posted (usually within 48 hours). We look forward to helping you get a book agent.
MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
Hi Mark. I have written 5 LGBTQ novels under a pen name and self-published with KDP over the last 5 years and would like to find a mainstream publisher or agent that would be willing to represent me. My novels are all plot driven and not erotica. I’m South African, and the market for gay novelists here is sparse, hence, I have had to self-publish. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Hi LJ,
Nice to meet you, and I’m happy to help.
If you haven’t seen them yet, here are my resources to get a literary agent:
How to Get a Literary Agent (NEW 15-Part Guide)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/how-to-get-a-literary-agent/
Literary Agent Database (Directory of Literary Agents)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-database/
Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/
If you want/need help with anything else, you can post here at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I’ll do what I can to point you in the right direction.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
Dear Mark,
is it me or what I have written but no word from any agent. This is more discouraging than writing directly to a publisher.
I thought that what I had written was good; I have been published 3 times already.
Hi Michael,
Not sure, as I’m not sure if we’ve done a coaching/consulting call and I’ve seen your pitch material and sample pages. It’s usually harder than any of us would like, but success often comes in the middle of a period when it seems impossible…so don’t give up too soon. And if you haven’t book a call yet, consider doing that at https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/.
I’ll do my best to help.
And…
If you want/need help with anything else, you can post here at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I’ll do what I can to point you in the right direction.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
Dear Mark,
My first book of a twelve-book series, all completed. Which will be published shortly. I need help finding a publisher and agent to sell my first book, which was self-published by Newman Springs. I finished the series in 18 months of just over 1,200,000 words. Called “The Heisman Chronicles”. ( an alternative history of WW2 starting Sept 1943 At the Führer Building. Finishing at Monmouth Palace. England Jan 1947. Using both fictional and non-characters. Please let me know your fees. My book website is wwwpeterrllewellyn.com
Hi Peter,
I just visited your website, and I’m happy to help.
See here:
Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/
And…
If you haven’t seen them yet, here are my other resources to help get a literary agent:
How to Get a Literary Agent (NEW 15-Part Guide)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/how-to-get-a-literary-agent/
Literary Agent Database (Directory of Literary Agents)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-database/
If you want/need help with anything else, you can post here at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I’ll do what I can to point you in the right direction.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I have written two books of baseball history – working on a proposal for a third. It seems no one has an answer to my question. How can I write a representative sample chapter when I’ve done only about 15% of my research (there will be a lot of extensive interviews)? There isn’t any one scene or time period with enough information to constitute a sample; if I include other bits, it becomes more of an overview and not a chapter. What can I do? Can a proposal include two or three shorter segments as a sample chapter? Thanks!!
Hi Allan,
Two or three shorter segments could work. The less you provide, the more established you’ll need to be a topic expert or writer. Keep that in mind.
You can create a sample chapter(s) without that content, or with a fiction placeholder saying it’s that, or do the interviews you need to do to allow you to produce a sample chapter(s).
And…
If you haven’t seen or used them yet, here are all my resources to help authors get a literary agent, for if/when you’re ready for that:
How to Get a Literary Agent (NEW 15-Part Guide)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/how-to-get-a-literary-agent/
Literary Agent Database (Directory of Literary Agents)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-database/
Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/
If you want/need help with anything else, you can post here at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I’ll do what I can to point you in the right direction.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com