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 
7/6/24 Saturday
Hello again, this is Peter Wehle. How does one get an agent to represent an audiobook author/non-fiction? Here is a sample of my writing.
Sincerely,
Peter Wehle (petewehle@gmail.com)
Apologies for a possible delay…
Resending my reply below sent previously (was notified today that some recipients have not received my July replies):
2024/07/10 at 2:59 pm
In reply to Peter Wehle.
Hi Peter,
I’m happy to help.
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
i am an author who has published 6 books in french by the french Publisher edilivreparis. these books are recorded by the french national Library. as a Literary agent can you help me finding an american Publisher that can publish the 6 books in English version? my french Publisher allows me to publish my books in other languages without using their covers. i propose you a deal. 10000 dollars for me per book published in English version, in return you and the Publisher you will share all the benefits related to commercial behaviours of the books during 6 entire years. after the 6 years i will start recovering the copy rights of the books in English version. i am in Africa and currently i don’t have money, that’s why i’m proposing you that deal. My books:1-Et si l’emploi était en nous? that could be translated as ”How to create jobs by ourselves”, 2-Douze nuits dans la présence du Seigneur that could be translated as ”Twelve nights with the Lord”. 3- Le métier d’enseignant en huit codes that could be translated as ”The teaching profession in eight codes”. 4-L’approche par compétences dans le processus d’évaluation that could be translated as ”based teaching competence approach in the process of evaluation”. 5-Balade littéraire that could be translated as ”Literary stroll”. 6-Effluves that could be translated as ”Thougths”. please can you help me live my American dream by replying positively to that request? i look forwaed to hearing from You.
Apologies for a possible delay…
Resending my reply below sent previously (was notified today that some recipients have not received my July replies):
2024/07/10 at 3:00 pm
In reply to KAANE EMMANUEL PHILIBERT.
Hi Kaane,
I’m happy to help if possible, but I’m no longer an agent.
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, I wrote two books of philosophy. Both were traditionally published by a major publisher. This has brought me little in the way of income. However, it has greatly changed things. Living in Africa, I have received, as a result, various invitations to lecture in Europe. This includes prestigious events, includes all expenses paid. Before publication, I could not have dreamed of it. But what happens next? How might one turn this into something looking more like an occupation or career?
Apologies for a possible delay…
Resending my reply below sent previously (was notified today that some recipients have not received my July replies):
2024/07/05 at 7:06 am
In reply to Thomas O. Scarborough.
Hi Thomas,
There’s no simple/concise answer to that question, unfortunately. More books, speaking, articles, and possibly you providing coaching/consulting etc. depending on your topic area, interest in that, and ability…plus you likely networking and researching and working with a coach(es) and/or consultant(s) yourself re: the above, along the way, to reach your goals. I’m not the right person for all those things, but I do want to encourage you. Based on what you’ve shared, you have reason to be optimistic re: your goals.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
Dear Mark, Since our 11/7/23 Coaching call … I completed my manuscript by 12/31/24 and spent 6 months sending query submissions with no luck. I am using July and August to use your last result suggestion by Googling “List of Best Independent Publishers Presses Fiction” since you said it was free to publish. Everyone I called so far require a literary agent and are not free. Can I please get a little more direction on this? Thanks much!
Apologies for a possible delay…
Resending my reply below sent previously (was notified today that some recipients have not received my July replies):
2024/07/02 at 2:04 pm
In reply to Edward R. Hirsch.
Hi Edward,
Here’s some info I share with my coaching clients on that topic…
At any point while querying agents, or if/when you run out of agents to query, you can query publishers directly–legitimate publishers that don’t charge fees, not vanity or hybrid publishers. I’m talking about small- to medium-size publishers that operate the same way major publishers do. They pay for everything, and they help you promote your book.
These publishers aren’t as profitable so they’ll pay a smaller advance–possibly none at all. But as long they don’t ask you to pay to publish your book, you’ll know they genuinely believe in it and they’re motivated to help you make it successful. Some of these publishers are prestigious, with bestselling titles or books that have sold 25,000+ copies.
If you query publishers directly, you’ll use the same pitch materials and strategy you used to query agents. In other words, you’ll send each publisher what they ask for in their submissions requirements–and you’ll send it to them via their preferred submission method (email, online form, or postal mail). The only difference is you’ll tell them in your query that you’re seeking publication, whereas with agents you’d say you’re seeking representation.
Where to Find Independent Publishers
Google the following:
NewPages
Poets&Writers
TheNonconformist
CLMP
TheMilkHouse
Duotrope
PublishedToDeath
No matter what genre your book is, you should also (very important) do an Internet search for “list of best independent presses publishers [insert any other genre or topic keyword(s) that might make sense for your work, etc. and narrow the results or reveal extra/new pubs that might not appear on the other lists I’ve included via the links above].”
You’ll need to look through the lists above to find the publishers you think might be a good fit, as you’ve been doing with agents. The number of publishers you’ll be able to query won’t be a huge number, so you should just send two rounds of submissions to publishers.
Your first round should be to publishers in the United States that look the most impressive/prestigious. Two months later, if you don’t have a publishing contract offer, query your second tier–those that look less prestigious and those outside the United States.
If you’re a Christian author, don’t look at the lists above. Instead, type the following phrase into your Internet search engine: “list of best Christian independent publishers presses.”
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