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 
To whom it may interest-
Word-up. The British Mental Health System is one huge Follie au deux and the British public are blindsided of these ‘hubristic care professionals’- surreptitious and tenebrous cruelty towards (past and present) Servicer Users. With your involvement, we can bring their contumacies and criminality to an abrupt end/ to light. I currently have 95% of the evidence and a complete concept of our book(s) titled: NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER (pts A, B, C.).
Thank you for your time thus far and I hope to here from you in due course.
Yours earnestly,
Mr Sam Leslie.
Ps. Our joint venture is an opportunity that won’t be offered to you a second time round! (first come-first serve)
S.
Hi Sam,
I’m happy to help somehow if possible, but I didn’t understand your message.
If your goal is to get a literary agent, that’s what I do.
See here:
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 again at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I’ll do my best 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
Now “We the People…” exist in this world of Ai, how do we as writers and creatives protect our ideas and intellectual properties from Ai plagiarism internet piracy?
Hi Brenda,
As always, a good idea to copyright your work.
That’s the best any of us can do, that I’m aware of.
See here: https://literary-agents.com/how-to-copyright-a-book/
If you decide to pitch agents, see here as well:
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 again at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I’ll do my best 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..My name is Richard Dodd, we did have a one on one chat some time ago and I enjoyed it I am a Directorv of Photography and as well as writing five novels I have created a concept for a TV series..a streamer..The subject is unique..never been done in this format before and has been seen by selected Professionals in the Industry..All gave it the thumbs up. Now I need a contact that deals with thids particular ptype of projest and I can send the concept to them.
Hope you are well and congrats on the Anniversary..
Hi Richard,
Good hearing from you, and I hope you are well.
I’m mostly on the book side of things, so I don’t have much in that area.
That said, 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/.
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’m still writing, rewriting, reading, and researching. That’s my annual progress report for the third year running on my historical fiction story. Thanks for the sideline cheering on. :). Hope all is well with you!!
Hi Robin,
Glad to hear it, and I’ll take it. Your not standing still, going backwards, or going sideways. Forward motion, even if not as fast as you’d like, is still forward motion!
Keep going, and you’ll be there before you know it.
Or, at least, eventually.
Sometimes that’s good enough.
Or needs to be. 🙂
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com