Ask a (former) 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 
My name is Liza, and I am the manager of the Ukrainian publishing house Morpheus. We are interested in the book “Xenophon’s Cyrus the Great: The Arts of Leadership and War” by Xenophon, Larry Hedrick and would like to know if the rights are available for purchase and publication in Ukraine.
If so, please let us know about your terms and conditions, and if possible, please provide us with a file of the book so that we can evaluate it and make a final decision on the purchase.
Thank you in advance.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
Liza Kravchenko
Morpheus Publishing House
Hi Liza,
I’m sorry to say that you contacted the wrong place by mistake.
This isn’t a literary agency.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I have one complete agnd edited memoir ready to go and I also have another story it is a fictional on a myth styled to be a series, also a small volume of poetry one poem took awards in the 16990’s. How do I approach a literary agent with this variety?
Hi Tina,
It would be best to start by focusing on one book. The memoir or novel. The memoir will require you to have a greater profile or platform. The novel, not so. Poetry the least likely to land, as there aren’t many agents open to that. If you get an agent for one book, it’s generally a little or a lot easier to get a deal for the others. And though you should focus on one book in the query, primarily, you should say at the end that you have two other books available as well.
And…
Here are my resources to help you get a literary agent and/or a traditional 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.
Lastly, my apologies for the slow reply. This summer has been busier than usual, with us finally being able to move back into our home and get settled, after being forced out for an entire year due to flooding.
It’s been quite the journey.
All caught up now though.
Have a great week,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
When describing the genre of my book in a query letter, should I be specific and say middle-grade adventure fantasy or just middle-grade fiction?
Hi Paula,
Good hearing from you again.
You can go either way with that one. 🙂
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.
Also…
My apologies for the slow reply. This summer has been busier than usual, with us finally being able to move back into our home and get settled, after being forced out for an entire year due to flooding.
It’s been quite the journey.
All caught up now though.
Have a great week,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I have completed a 79,000 word tome which, essentially, how I became an Atheist—at least insofar as the Judeo-Christian god is concerned. Using scripture direct from the “Books of Moses” as evidence and the four Gospels, I show evidence that the largely anonymous authors quoted are anything but God-directed. Problem is, I can’t find a genre that directs me to agents amenable to representing me which has me wondering if you can recommend non-self publishing publishers willing to review my book and, if found worthy, contract directly with me. Thank you.
Hi Craig,
It’s a nonfiction book that sounds like it would go in the religion, spirituality, self-help, and/or memoir section. You can find agents who represent all genres, including those, in my literary agent directory. More about that below. There’s no cost to access it.
Here are all my resources to help you get a literary agent and/or a traditional 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.
Lastly, my apologies for the slow reply. This summer has been busier than usual, with us finally being able to move back into our home and get settled, after being forced out for an entire year due to flooding.
It’s been quite the journey.
All caught up now though.
Have a great week,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com