Now that you’ve polished your manuscript, you’re ready to see it shine on the bestseller shelves. But of course, before that happens, you need to work on actually getting your book published. Getting your work into the hands of a literary agent can help make that happen.
Literary agents can be the key to your future success as a writer. (Granted, you need to have written a great book first!) But did you know they can also turn out to be stumbling blocks? For new writers, choosing the right literary agent to work with can be a daunting task.
In this post, you’ll find some of the most important questions you can ask a prospective literary agent, so you can find the best agent for you!
How Do You Prepare for a Meeting With a Literary Agent?
Before you head out to meet a literary agent, here are some things you need to prepare:
Confirm your genre.
If you don’t know yet what your novel’s genre is, now is a good time to figure it out. Your genre will be an important component in any discussion you’ll have with your literary agent, so it’s best that you already have it down pat before you make your pitch.
Prepare your elevator pitch.
One of the first things a literary agent will want to know is what your book is about. Rather than blundering your way through several paragraphs of meandering description, come armed with an elevator pitch to engage them emotionally right from the get-go.
Bring all necessary documents.
Compile a folder that contains all the documents you have sent the agent: the first 10 to 20 pages of your manuscript, your proposal, and even your query letter. Also include in this folder your list of questions.
Don’t just rely on your memory; make sure you write down all the questions you want to ask, or you may not get another chance!
13 Questions to Ask a Literary Agent
Now, speaking of listing down your questions, here are some of the most important questions to ask your prospective literary agent:
Questions Related to the Agents’ Experience
The first batch of questions have to do with the literary agents’ experience and work preferences.
1. How many clients have you represented?
This question is important, because it will tell you about their experience in the publishing industry. But if you want to get more detailed, you can ask the next few questions as well.
2. How did you become an agent? What is your experience as an agent? How were your recent sales?
Asking these questions can help you understand the agent’s work background. As for sales, you can countercheck these figures against sites like Publishers Marketplace if you want to check for reliability and honesty.
Plus, it gives you a clue to see whether those sales were what he had expected, or how he handles success and disappointment.
3. How many new clients do you usually take on per year?
It’s not just about the clients they’ve represented in the past; this next question helps you find out how much time they spend working with clients—and consequently, how much time they will have left to work with you.
4. Are you a writer yourself? What genres do you write?
An agent who also writes usually has a broader perspective, but checking which genres they write can give you an more insight.
If they’re stuck on only one genre, and it’s not the genre you write in, they may not be a great match. Or, if they’re currently working on a project of their own, they may be to preoccupied to give proper attention to you and your book.
On the other hand, if the agent doesn’t write, this doesn’t mean they won’t do well as a literary agent. It could be that they have a flair for storytelling, or a special talent in marketing that can serve you in good stead.
5. Describe your ideal client.
This open-ended question can help you gauge the agent’s preferred authors to work with, and you can see if you are a good fit.
If, for example, they say they prefer to work with writers who start with a detailed outline, and you write every single page by the seat of your pants, it may be good to get this clear right from the start. See if they’re willing to adjust, or if you are.
6. How do you normally communicate with your authors?
Literary agents and authors work hand-in-hand to get a book successfully out to the waiting public, and that means you must learn how to communicate well. Ask about the agent’s communication style, and see if it matches your own preferred way of working.
For example, if you’re the type of person who likes to work independently and only be checked on once in a while, and the agent you’re talking to likes following up on tasks every hour of every day, you might want to rethink working with them.
On the other hand, you would not want an agent who only gets in touch with you once every few months!
With this question, you may also want to check if the agent will keep you updated each time they submit your work, and where. It’s best to get this clear from the start so you won’t end up wondering what’s going on a few months down the road.
7. Will you be the one handling my work, or will it be someone else on your staff?
If it turns out that someone else will be handling your work, you may want to request a meeting with that other person. But you can also check how the agent intends to oversee the work.
Questions Related to Your Manuscript
Next, you also want to ask specific questions related to your book.
8. What do you think works or doesn’t work in my manuscript?
It’s possible to make use of every meeting with a literary agent by getting feedback that can help improve your work. But avoid asking a too general “What do you think of my work?” Instead, ask for specific examples of what they feel you did well or did not do well.
9. Which publishers are you considering for this project?
Even if your manuscript still needs work, the agent should already have a rough idea of what they envision for your book. Are they ambitious? Conservative? Do they want to try for big publishing houses, or do they recommend smaller, independent publishers?
Check if their list meets your own goals. Also consider if your own goals are non-negotiable, or if it can work to defer to his expertise.
10. How much work do you foresee in terms of editing and rewriting before we can submit my book?
This will give you an idea what to expect over the next few months, especially in terms of the time commitment required on your part. Compare it to how much more work you’re willing to put in. Just because an agent says you need to do so much more work, doesn’t mean you have to. If you feel like you can’t give the commitment they seem to require, that’s your clue to look elsewhere.
It will also help you gauge the agent’s expertise when it comes to developmental and structural editing. With this question, also ask for specific examples of changes he foresees you will need to make.
11. What makes you want to represent me?
The mere fact that the agent is meeting with you means that they like your work in some way. Now is the time to figure out exactly what it was about your work that they liked.
This is not fishing for compliments, but it helps you to see what part of your work resonated with them. That way, you can see if you’re on the same wavelength for what truly matters to you in your manuscript.
12. What’s your approach to international sales?
Ask about how the agent handles foreign rights and translation rights. Gone are the days of distributing books only in one location. To get your book to as many people as possible, think of your publishing deal as encompassing the world.
This is why you need to know what you’re getting in terms of foreign rights, since your agent will be the one to negotiate these on your behalf.
13. What happens if we don’t sell my book?
Now, we don’t want to be pessimistic, but we also want to be realistic. Not all books become bestsellers, and sometimes, even the best-written books may not turn out to sell much. Ask your agent what the Plan B is in case your book doesn’t take off.
Choose Your Literary Agent Wisely
With these questions, you’ll be be better equipped to choose the literary agent you feel most comfortable working with, and whom you believe can help you reach your goals.
As you start working with your agent, you can rest assured that you are one step closer to getting your book out to as many people as possible!
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- How To Get A Literary Agent to Represent You: The Complete Guide for Authors
- How to Write a Query Letter: The 6-Step Formula for Nonfiction and Novels
- 21 Foreign Rights Agencies That Can Help You Sell More Books Abroad
- Selling Foreign Language Rights for Your Book with Elliott Katz
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
