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 
Client of Mark’s. Agent instruction says: “Email submissions should be sent to {name}. All submissions must include a query letter. Include entire text for picture book submission.” QUESTION. There is no mention as to attachments (usually instructions say no attachments if that is the case)> So for the QL and MS are those pasted in the email or attached to the email (and if attached is it docx or pdf). Thanks
Hi Anonymous,
9 times out of 10, if an agent doesn’t say anything about attachments, they don’t want attachments…mean query and ms text would be pasted in the email body.
Good luck!
And if you want/need help with anything else, you can post again here at https://getaliteraryagent.com/ask-a-literary-agent/.
I’ll continue 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
I self published a biography years ago. I had an agent represent me at that time on commission but ended up in prison and could not fulfill my obligations. The book has been dormant a long time. This last year I have had at least twenty agents email me asking to represent my book at different fairs and book events, as well as list it in newspapers. However all these agents want me to pay a fee for their work. I have queried many agents in your directory but have only received rejections. My story has many facets and is hard to properly represent with just a couple chapters. I have now completed the second part of my story but have yet to publish. I own 100 percent of the rites to both and am hesitant to hire one of these agencies such as Gotham books Media Reviews or any of the others. Nor do I want to self publish again. But I am getting old. What should I do?
Hi Ben,
Stay away from those pay-up-front outfits.
Query more agents.
Use these things to do so:
See this: https://getaliteraryagent.com/how-to-write-a-literary-agent-query-letter/.
The consider using the following:
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, you can post again 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
Seeking a Literary Agent in the Buffalo, NY area
Hi Gerald,
See this: https://literaryagencies.com/literary-agents-near-me/.
The the following…
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, you can post again 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
I am a client of Mark, PB auth&illus, book (text/art) is done cover to cover. Ques about online/email query submission. When it calls for full MS of the PB to be pasted in: 1) Do I include dedication, copyright, Back cover, and inside cover text, 2) big issue is PBs are not page numbered, but are defined by spreads, so the way I have it is – “Spread 1” then text, “Spread 2” then text, etc to end. Is this correct or do I simply paste text in and extra space between to separate spreads. Thx
Hi Anonymous,
Happy to help.
1) You can include those or leave them out.
2) Either way is okay for that as well.
🙂
If you want/need help with anything else, you can post again 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