The Big Bad Book Blog

Literary agents specialize in many kinds of books. But even when you find an agent who specializes in your book’s area, that agent might not be right for you–or you might not be right for him or her. How can you tell?

First, you have to find an agent with the right specialty. Usually, an agent’s areas of interest are listed in writer’s market guidebooks and on his Web site. Authors also generally thank their agents in the acknowledgment sections, so you may also find names by picking up books with topics that are similar to yours and looking for the acknowledgments. Agents who specialize usually have terrific contacts with editors and publishers in their areas of interest. They are familiar with all of their books, the competition, their current lists, and their wish lists.

But once you’ve found a specialist, have you found an agent who’s right for you? continue reading

Every literary agent and agency operates somewhat differently. Some agencies may specialize in building and managing their clients’ careers, while others concentrate on making individual books into blockbuster hits. But when it comes to choosing clients, they all follow a basically similar pattern. If you want to find an agent, you need to know how agents work. continue reading