Guide to Literary Agents

by Rachel Vater

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582970750
• ISBN13: 9781582970752
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books
• Length: 394 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Don't Search for an Agent Without This Guide

You know you need an agent to shop your work, negotiate your contracts and get your manuscript into doors closed to unrepresented authors. Your next step is to add the "2003 Guide to Literary Agents" to your writer's toolbox. Articles from industry professionals address the most common issues writers face: do you need an agent, how do you find the right agent and how to avoid bad agents. But these articles also walk you through the entire process of getting an agent - from what to do before you begin your search, all the way to knowing your rights before you sign a contract. The heart of this book lies within the agent listings. Every year contact information, current needs, submission guidelines and contract details are 100 percent updated. Besides agents who represent fiction and nonfiction work, you'll also find sections on script agents, independent production companies and independent publicists. Most agent listings also specify which writing conferences the agents attend so be sure to look in the writing conferences section to find the details on a variety of writers' conferences in the U.S. and Canada. Your search for an agent is crippled without this guide in your arsenal. If you're serious about getting an agent to represent your work, the yearly "Guide to Literary Agents" is an absolute must.

You Can't Live Without It!

I did a TON of research on my own to attempt to find an agent. I picked up this book, hoping to add to my knowledge and list of available agents. I discovered I had wasted some of my precious writing time. Some of the agents I wrote are not accepting queries in 2003! This book would have saved me time, money and efforts had I bought it first.

Writers Need All the Help We Can Get

?Put the odds of publication in your favor!? shouts the subtitle and adds, ?The #1 source for reaching more than 600 agents who sell what you write.? Unpublished writers who have sent out book proposals and query letters and have collected reams of rejections will look askance at that claim! That said, this book does have a great deal to offer.It begins with a guide to using it, suggesting that you first read the articles and decide what you want from the book. Then it describes how to read the listings. That includes a key to reference icons that identify features unique to each listing. Like whether the agency is international, a new listing, Canadian, sells to e-publishers, or charges fees. There?s also an icon for agencies that handle only certain types of work, new agencies or those who are seeking new writers, or even those that accept only established writers. Articles cover topics like ?Polishing Tips, Is Your Book Ready?? ?Understanding Fees,? ?Targeting and Hooking an Agent,? ?Scam Alert,? ?Outline and Synopsis Workshop,? ?How To Find The Right Agent,? ?Location vs. Representation: Is NY All That?? and more. There?s an example of a successful query letter and a short article by the writer who sent it that is particularly illuminating. The sample of a novel synopsis, only one page long, provides a useful model of how to produce one of those!Script agents are listed here along with literary agents and there?s an index devoted to ?Agencies Indexed by Openness to Submissions.? Note the questions for agents and for authors in the section titled ?What To Ask ? And Not Ask ? An Agent.? Those are particularly useful.This is a volume that should be on every writer?s bookshelf when he or she is ready to begin a serious search for an agent. This is definitely the place to learn about the world of agents and publishing houses.

Everything You Need to Land an Agent

An agent can use inside contacts to turn your manuscript into a published novel. And there's no better way to search for an agent than through the "2002 Guide to Literary Agents." Each agency listing details exactly what they're looking for, contact information and submission guidelines. In addition, you can review the agency's contract terms and even see how many of their clients are new/unpublished writers. Plus, you'll also find how-to articles to help you get an agent's attention. Everything from outlines, synopses and killer query letters to new opportunities for writers and how to work with agents is included in this yearly guide. If you're a screenwriter, check the special section filled with agents specifically looking for your scripts. Or perhaps you'd rather search for an independent publicist to promote your work. Everything you need to increase your chances of publication and promotion is covered here. Writer's Digest Books produces this guide every year to make sure each listing is accurate and up-to-date. It's a completely non-biased publication, featuring articles about agent scam alerts, how to find the right agent for your own individual needs and questions you should ask before you sign with an agent. If you want an agent to represent your work, you need the "2002 Guide to Literary Agents" by your side.

Tremendous reference and cross reference guide

If you need an agent, this is a great place to start. The book cross references agnets which are looking for new clients, established writers etc. They'll tell you each agents specialty, (fiction, non-fiction and types of each) their names, address, and how you can querie them. Every agent listed does not charge for reading etc., thus eliminating possible scam artists. A tremendous tool....the rest is up to the author.