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 
Bonjour Mark, [Le Chef is seriously pissed off]
Thank you more than once for your golden guidance:
* Have shrunk the volume from 166 662 to 87 457 words or so.
* Have read Mary Kerr, she speaks my tongue.
* Half way through mechanical/surgical Save the cat.
* Removed a whole chapter.
* More, errrr, subtle approach to those girls who magnetise non-metallic objects from a distance.
* Feel formidable joy in re-re-re-revising-fine tuning every page.
Merci, Mark.
Sincerely,
Denis
Apologies for the possible delay…
Resending my reply below sent previously (was notified today that some recipients have not received my July replies):
2024/07/02 at 2:00 pm
Hi Denis,
Love it, and a good week here as well…for my clients getting agents. So, keep doing what you’re doing. No reason you can’t be next. Or, at least, soon. And, if not that, then before long or at some point!!
LOL,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
Hi Mark,
I am a children’s picture book author and am submitting to literary agents my new manuscript. I wrote it once and submitted to a literary agent that I really want to acquire and she rejected it and gave me comments as to what she thought would be a winner. So I revised it and like the way it came out except for the ending. I might need your help here because I really want to perfect this manuscript and get this specific agent. Please let me know how we can proceed.
Thank you,
Sol Regwan
Resending my reply below sent previously (was notified today that some recipients have not received my July replies):
2024/07/01 at 8:01 pm
In reply to Sol Regwan.
Hi Sol,
I’m happy to help.
Here’s what you’re after:
Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/
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
Is there any way to keep a publishing agency from changing my work and is it possible to use my own cover art for my book?
Hi Erica,
Not sure if you mean literary agent or publisher, but, either way, you’ll likely need to make some changes with both. They shouldn’t make changes for you with the text, other than fixing mistakes. They might use your cover. That is usually and ultimately up to the publisher, as they have experience choosing covers that sell, and it’s their financial investment at risk.
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, I’m trying to find someone can read the book in Italian. Of course it’s my intention to let translate the book by some expert soon in any case. Do you know how to find agents that can do that?
Hi Sergio,
You can find all literary agents in the United States using my no-cost book agent directory. If you look at the agent bios, you might find someone who are Italian and/or who say they can read Italian.
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