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’d like to find an agent for my compendium of essays, “Yo Mama’s a Fish and 111 More Tales from the Past,” the tales being 600-800 word essays under such sub-headings as “Inventions,” “Explorers” and “Anthropology.” I’ve finished the book (350 pages, about the same number of illustrations). How to pitch this as a regular proposal, i.e. without the graphics?
McGraw-Hill published my two previous popular science books back in the 1990s, one of which sold over 12,000 copies. Since then, I’ve self-published about a dozen books for local consumption, mostly about the history and geography of Humboldt County where we live. I’m holding off advertising this new book for sale, hoping a publisher might be interested.
Would you be willing to take a look at the book (hard copy or .pdf, or I could send some sample pages) with a view to helping me find an agent?
Thanks!
Barry Evans
PS The title is more accurately, “Your Grand x 100 million-mother was a Fish,” that is, 100 million generations and 400 million years ago, our ancestors were fish.
Hi Barry,
Yes, I’m happy to help.
See here:
Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/
And…
Here are my other resources to get a literary agent, if you haven’t seen or used them yet:
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 FORKING HATE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS CRAP HAVING TO TRY TO FIND AN AGENT WHO WON”T CHARGE UP FRONT, WHO IS A GREAT SALESMAN, WHO FINDS A GREAT COMPANY THAT WILL PUT OUT/SELL MY BOOK, AND ONLY THEN BOTH CAHARGE ME A PERCENTAGE OF EACH SALE. I KNOW THERE ARE AGENTS/COMPANIES THAT DO THAT BUT IT TAKES SO MUCH DAMN TIME TO DO ALL THAT. ANYWAY, MY LATEST BOOK, “THE ART OF RETRIBUTION,” IS A NICE LITTLE STORY THAT WILL SCARE THE LIVING SHIT! OUT OF A GOOD NUMBER OF ITS READERS! I HAVE SEVERAL BOOKS OUT, MOST OF THEM I USED NAMES OTHER THAN MY OWN NAME (DAVID NALICK). WITH THE ABOVE BOOK AND A COUPLE OF OTHER BOOKS I WILL USE MY OWN REAL NAME FROM NOW ON. I DONT KNOW HOW OLD YOU ARE BUT YOU MIGHT LIKE READING ONE OF MY BOOKS, ”MAKING OUT,” A STORY ABOUT A GUY’S HIGH SCHOOL DAYS AND AFTERWARD THAT MADE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO READ IT BOTH LAUGH AND CRY. AFTER ALOT OF LOOKING I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT NO BOOK IS ANYTHING LIKE ”THE ART OF RETRIBUTION.”
Hi David,
Most (the vast majority of) agents don’t charge fees up front, fortunately. There’s no way around researching them and querying them, so I hope you do that.
Here are my no-cost resources to get a literary agent, if you haven’t seen or used them yet:
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
Will a literary agent accept a previously self-published book if the author is willing to pull the book and start over with an agent?
Hi Debra,
Yes, see here: https://getaliteraryagent.com/getting-a-literary-agent-after-self-publishing/.
And 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
Will I receive support in creating a strong query letter, including a sample query letter, sample format, and feedback before sending it? Also, is this service included in the $297 fee?
Hi Michael,
I don’t provide samples but I do tell authors how they can improve their query.
See more information here:
Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/
You might find these things helpful also, if you haven’t seen or used them yet:
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