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 
I don’t fit.
As an evangelist, marketing myself creates a conflict of interest. I avoid things that suggest my motivation is anything but preaching Christ and him crucified. This is why I am looking for an agent.
Undefined genre: Jesus said all scripture speaks of him. This is known as the ‘mystery hidden from the beginning’. It is revealed by a first century hermeneutic. It is original research. I write seminary text books for children to be read to them by their parents. They look like picture books. Scripture was intended to be read by children who knew ancient Hebrew.
I already broke the protocols: To learn ‘the craft’ and test if I could write on demand, I have done three books, and worked with an artist. I have learned a lot. However I have done no marketing.
It is my intention to put the three into one book, then continue the series. I also have started a book for adults. I need someone to focus my efforts.
Are these unforgivable sins as I search for an agent? How do I redeem myself?
Hi Robert,
Don’t think of it as marketing yourself, but promoting Christ’s message. With my work, for example, I don’t think of myself as “selling” myself, or selling anything, for that matter. I look at it as doing my part to help educate/serve authors so they can have a better chance of fulfilling their missions. I hope that helps. And yes, you might be able to get an agent.
Here are my resources to help with 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
Hi Mark! I may have asked this before, but I forget things,
When we spoke in March, I had received a full manuscript request, but did not receive an offer of representation. I did not have other agents looking at that time.
Now in another round of queries, I’m guessing I can’t mention that I had a full request?
It’s frustrating, as so many agents say
“Let me know if you get a full request, or offer”
Thanks for the help!
Hi LadyQuinn,
Correct, no benefit in mentioning that when querying.
Glad you asked. 🙂
If you want/need help with anything else, you can post again at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I’ll do what I can to point you in the right direction.
Don’t give up!
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
My book is “Oriental Fairy Tales” a small collection of oriental fairy tales. I am looking for reliable literary agent who will find a producer to put my book into cartoons for children. Several publishers from Arabic countries were interested in publishing this book. So I think cartoons “Oriental Fairy Tales” may have success in Arabic world. If some literary agent is interested in my offer, please contact me to discuss details.
Hi Hanum,
Sounds promising based on the publisher interest. This isn’t a forum to pitch agents, but here are some resources to help you 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
I have, Daphne Jane Molson, a March 2022, Canadian born, graduate poet laureate of the International Library of Poetry and Poetry.com Poetry Laureate Diploma of Howard Ely, been made awarded and international acclaimed to 104 countries most prestigious institutions by Howard Ely and several American publishers, and I am also a 2011 and 2021, Xlibris, self-published author of, With Love To Humanity, Madame Daphne Jane Rogers Molson, and Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, City Hallowed In Centennial Fame, Remember You And Your Famous Name. Sarah Fuentes, a Senior Literary Agent, who lives at 9461 Charleville Blvd, #750, Beverly Hills, CA, 90212, USA, has phoned my home at 1-705-8743520 and asked to endorse my books to a traditional publisher, Simon and Schuster, and she sent me an email, their CEO of the UK and USA, Maddie McIntosh, would pay me a traditional publisher’s sum of $250,000 to $750,000 for my book on Peterborough, and has asked me pay $1000 USD through her to polish the book further, for it has been accepted her endorsement to Maddie by her and Maddie has sent me an email last year but I was being treated for cancer so I could not finish it so Sarah is asking again that my cancer is not occcuring, and she has made another asking for the second version of With Love To Humanity I completed this year and I pay $1000 USD to a New Age Literary Agency, to Finance Executive Elpidio Perez, at 470 Island Breeve Lane, San Diego, CA 92154, for further polishing of the book and rebranding procedures. She says she has contracted With Love To Humanity to Lionsgate movie producers and they would like to allot $25 million to the making of a film and she would like payment by the end of May, 2024 to Elipidio Perez. I have had abuse done me she is scam and I am being scammed, an author, by her and that Telepub has scammed me of $4000 USD of my brother’s money paid to them, and Chris delForce of Screen Media Films in New York City scammed me as well to get my book to use, and the Writers Guild East of America phoned said he tried to invoice charge me to pay him through PayPal and their guild writers, and to use them to procure hundreds of dollars of me. They advised me to investigate the truth of literary agents. Could you please tell me if Sarah Fuentes is registered a Senior Literary Agent with you and if perhaps she is doing me any scam asking me pay her $1000 USD to New Wage Literary Agency. She called me first, I never called her. Do you have information about her agency she works with and herself that I should not pay her? Please email me at daphnemolson103@gmail.com any answer or call me. I live at 68 Gilchrist Street, Peterborough, Ontario, K9H4P3, Canada.
Hi Daphne,
No legitimate agent, especially one you didn’t contact first, will contact you asking for money.
Use these resources instead to help you get a literary agent that only makes money if/when they sell your book:
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