By Will Weaver (Guest Post)
A writer pal called recently to grumble about his agent-and, formerly, mine. He’s a National Book Award winner a few years back, and together we endured a worst-case scenario: a small but well established agency changes leadership, and goes bankrupt at first slowly and then all at once. Mismanagement, late and eventually no royalty payments, broken paper trails, shuttered office, and the agony of a lawsuit. I recovered 50 cents on the dollar; my pal is still sorting things out. He has a new agent now whom he’s not fully happy with, and I’ve been getting by, sort of, without one. That kind of authorly conversation.
However, the more we talked the more we came around to a general point: literary agents are probably now more important than ever — for several reasons.
For beginning writers it’s tempting to say, “Hey, why do I need an agent? Why pay someone 15 percent when I can self-publish, or e-publish and keep 70 percent of the royalties?” But the real question is, “Fifteen percent of what?” The days of huge advances are over unless you’re someone with a million Twitter followers, but very few self-published/e-published authors make more than chump change. Objecting to a well-connected, in-your-corner agent taking 15 percent for selling your novel to an actual publisher is a sure sign that you’re not ready for prime time.
Second, despite the “disruption” of digital publishing and e-books, the literary agent remains a key part of the ecology of books and reading. Their largest service is a kind of Venturi effect (holding back bad writing, accelerating the good), and if that niche were to disappear we’d be lost in vast Amazon-like jungle of lesser books. Wait a minute — that’s already happened!
But it doesn’t have to happen to you. An agent’s job is to keep you from getting lost-artistically, contractually, and in ways not yet invented at the reading of this document (as a good Rights contract might read). Agents are crucial when it comes to negotiating contract language between you, publishers, and especially film studios. Agents understand writers and the writing life. And agents are the most intelligent conversationalists in the literary world (after your editor) because their job is to know things and people that you don’t.
In Hollywood, it’s commonly accepted that “no one knows anything.” Films get made from seemingly random concatenations of events (I once had a novel adaption green-lighted for television because, I heard later, of a golf putt; whether it dropped I’ll never know). But in the book world there are still discernible markers, tracks to follow on the increasingly complicated pathway to publication. A reputable literary agent remains your best guide.
Will Weaver writes fiction for adults and young adults. Several of his stories have been produced by National Public Radio. “A Gravestone Made of Wheat” was the basis for the feature film Sweet Land, starring Ned Beatty and Alan Cumming. His young adult novels include Striking Out, Defect, Full Service and Saturday Night Dirt. He’s currently a judge for the 2011 National Book Awards, Youth Lit category. His website is www.willweaverbooks.com.
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MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
I agree!
Finis
🙂
And…
Have a great week!
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author
http://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
Four years ago I published with a “vanity” publisher and got royally screwed. I don’t know enough computer to put out an ebook, so my newly completed memoir is actively seeking an agent; in my mind, the only way to publish.
Hi Frederic, sorry to hear that… did I sent you this article yet?
Best Publishing Companies for Smart Authors: https://literary-agents.com/best-publishing-companies/.
If you want help with anything else, you can post questions for me online here: http://thebestsellingauthor.com/ask/. You can also (if you haven’t done so already) get access (no cost) to all the valuable resources in our private, members-only area here: http://thebestsellingauthor.com/membership/. And you can register for an introductory coaching call with me here: http://thebestsellingauthor.com/coaching/intro-call/.
Either way, I’m looking forward to learning more about you and your work.
And I’m glad to hear you’re giving agents a shot.
Have a great week,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author
http://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I don’t see the need for an agent. I love self publishing, know my market and avoid the hassle. At one time self publishing was frowned upon and I did chase the illusive butterfly for an agent.
I am liberated and living my dream.
Who do you self publish with?
Thanks
Hi Keith,
I don’t self-publish anything, but I consult some authors that do. However, most of the people I talk to only pursue self-publishing as a last resort… if/when they’re not able to get a top agent and traditional publisher. Read this article if you haven’t already: https://literary-agents.com/best-publishing-companies/. It might help.
Also…
If you haven’t already done so, you might also want to look at these articles: https://literary-agents.com/should-i-self-publish-my-book/, https://literary-agents.com/self-publish-a-book/, and https://literary-agents.com/its-not-what-you-say/.
And…
Click here to access to all the valuable resources I have about getting an agent in my private, members-only area (no charge): http://thebestsellingauthor.com/membership/. Once you’ve entered your name and email address there, click on the link that says, “Audio Training Library”. Then you’ll see my main audio training (and text transcript), which reveals the 7 Insider Secrets You Need to Know to Get a Top Literary Agent, Publisher, and Book Deal.
If you want help with anything else, you can post questions for me online here: http://thebestsellingauthor.com/ask/. And you can register for an introductory coaching call with me here: http://thebestsellingauthor.com/coaching/intro-call/.
Either way, I’m looking forward to learning more about you and your work.
Have a great week!
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author
http://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
Hi Lorraine, that’s great…
My cats wouldn’t like me saying this, but there is more than one way to skin the proverbial cat. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.
Have a great week,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author
http://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I am totally in agreement. You have to work thousands of times harder to be a recognized author without an agent. Me, I need the agent, I need the motivation, and I need the guidance.
Hi Nikki, more than most, I hope it happens for you. Your attitude is admirable and I know you’re doing the work… so keep me in the loop. Another one of my clients got an offer from a top agent last week. They’re getting on the phone this afternoon.
Let’s hope you’re next. 😉
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author
http://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
From dealing with self publishing houses, agents and traditional publishers I think using an agent is the only way that an author could realize significant income from their creativity. However,I have also come to realize that there are probably more good authors who have never been able to get their work published then there are published authors. As well, if you are already wealthy, putting yourself through the hoops to get published is difficult to justify. Some day I may justify using you.
Hi Ian, I tell my coaching clients the following about that. You have a simple choice (although it’s not simple to actually follow through): 1) Focus 100% on what you can do to increase your chances of getting what you want, and do it to the best of your ability, or 2) Something else. But anything else isn’t going to get you there. Yes, I know. Even if you do all you can you still might not get there. But at least you can sleep at night knowing you gave it your best shot. Here’s to you being one of those well-published authors you referred to. And if/when the time is right for me to help somehow, I’d love to give you MY best effort to help you get what you want.
Have a great week,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author
http://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I believe a good agent is essential, although I honestly don’t know the best way of finding the right one.
Hi Haydn,
Just take one step at a time…
The first thing you should do (if you haven’t already) is click here to access to all the valuable resources I have about getting an agent in my private, members-only area (no charge): http://thebestsellingauthor.com/membership/. Once you’ve entered your name and email address there, click on the link that says, “Audio Training Library”. Then you’ll see my main audio training (and text transcript), which reveals the 7 Insider Secrets You Need to Know to Get a Top Literary Agent, Publisher, and Book Deal.
If you want help with anything else, you can post questions for me online here: http://thebestsellingauthor.com/ask/. And you can register for an introductory coaching call with me here: http://thebestsellingauthor.com/coaching/intro-call/.
Either way, I’m looking forward to learning more about you and your work.
Have a great week!
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author
http://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
I liked the article but I what I didn’t like is it’s date it was published. It’s been almost 3 years since this was posted here. Is this information still relevant?
Thanks Kerri, and yes, it’s still relevant… that’s why I still promote it.
Have a great day,
– Mark
Mark Malatesta
The Bestselling Author
http://thebestsellingauthor.com
Literary Agent Undercover
https://literary-agents.com
A good testimonial — especially given the bad experience he had with his former agent! I like the part about “holding back bad writing and accelerating the good”. Definitely an important function for everyone who reads and certainly for us writers. Thanks Mark. | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Ellen, sorry it took me a while to reply. I came down with some kind of bug about 10 days ago… doing okay now but it got me a bit behind on things… like responding to comments. 😉 Always good hearing from you though. How is your project going, by the way? You can send me a private email. I’m just excited to see the response when you start sending it out. So please keep me posted on your progress. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Mark
I think he’s got a point that we can’t do without literary agents if we want a long-term literary career. We need to look at the bigger picture and be long-sighted. There’s good and bad agents and we just have to be diligent in doing our research before we make a decision. I agree with him when he says that self-published authors who make it big is rare; most of them are just earning pennies. Literary agents have connections; authors don’t. We just have to be practical about it. | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi SawLian, thanks for posting. You are right. Most authors underestimate the importance of the connections that a good literary agent has. Getting the right editors and publishers to read a manuscript is half the battle. And top agents can make it happen. Looking forward to hearing who you end up working with. 😉 Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
It’s nice to know that the literary agent is still very much needed today. I have self-published before and sold out of my original press of five hundred copies some twenty years ago. I wouldn’t want to go down that route again with my latest effort. I’m smart enough to know that there are others who know what they’re doing in the publishing world. So for me that fifteen percent is worth it to have an agent. Thanks, Mark, for sharing this article with us. | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Ron, I agree that 15% is a small price to pay if you have an agent… especially a good one. You know more than anyone since you’ve already self-published. Congrats on selling your entire print run. But congrats even more on wanting to do all you can and go the traditional route next time. Let me know if I can answer any questions or help in any way. I love a good success story. Until then, have a great weekend and thanks for posting. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
circumspection required:
Harper Lee Sues Literary Agent Over ‘Mockingbird’ Royalties
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-05-03/harper-lee-files-suit-over-to-kill-a-mockingbird-copyright | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
hi pogo, thanks for sharing this article… i hadn’t seen it. i’m curious to see how this story develops, but it doesn’t look good. a strong reminder for everyone that there are dishonest people in every industry… agents, publishers, even authors. so it’s good to do due diligence and research agents before signing up with them. have a good weekend and thanks again for posting this for everyone. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
please put up section for legal issues and another for Writer Beware
another headline from Forbes
Penguin And Author Solutions Sued For Deceptive Practices
http://www.forbes.com/sites/suwcharmananderson/2013/05/07/penguin-author-solutions-sued-for-deceptive-practices/?goback=.gde_111245_member_242884392
hi pogo, yet another sad story to follow. i’m curious to see how this turns out. it is hard to believe that penguin and others didn’t know what they were getting into, but to what extent… we’ll have to wait and see. thanks for sharing this. and yes, i will be doing a whole series of posts at some point sharing info about many of the writer scams and things online… as well as talking about writer beware, a good resource. mark | literary agents probably now more than ever
Hello Mark, The article is well-written in a convincing tone that easily gets the point across. I know I’ve made mistakes in trying to get my work published by myself. It’s hard to stay positive sometimes, but the information you’ve been providing here in such an upbeat way keeps me wanting to continue improving my writing skills and become better prepared to move forward. Thank you so much. | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hey Rhymster, I know it’s not easy to stay positive. All you can do though (all any of us can do) is keep loving the writing process as much as the potential reward/outcome… and surround ourselves with positive people who share the same values. Thanks for your comment and thank you for being part of my Literary Agent Undercover community. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Mark, some years ago, a San Francisco agent was very excited about my first novel and took it to five publishers — the extent of her contacts. All five turned it down, but none for the same reasons. She was mystified and discouraged, and our relationship ended. Years later, an excited Los Angles agent took my 2nd novel to New York — same results, 5/5. She said I was hurt by the loss of the B list in corporate publishing. A waste of time for each of us. I made my living in newspapers. | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi David, sorry to hear that. Five publishers isn’t a good effort. Most good agents I know won’t stop until they’ve made at least twenty submissions. Every good book, and every good author, deserves that. You might want to consider dusting off those manuscripts and giving a more committed agent a chance. Based on your ability to attract agents, I know your work is good. All my best. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Mark — I did dust off the manuscripts. I also performed extensive revisions according to the comments of those who saw the work. And I self-published the books with Amazon and other online booksellers. Right now, I’m working on an expansion of #2, because some female readers said they “didn’t want the story to end.” But querying agents one at a time has been exceedingly time-wasting, and the best ones evidently are not listed. But I’d love a good agent– and hard-cover editions of the books,
David, you should never query agents one at a time. Check out this article I wrote.. it’s time for you to even the playing field. Here’s the link: https://literary-agents.com/finding-a-literary-agent/stop-looking-for-a-literary-agent/. Let me know if I can help you get your work out there, even if it’s just here through my blog. I know you can write, and I’d love to know that I helped you get your stuff out there. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Mark, thanks for your note and link. I read your material and sent a separate question regarding your coaching service. I am grateful for your interest.
–DEH | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Mark,
Looks like you are missing all that snow back home.
Good piece. Gives us something to consider when even after one gets an agent, he or she may not be a good match, or as the one author found out, an agent’s mismanagemnt could cost an author financially.
When you left the agenting is, did you refer your clients to other agents sothey were not left without representation? | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Laura, sheesh. 13-day response time. Good thing this isn’t a customer service department. 😉 After getting back from Sedona, I got a bug. Causing me to get lots of sleep and get behind on the fun stuff like replying to comments! Glad you liked the article. And yes, I referred all my clients to active agents that I knew and trusted. I couldn’t think of any other way to go about it. Thanks for posting and talk soon. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Glad you’re feeling better.
Your response time is STILL better than how most airlines treat us theses days. 🙂
Dr. Mullen – Yes, many agents I have queried specify that they are interested in first time authors. I am thankful for the structure and direction Mark has provided in getting me to the right agent for my project. | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi again Barbara, thanks for sharing your positivity about me… and literary agents in general. There are good ones out there. Those who believe that, and are persistent and talented (like you), are much more likely to secure representation. 😉 Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Are there any agents still taking first-time authors? I don’t see the point of this article. In the beginning of the story, the writer talks of the horror he went through in lost royalties and then how is friend found another agent and he isn’t happy with him. If I’d have listened to this writer’s sage advice I’d still be sitting on the sideline moping around because no agent would sign me. Instead, I published on my own and have spoken to 300,000 kids about my books. Go for it! | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Dr. Mullen, if you read the entire article I think you’ll see that the author is simply underscoring the value of top literary agents… despite the fact that there are some bad agents out there. And that most authors have a much better shot of achieving commercial success with a top book agent and publisher. It seems like you’ve done well without a literary agent, so congratulations. And I appreciate your “go for it” attitude. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
A colleague just published her first book – non-fiction – and used a combination of self-publish/agent/publishing house. She relayed that publishing companies and agents really don’t do alot of the things most writers believe they do. This article leads me in the other direction…the jury is still out, but I believe that an agent would be a huge help in navigating unfamiliar waters. Great article, thanks! | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Jaye. Thanks for posting. The trick is getting a good literary agent. By the way, the scenario you described with your colleague sounds like a bad agent convincing an author to pay a vanity press to publish. So I’m curious to learn more. You are right that the ideal scenario is a great book agent and a great publisher… both vested in making your work a success. Keep believing, and let me know if I can help you in any way. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Getting a book to print without an agent is like going to court without an attorney – Sorry mark, I just compared you to a lawyer… | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Barbara, I’ve had a bug which is why I’m slow responding. Been thinking about you. Don’t hesitate to send me an email with an update. You should also set up a time with me to talk next Tue. You should be able to use one of the old links to my online scheduling system. Summer is coming so I want to talk with you about strategy. By the way, I admire good lawyers… so it’s all good. All they do is position things. That’s what I do. 😉 Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
I like this article, it makes you look good Mark. I see more of a value of having a literary agent now after reading this. It makes sense that a literary agent’s role includes screening the writing material and helping with contract lingo. I am glad you posted this, it was enlightening. | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Gwenne, thank you for saying that. It’s funny, at least one person read this article and got discouraged. Yes, there are bad literary agents out there. But there are bad EVERYTHING out there. That doesn’t mean you should get a good literary agent, or a good anything else. Otherwise we would all just crawl under rocks and never enjoy the sun. Thanks for being positive and have a great week. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
I read this previously, but it’s nice to see it shared here. 🙂 | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
Hi Becca! I got sick last week so I’m slower than usual responding to comments. I should have known you would have read this already since you’re plugged in more than most to the publishing world. By the way, it was great going through all your material this weekend and seeing all that you’ve done. You’re quite accomplished already, and I know you’re just getting started. Can’t wait to see what comes next. Talk soon. Mark | Literary Agents: Probably Now More Than Ever
I’m sorry you weren’t feeling well! I hope you’re much better now. I’ve received your email and will review everything this week. 🙂