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 
Hi there, I’m an former death row inmate who survived living within 17 feet of Florida’s electric chair for 20 years, while there, I wrote a book -to -film title They gave me the electric chair and I gave it back.
My query has been edited by editors, my proposal has been rewritten by writers.
But still in all, I’m catching so much hell getting an agent to represent my true story.
Everyone tells me how powerful my story is and how sorry they are for me to had experience such an life on Florida’s death row but at the end of their letter they are sorry but they would have to pass. I’m confused, these agents say they are looking for serious memories, real stories, true crime, historical narratives.
my story is all the above, it don’t get know seriousness and realness then the story of They gave me the electric chair and I gave it back.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Bobbie Lee Robinson
Hi Bobbie,
Yes, it’s hard to get them to take on a project.
It’s not just you.
Here are my resources to help you 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/
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
Good day, what are the font type and line spacing recommendations (1, 1.5, 2) for the following items addressed to a literary agent via email or within an online submission form:
1. Query Letter
2. Sample pages
3. Synopsis
4. Any other agent requirements
Thank you for your time and kind reply. Julia
Hi Julia,
Generally, it’s 1, 2, 2.
The online forms will likely mess all that up.
Nothing you can do.
But at least you can get the emails (usually) to behave. 🙂
Also…
Here are my resources to help you 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/
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
Mark,
Thank you for your response on my last question. I have another one.
I have a self published book and series I wish to query someday. I am working on renaming them and rework them by taking out some paragraphs and adding new.
Would there be considered new books and not self-published books.
Thanks,
Rosemary
Hi Rosemary,
You’d be better off pitching something new/different, as you’d have to change a lot of the existing work for it to be considered new.
If you want/need help with anything else, as you know, you can post here at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I’ll do what I can to help.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I will not bore you the full details. I used a publishing company that I thought was a company who would help me achieve my goals of becoming a published author. Needless to say six years later and almost $4000 dollars later. I have a self-published young adult novel. It’s edited badly, the cover art selection was not great and I had sold a total of 3 books including buying an extra copy for myself. My question is how much is it going to cost me to get an agent to help me get my book distributed to the publishing companies that actually pay the authors?
Hi Chris,
Sorry to hear about your experience with that publisher.
Here are my resources to help you get a literary agent, if you haven’t seen or used them yet (the first two don’t cost anything, and legitimate agents don’t charge anything unless/until they get you a book deal):
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