In my last post, I talked about reaching out with telepathy to touch the mind of my best friend. That didn’t work out well for me. Today I want to talk about a similar feeling: Reaching out for a literary agent to represent our book. Shooting messages over the internet, hoping to connect with someone who will love our work and try hard to sell it feels as hopeless as touching a distant mind.
The first question is why. Why do I want an agent? Today’s publishing market offers more opportunities than ever. Anyone can write a book, format it, publish it on Amazon, and happily sell 35 copies to friends and family. Jerry did exactly this. In 2023 there were over 500,000 self-published books. The sad truth is 90% of self-published authors sell less than 100 books. Statistics on self-published books
But what if you aspire to share your story with thousands or even millions of readers? What if you want to see the physical copy of your book in an authentic bookstore? Forgive my pride, but after ten years and sixteen versions, I finally have a story I love. I completed my primary goal: to write a story I wanted to read, a book I enjoy reading. Trusting my criteria as a discerning reader, I have created something worthy of Jerry’s legacy. Our collaboration shines.
Back to the question of why we need an agent. Literary agents hold the keys to the gateway to traditional publishing. There are small publishing houses that accept unknown authors. But the important publishing houses, like Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Macmillan, deal exclusively with agents. Agents have contacts and know which publishers are most likely to love our book.
How to find an agent? My first approach was to play the numbers. It’s just a game, the more queries you send out, the better chance you have of finding an agent willing to take you on. But that seemed just like sending out telepathic dead-ends. Why would I want just anyone, any agent? Like finding a job, or rather an employment opportunity, the fit matters. I want someone who values our story and wants to work with me. I want someone I want to work with, who shares my ideals and preferences and values Jerry’s imagination.
Luckily my niece and partner Andrea had a much better idea. Let’s do a targeted approach. Our blog is full of books we love. Let’s contact the agents who represent the authors of the books we admire. As an added benefit, I now have a personalized opening to start my query letter. “I chose you because you represent xxxx who I just love and whose books are like mine because yyyy.
Validation
OK, if I’m honest, and our blog requires authenticity above all, I admit the true reason I want an agent is for validation. I want a publishing professional to agree with my opinion of our book. I want a professional editor to annotate the changes I should make. I want professional artwork on the cover. I want official translations in all countries, especially Spain where I live. I want the possibility of a movie or a series. Why not? Maybe I don’t know much about today’s publishing market, but I can recognize an original story well told. Jerry’s vision and my hard work should be successful.
An agent is the path to all of this.
When I first started writing and learning to tell a story, I didn’t think much about the publishing part. I researched a little, but everyone advised not to attempt getting published until the story was finished. I thought I wanted to go the traditional route so I could spend my time writing and not have to worry about marketing and selling the book.
Now the first book is finished and as I dive deeper into the query pit, I laugh at my naivety. Of course, authors have to do marketing. But starting from an accepted manuscript from a publishing house is quite different than starting from scratch. I admit to knowing nothing about selling books. I am willing to work hard to do it, but I need professional help.
I need to find an agent!
