What agents do

EileenG

An agent's job is to negotiate your contract. That's it.

Some agents will help you find suitable publishers. Some will read over your MS and make suggestions about things which could be improved. But that's an extra. An agent's job is to get you the best deal from the publisher.

There are a lot of publishers who accept direct submissions and have boilerplate contacts. An agent will not make it more likely you get accepted, and will take 15% of your royalties.

The time you need an agent is when you have a contract on offer that is negotiable. And believe it or not, even with a contract on offer from a publisher, it's still difficult to get an agent.

Even with a contract from Penguin on the table, we still got turned down by three agents.

I'm just saying that getting an agent is not the answer to all your writing problems.

Antilles

EileenG wrote: »

An agent's job is to negotiate your contract. That's it.

Some agents will help you find suitable publishers. Some will read over your MS and make suggestions about things which could be improved. But that's an extra. An agent's job is to get you the best deal from the publisher.

There are a lot of publishers who accept direct submissions and have boilerplate contacts. An agent will not make it more likely you get accepted, and will take 15% of your royalties.

The time you need an agent is when you have a contract on offer that is negotiable. And believe it or not, even with a contract on offer from a publisher, it's still difficult to get an agent.

Even with a contract from Penguin on the table, we still got turned down by three agents.

I'm just saying that getting an agent is not the answer to all your writing problems.

Are you suggesting the best choice is to submit directly to a publisher and once they make an offer, then acquire an agent?

EileenG

Antilles wrote: »

Are you suggesting the best choice is to submit directly to a publisher and once they make an offer, then acquire an agent?

Yes. There are only a handful of agents in Ireland, and in general, they don't handle genre fiction. So if you write genre, it's better to go direclty to the publisher, get an offer of a contract, then go looking for an agent to handle it on your behalf.

There's an impression that publishers won't accept direct submissions, but most will.

BEAT

You have to remember that there are a number of reputable publishers that will NOT take direct submissions...this is what the lit. agents are for.
For my own work I am particualr about what publishers I will submit to because I want the best chance possible of getting into the NY top ten best sellers list, and so I must use a lit. agent for those particular publishing houses.

You can find out if the publisher you are interested in accepts direct submissions by calling, visiting or checking thier website.

EileenG

How is that working for you? In my experience, it's a lot easier to get a publisher than to get an agent, and I've met people with agents who never managed to get published.

I am surprised at how many publishers, including Big Six, will take direct subs.

BEAT

If its that easy in Ireland perhaps I should move back lol
I am in the states and it's a horse of entirley different colors

EileenG

You can always submit to publishers in Ireland. But I've been published by American publishers after a direct submission.