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 
Mark, thanks for your help. By “affiliated,” I mean that most agents belong to an Agency with up to a dozen other agents. And I understand I’m forbidden from simultaneously querying multiple agents in the same Agency until I’ve received a rejection, or heard nothing back for 12 weeks from the initial query to that agency. So I’m barred from querying most agents until next fall. Very few say they’ll pass a credible query along to another affiliated agent. So I’m toast, LOL. It’s a damn good concept and a damn good book, but I’m too original, too creative, too novel! Oops, sorry for venting. My question is, how can I get up to your estimated 500 relevant agents, which is probably spot-on? Gotta finish this month, before summer doldrums!
Hi Leonard,
Okay, got it, and no issue venting…I know what it’s like out there!
You don’t need to wait 12 weeks. Just between us, you can go as quickly as 6 weeks. Most literary who reply will typically do so in 2 weeks or less, so waiting 6 weeks is usually plenty.
If you want/need help with anything else, you can post 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
I am in the process of writing a series of children’s picture books that are mostly intended for a Christian audience. However, drawing/illustrating is not my strength. Nonetheless, my goal is to get my books published. What are the recommended steps once I am finished with my draft copies?
Hi Andy,
Fortunately, you don’t need illustrations to get a literary agent for a children’s picture book.
These things, however, will help you get a literary agent if you haven’t seen or used them yet:
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
When you look at the agent list. The same people keep showing up and it is a short list.
Hi Kelly,
Sorry, I sent you the wrong reply by accident!
This is the correct reply…
If you see approximately 25 literary agent listings, with their photos, then you’re likely in the literary agent directory or database, the correct place. The webpage address or url ends with “/members.” If you are indeed on that page, look under the last literary agent on that page, you should see numbers and a little arrow pointing to the right. You can click on those to navigate to the other pages where the rest of the literary agents are listed. There are too many to list them all on one page.
If you aren’t sure you’re in the correct place, per what I shared above, go here to get to the literary agent database/directory:
Literary Agent Database (Directory of Literary Agents)
https://getaliteraryagent.com/literary-agent-database/
You’ll likely find these two things helpful also, if you have seen or used them yet:
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/
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, I’ve queried 350 agencies or agents (but not my B-list of about 50) going first by Best 100 agents, then Literary, then General fiction, then Commercial (each list declining) & now Memoir (which includes some non-Fiction agents.) Problem is,
most agents are affiliated and I can’t dupe agencies. How do I get to your estimated 500 top agents? I could go up the whole list in reverse-alpha order looking for unaffiliated? Plus follow up on rejections with other affiliates. But I’d hate to need a 2nd round in September!
Hi Leonard, please post more information on my site, with more detail. I’m happy to help but I don’t understand exactly what you’re asking. And I don’t know what you mean when you say most agents are affiliated. Here’s the link: https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
https://markmalatesta.com
The Bestselling Author
https://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com