Literary-agents - article about Literary-agents

How to find a successful and honest literary agent

First you should know that standard practices among literary agents are fairly universal around the world, throughout genres and including literary works. Literary agents need not be licensed. Legitimate agents are characterized by plenty of experience in the publishing world, with a network of contacts which are up to date. Agents with no track record except a desire to be an agent should be considered suspect.

In a nutshell, good agents can supply you with a list of books they've successfully marketed to a publisher who pays advances.
If your prospective agent passes this initial scrutiny, your next step is to look out for up front requests for fees.

Aside from minor costs for certain mailings, copies and the like, which are accrued until you receive your advance, there should be no reading or editing fees, sometimes disguised by unscrupulous and incompetent agents as so-called marketing or submission fees.

If your potential literary agent can provide you with verifiable sales and does not want upfront or down the road money, it's likely they're legitimate. This type of literary agent has the contacts and competency to be your successful advocate to legitimate publishers. They know who's buying what and when. Their goal is to sell your work to the right publisher for the best price. They're also adept at negotiating and negotiating subsidiary rights. You get paid and so do they. That's how they earn their living. You pay them a percentage of your advance for the knowledge they possess and you do not.

On the other hand, let's say you contact an agent who refuses to share information on the books they've sold. Walk away. If the agent tells you your manuscript is great, but needs editing and they know just the firm to do it, continue your search elsewhere. They either own the editing firm or are receiving kickbacks. If the agent says he's found a publisher, but the publisher requires a fee, forget it. This smacks of vanity publishing. You don't need to pay a publisher. Yet another scam run by illegitimate literary agents is the 'critique' of your manuscript to the tune of big bucks. Such critiques are usually performed by unqualified people, returned to you as a boilerplate diatribe of nonsensical remarks.

Use these guidelines and you'll find a great literary agent. Remember too, that good agents are always on the lookout for good writers, published or not. Good luck!

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