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 am looking for a literary agent for my recently finished book, consisting of 162,000 words and 50 full chapters. This book follows a couple who start out as strangers but eventually become significantly more. It could be considered an adult romance novel, however, it does not have a happy ending but instead follows the complication of two adults navigating life long pain with one another. This book is not for anyone below the age of 18 and could potentially have several trigger warnings.
Hi Haley,
I’m happy to help.
Here are my resources to help you get a literary agent and publisher:
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
Killing fire ants is important. I have
“Safely” used a formula for over ten years. Bobwhite quail’s #1 enemy is ants…. Plus other good advice. The US Government should back this book’s sale. Book already written.
Just need a literary agent. I just make a bait ( liquid) for the actual poison.
Hi Gerald,
I’m happy to help if possible.
Here are my resources to help you get a literary agent and publisher:
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,
thank you for your reply.
I’ve been a fan of professional wrestling as a child, which was a rather strange experience in the communist governed Yugoslavia of the 1980s, with Slovenia being a unique case of airing a very commercial wrestling show as part of the national broadcast system.
Watching it got me hooked as a child, but as a grown up, trying to recapture the enthusiasm, I started discovering further layers to this form of entertainment, which inspired me to write the manuscript. It is a literary fiction on the topic of Professional Wrestling.
The story follows a son of a wrestler, who becomes part of the backstage team preparing storylines for wrestlers.
I believe the topic is interesting and with a wide appeal because:
– professional wrestling is a massively popular form of entertainment,
– it has been crucial for development of the whole media empire,
– it even has close connections to the administration and government of the USA.
I see the professional wrestling as a sort of a living lab, for testing crowd response, behaviour of masses, attitudes of people and even social engineering.
I am not sure if there is a specialised sub-division under which it could be classified, because it’s between genres.
If you’re interested, I can send you the manuscript so you can get a better idea of what I’m talking about.
With kind regards, Borut!
Hi Borut,
If your goal is to get a literary agent and a traditional publisher, I might be able to to help.
Here are my resources to help you get a literary agent and publisher:
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/
The latter option above is how to send me some of your work for review, so we can talk about it, if you want that.
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 want to sign up for your one-hour consultation. I have two books I would like to discuss with you. Grandpa Comes to the City, an 850-word illustrated children’s book with a Query Letter and Synopsis; and Dogfish-the Secret Story of How Dogs and Dolphins Rescued Humans 68,000-word fantasy) with a Query Letter and Synopsis.
Can we spend 15 minutes on Grandpa and 45 minutes on Dogfish?
Hi John,
Yes, since one book is a picture book, we can manage to talk about both.
Happy to accommodate in that way.
Have a good weekend,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com