Sell Yourself and Your Book to Literary Agents – Get a Literary Agent

How to Sell Your Book, and Yourself – FAQ

• Sell Without Begging or Bragging
• You’re Not “Selling”
• What Agents Actually Want
• Too Bold vs Not Bold Enough
• The “Quiet Confidence” Checklist

The Best Way for Writers to Sell Themselves—and Their Books—Without Begging or Bragging

Some writers—because of their personality, upbringing, or culture—can have different inclinations and reservations when it comes to talking about themselves. What feels natural to one writer can feel foreign to another, and if you grew up being told not to draw attention to yourself, it makes sense that “selling” your work might feel like breaking a rule. That’s just one reason you should stop “selling” and, instead, focus on creating clarity.

Most writers go back and forth between two painful places:

• Too soft: apologetic, vague, timid, easy to pass on.
• Too loud: hypey, desperate, sales-page energy, easy to distrust.

Wherever you are on that spectrum, this article will help you become more comfortable talking about yourself and your work—and, as a result—it will help you be more effective. And, don’t worry, you can be effective “selling” your work, while still being you. This article is based on decades I’ve spent working with writers, publishers, and others in the publishing industry, both in the United States and abroad.

I’ll never forget my first time selling international rights for the publisher Blue Mountain Arts at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany—publishers from one particular region of the world always stood with their faces less than ten inches from mine when they talked. It was normal to them and uncomfortable for me, a reminder that people can do things very differently. I was effective and they were effective. We don’t all need to be the same.

In that spirit, what follows here is a practical, reality-based guide that will help you find your way to sell yourself and your book(s) in the best way for you, so you can:

• Stand out with clarity and credibility
• Sound confident without sounding salesy
• Increase your odds of getting requests, conversations, and yeses
• Feel less awkward and more grounded when you talk about your book

You’ll get mindset and mechanics, plus quick micro-examples you can use.

The Big Reframe: You’re Not “Selling,” You’re Helping Someone Decide

When writers feel salesy, it’s usually because they’re performing one of these roles:

• The beggar: “Please like me. Please choose me.”
• The hype person: “This is AMAZING. You’ll LOVE it.”
• The over-explainer: “Let me justify my existence with 47 details.”

All of those feel “ick” because they’re not grounded in what matters most.

Your job is simpler: Just make it easy for an agent to quickly see what your book is, who it’s for, and why it has a compelling place in the market.

That’s not cheesy or sleazy. That’s clear, respectful, and not trying too hard.

Agents aren’t asking you to be a salesperson. They’re asking you to be a clear communicator and a credible partner—someone who understands their book, their audience, and the business reality. When I coach and consult authors, that’s the mindset shift I want them to make: You’re not begging for approval, you’re simply helping a busy professional make a smart decision.

When you do that, confidence doesn’t feel like bragging.

It feels like competence.

The Confidence Line: The Difference Between Strong and Salesy

Here’s the best way to draw the line:

Salesy is…

• trying to force belief
• trying to borrow authority
• trying to create value with adjectives

Strong is…

• showing you understand the reader
• demonstrating value with specifics
• inviting evaluation instead of demanding approval

A fast test:

If your pitch only relies on adjectives, it will feel salesy.

If your pitch relies more on specifics, it will feel credible.

Three “Cringe Triggers” to Avoid

1. “Trust me” language such as, “This is unlike anything you’ve ever read.” Instead, you might say, “It combines X and Y, with Z as the emotional engine.”
2. Inflated claims such as, “This will be a bestseller.” Instead, you might say, “It’s positioned for readers of [clear comps], and it delivers [specific payoff].”
3. Vagueness disguised only as passion such as, “It’s a powerful story that will change lives.” Instead, you might say, “It explores [theme] through [plot engine], and it’s built around [stakes].”

The Anti-Salesy Script: Clarity Plus Credibility Plus Desire

When you “sell yourself” well as a querying writer, you do three things:

1. Clarity: What is it? (genre plus hook plus stakes)
2. Credibility: Why you? Why this? (authority, insight, access, execution)
3. Desire: Why will they care? (reader payoff plus market fit)

Most writers skip #1 or overdo #2. The sweet spot is balance.

Micro-Examples: “Salesy vs Strong” Phrasing You Can Steal

When describing your book, don’t say or just say: “A thrilling, unforgettable page-turner.” Better would be: “A fast-paced [genre] about [premise], where [stakes] force [character] to [hard choice].”

Don’t say or just say something like this either: “A story of love, loss, and redemption.” This is better: “A [genre] that follows [character] as [inciting problem], forcing them to [core transformation].”

When Describing Theme

Don’t say or just say: “It’s deeply meaningful and emotional.” Better: “It explores [theme] through [specific conflict], with an ending that [payoff].”

When Describing Audience

Don’t say or just say: “It’s for everyone.” Better: “It’s for readers who love [comp A] and [comp B], especially those drawn to [tone/element].”

When Describing Quality

Don’t say or just say: “Beautifully written.” Better: “Told in a [voice style] tone with [structure], blending [element] with [element].”

When Describing Your Platform (If Nonfiction)

Don’t say or just say: “I have a huge following.” Better: “I reach [number] readers monthly through [channels], with [proof of engagement].”

“Selling Yourself” Without Feeling Gross: What Agents Actually Want

Literary agents aren’t asking you to be loud; they’re asking you to reduce their risk.

Agents look for signs that you are:

• professionally realistic
• clear about the book’s identity
• able to communicate succinctly
• not delusional about the market
• ready to be a partner

So, “selling yourself” often looks like a clear, stable premise. Not five premises. Not “genre soup.” A book that knows what it is, as much as possible (though, yes, it’s okay and sometimes a positive when a book blends genres or crosses over). “Selling yourself” looks like a strong reason the story belongs to you–legitimate authority or perspective vs anything else.

Examples that work:

• Lived experience that directly powers the story
• Professional expertise relevant to the subject
• Access to people/places/information most writers don’t have
• A track record of writing in the space (awards, publications, visible readership)

“Selling yourself” doesn’t look like an MBA, usually, in publishing. More often it looks like a signal you understand the business.

You need to demonstrate awareness:

• You know where the book fits
• You know who buys it
• You know comparable titles
• You’re not pretending trends don’t matter

That combination reads as confidence—without “sales.” When I was an agent, I learned very quickly how much easier it was to champion an author who had that balance: clear about their book, realistic about the market, and willing to learn.

The “Too Bold vs Not Bold Enough” Problem

If you’re not bold enough, you’ll sound like:

• “I’m not sure this is good…”
• “It’s kind of like…”
• “I hope you like it…”
• “I don’t know if this is marketable, but…”

That’s not humility. That’s uncertainty. And uncertainty is contagious.

But, if you’re too bold, you’ll sound like:

• “This will outsell X.”
• “This is the next Harry Potter.”
• “Agents will fight over this.”
• “Guaranteed bestseller.”

That’s not confidence. That’s prediction. And prediction triggers skepticism.

The middle (best) lane sounds like:

• Grounded certainty about what it is
• Grounded humility about results
• Specificity instead of hype

Example middle-lane line: “This is a [genre] with [hook], built for readers who want [payoff].”

No begging. No bragging. Just clarity.

How to Talk About Yourself Without Sounding Like You’re Bragging

State facts, not self-congratulation. And connect those facts to why they matter for this project.

Examples…

Boastful: “I’m an incredible writer with a unique voice.”

Better: “My work has appeared in [publication], and my writing leans [tone/voice], which fits this book’s [vibe].”

Boastful: “I’m the world’s top expert.”

Better: “I’ve spent [X years] working in [field], which informs the book’s [subject] and keeps the details accurate.”

Boastful: “Everyone loves my writing.”

Better: “Early readers consistently mention [specific strength], especially around [character/voice/tension].”

The “Ick-Proof” Way to Promote: Offer Value, Not Validation Requests

A lot of writers say things like:

• “Please support me.”
• “I’m so excited!!!”
• “I worked so hard.”

That’s understandable—but it’s not persuasive.

Persuasive pitching sounds like:

• “If you love [reader desire], this is for you.”
• “Here’s what you’ll get from this book.”
• “Here’s why this book matters.”

You’re not asking for a favor; you’re offering a match.

What to Say When You Don’t Have Big Credits Yet

You can be compelling without impressive credentials.

You can lean on:

• the book’s concept and execution
• your clarity and professionalism
• small proof (workshops, publications, beta feedback, relevant life experience)
• market awareness

Examples…

Don’t say: “I’m unpublished.”

Better: “This is my debut novel.”

Don’t say: “I don’t have a platform.”

Better: “I’m building my readership through [small, real actions], and I’m committed to being an active partner in promotion.”

The “Quiet Confidence” Checklist for Querying Writers

If you want to sound confident without salesy energy, make sure your overall presentation signals:

• I know what my book is in one sentence.
• I can describe it without inflated claims.
• I understand who it’s for.
• I can name realistic comps.
• I can explain why I’m the right person to write it.
• I don’t sound apologetic.
• I don’t sound delusional.
• I sound like someone an agent could work with.

That combination is rare—and it’s magnetic. It’s one of the patterns I’ve seen again and again as a literary agent, and helping 400+ authors get literary agents and/or traditional publishers as an author coach and consultant. Writers who lean into that type of calm confidence get more looks and more deals.

A Simple Practice That Instantly Improves Your “Selling” Skills

Try this short exercise:

1. One sentence hook: what it is plus why it matters
2. One sentence reader payoff: why people will care
3. One sentence credibility: why you can deliver it

If you can do that cleanly, you’ll be stronger in:

• queries
• pitch conversations
• synopses
• agent calls
• social bios
• book descriptions

And you’ll feel less awkward because you’ll no longer be improvising, saying something different each time someone asks you about you and your book(s).

Final Reminder: This Isn’t About Becoming Someone You’re Not

The goal isn’t to “act like” a salesperson or marketing expert.

The goal is to simply be yourself—the best version of yourself: clear, grounded, and intentional. People who have a good product or service, and clarity about it, don’t need to sell. They need to clearly explain their product or service, how it’s special, and (when it comes to writers pitching books) why they’re a good fit for writing and promoting it.

You can be bold and brash—or quiet and reserved—and be successful. There are certain things you need to communicate to be effective, about yourself and your book(s), but there is always a way to do it without feeling awkward or being off-putting. Your natural style might be more animated, or it might be more understated. Either way can work.

Writers of every age and every personality type get agents. Quiet writers get agents. Introverted writers get agents. Awkward writers get agents.

Those who do can talk about their work well—without begging or bragging.

That’s what “selling” is, at its best.

Next Steps

If you want to talk about the best way to talk about yourself and your book to literary agents—or anything else related to getting a literary agent—schedule a coaching or consulting call with me on my Literary Agent Advice page. I never met an author, book, or pitch materials I couldn’t help make better—a little or a lot—and I’d love to help you.

This article about “How to Sell Yourself and Your Book to Literary Agents” was written by a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark Malatesta is the creator of The Directory of Book Agents, host of Ask a Publishing Agent, and founder of Literary Agent Undercover and The Bestselling Author.

Mark has helped hundreds of authors get offers from literary agents and/or traditional publishers. Writers of all Book Genres have used our Book Agent Advice coaching/consulting to get Top Literary Agents at the Best Literary Agencies on our List of Literary Agents.