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
Fulton Book Publishing has printed and distributed my
book to various book sellers.
It is titled: “Catch a Glmpse of Greatness—A True Story”
Please read it and let me know if you think it has broad
reader potential AND can you assist in that?
Hi Carlos,
Nice to meet you and I’m happy to help if possible.
Everything I do is geared toward helping authors get literary agents, who sell books to major publishers.
If that’s what you’re looking for, you might find these things useful:
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.
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author, LLC
Phone/Fax: (800) 928-5028
https://getaliteraryagent.com
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Established in 2011, we’ve helped 400+ authors get offers
from literary agents and/or traditional publishers
hello
Have you an U.K agents list similar to you advertised U.S. List. As my home address is 33 Grebe Close Abbeydale Gloucester England U.K. My M/S is a U.F.O, SFF Horror Speculative contact story set in the Seventies in LIVERPOOL and The Wirral Peninsular , Which is based on hard truth and facts, your insights and articles are most helpful yet with no key or light to show the way . The topic fits their wish list like a glove but the Agents say it is an unique concept , a original creative work but they do not feel it fits their lists, and then it becomes quite, or they just pass and no reply, but one will keep asking and some one will open the door to read the full M/S.
Kind regards
Stephen Ashton
Hi Stephen,
Not yet, but it’s on my to-do list. In the meantime, if you Google you will find a list or two of UK agents. However, keep in mind, you might be able to get a literary agent in the US, even if you’re in the UK. You might reach more readers that way.
Either way, you might find these things useful:
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/
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.
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author, LLC
Phone/Fax: (800) 928-5028
https://getaliteraryagent.com
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Established in 2011, we’ve helped 400+ authors get offers
from literary agents and/or traditional publishers
I have something I would like to promote! How do I go about getting in contact with a producer or studio?
Hi JJ Z,
Nice to meet you, and I’m happy to help if possible.
Everything I do is geared toward helping authors get literary agents, who sell books to major publishers.
The agent or publisher then usually makes something happen on the TV, movie, or streaming side of things.
If that’s what you’re looking for, you might find these things useful:
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.
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author, LLC
Phone/Fax: (800) 928-5028
https://getaliteraryagent.com
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Established in 2011, we’ve helped 400+ authors get offers
from literary agents and/or traditional publishers
Hi. I’m writing to you because I searched on ‘Ask an Agent’ and got your list of frequently asked questions. My question wasn’t there.
I am a teacher, and I want all the profits from my book (when it’s finished; this is not a pitch) to go to a scholarship fund at the school where I teach. But that seems like it would be unfair to an agent, since they usually get a percentage of what the writer gets, and it’s probably not a good idea to pitch a book with ‘Please represent me for free.’
I love teaching, which is why I want all the funds to help students. (I was only able to finish the book because of something I saw on the Tonight Show, so if it sells well then Jimmy Fallon and Julianne Moore will have helped lots of students attend college without ever knowing they did it.)
Maybe this is really easy, like I donate my royalties and your cut is calculated from my royalties as if I were going to get them, or something. I have no idea.
Is there something specific I should put in a cover letter about ‘proceeds go to charity but you’ll still get paid’? What would that be?
Hi D Provine,
I’m happy to help. It’s great you’re willing to donate your earnings to the scholarship fund. It’s highly unlikely your literary agent and/or publisher will do the same. However, they might donate some of their earnings as well, or make a one-time donation. That’s more typical. It’s not something you should ask for. And, re: your pitch material, you can certainly mention that part of your motivation for the project is to fund the scholarship.
And, if/when you’re ready to query literary agents, you’ll likely find these things useful:
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.
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author, LLC
Phone/Fax: (800) 928-5028
https://getaliteraryagent.com
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Established in 2011, we’ve helped 400+ authors get offers
from literary agents and/or traditional publishers