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 would appreciate it if the agents I wrote to would at least reply and say they were not interested. I haven’t received a reply from four I wrote to.
Hi Michael,
Most agents (80%) don’t reply these days unless they’re interested in a project, unfortunately, as they get many thousands of queries each year.
Here are my resources to help you get a literary agent, if you haven’t seen or used them all yet (hopefully they help you get to the finish line):
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 am a 69-year-old pensioner and soon-to-be self-published anthropomorphic storyteller living as an expat in Colombia with my adorable Colombiana, Cristirn, and three bilingual cats.
My first book, Adventures, Barbarians, and Devil’s Breath, has 72 chapters, three epic parts, and is nearly 700 pages long. It goes on sale in hardback and softback on January 27th, 2025. A month later, the ebook goes live, followed by the Audiobook a month after that.
I could not afford the fees of an editor, so I had to take on the massive task by myself. I spent over a year constantly revising it to ensure its grammar, punctuation, and syntax were the best I could produce.
To assist me with promoting the book in first English GB and following straight after the Latin-Spanish version, I have financed and developed a website and a sister weekly 90-minute per episode podcast channel, both called Scripted Authenticity – Home to Anthropomorphism by spending my monthly pension. The website and podcast will go live in the first week of January 2025.
My question is: What else can a person in my position do to attract an open-minded Literary Agent?
Hi Michael,
Try to get an agent before you publish the book.
See here: https://getaliteraryagent.com/getting-a-literary-agent-after-self-publishing/.
Beyond that…
Here are my resources to help you get a literary agent, if you haven’t seen or used them all 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/
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
Greeting,
my name is Goran and I have an urgent question. I published my first book last year with a vanity publisher, but after seeing bad results in marketing I wish to change that and to find an agent. I had sent to the list of agents already my query letter, about republishing, but so far I got a couple of negative responses. It’s not about not being interested, but about how agents don’t want to work with republished work. This worries me big time because I believe in my work that should be recognized by bigger publishing houses, but what to do in this case? Please, I need your assistance.
Hi Goran,
See here: https://getaliteraryagent.com/getting-a-literary-agent-after-self-publishing/.
And…
Here are my resources to help you get a literary agent, if you haven’t seen or used them all 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/
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, I’ve been researching how to submit a bible for a series but find most streaming platforms don’t accept unsolicited scripts. What is the best route to pitch my book for a series or movie and retain creative control, as well as ownership of my character? Thank you!
Hi Chrissy,
I’m mostly on the book side of things, but you might find the following helpful:
https://literary-agents.com/literary-agents-publishing-screenplay/
https://literary-agents.com/literary-agents-managers-cinematic-writing/
https://screencraft.org/
If you want/need help with anything else, you can post again 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