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
Hi,
I enjoy DK books and I want to work on my own. I have books on Amazon but I have ideas for DK style. I would love to learn a process to get published. Can literary agents help? Do they get paid by pct of revenue? How do they get image rights? Lots of questions as a 1st timer.
Hi Paul,
Nice to meet you, and I’m happy to help.
Start here:
How to Get a Literary Agent (NEW 15-Part Guide)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/how-to-get-a-literary-agent/
Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/
Literary Agent Database (Directory of Literary Agents)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-database/
If you want/need help with anything else, you can post again at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I don’t have information re: your image question, as I’m not knowledgeable about that.
Anything else, I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction, and promptly.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I just wrote my first book and will need assistance with editing, printing, and getting it ready for marketing. I would like to get this ready for an agent in my specific area. So new not sure what to do first.
Hi Debra,
Nice to meet you, and I’m happy to help.
See here:
Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/
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/
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, and promptly.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I would like to send material to you for discussion. To insure it gets to you, I will send it priority mail.
Please send me the address to use.
I will send it “Attn: Mark”
Begin forwarded message:
From: The Bestselling Author
Subject: Re: Correction To discuss my original books
Date: November 1, 2025 at 1:11:48 PM PDT
To: Corcetto
Hi Tony,
If you mean you’re planning to schedule a Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting with Me) at
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/, and you want to know if you can me your material for that via postal mail instead of email, the answer is yes. Just email after you’ve registered for the call, and remind me you want to do that, and I’ll send you the mailing address for that.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author, LLC
Phone/Fax: (800) 928-5028
https://getaliteraryagent.com
244 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2406
New York, NY 10001
324 S Beverly Drive, Suite 410
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Former literary agent reveals how to become a bestselling author
…for authors of fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books
My manuscript outlines in detail how America could implement a logical and cost-effective healthcare system, that within five to ten years, would be capable of providing comparable results to that of other OECD nations with respect to percent of GDP, and per capita healthcare costs, but, how can I very quickly, establish a short list of Literary Agents to assist me in finalizing a book deal? I’m hoping that the description above might attract a few Agents that would be interested to assist me with this project.
Hi Jim,
This isn’t a forum to post information about your book for agents, but it sounds like a worthy project. To find agents interested in any type of book, you can use my (no-cost) agent directory, which is searchable by genre.
Information re: how to access it is below.
Things you might find helpful are here:
Literary Agent Advice (1-on-1 Coaching/Consulting)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-advice/
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/
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, and promptly.
All my best,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com