To Agent, or not to agent?

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To Agent, or not to agent?

by Amy
(WA State)

I have this Picture Book poem/story that I wrote a long time ago, and I think it has a chance of being published. I am getting ready to run it through my critique group. But then what?

Agents cost money. I am broke. I really don't see the picture book making tons of money to help cover an agent's cost. Should I just start querying publishers? Or would that just be shooting myself in the foot?

I was flipping through the Writer's Market and am a bit torn about the best way to go about things.

Tips? Suggestions? Is an agent not as expensive as I think?

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To Agent, or not to agent?

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Paying for an agent
by: Steve B. (webmaster)

Amy, a real agent only costs 10-15% of what he/she makes you, i.e. there should be NOTHING you have to pay up front. Though, yes, I have heard of agents charging reading fees. Sigh.

If an agent is requesting an upfront charge, I recommend Googling! Type the agent's name into Google; see what comes up from places other than his/her site. Also type in the agent's name with the word scam. If the agent's not legitimate, you'll probably find lots of people jawboning about it.

Also, please check my pages on children's book agents in general and getting an agent for your picture book manuscript in particular.

There is certainly a case to be made for approaching publishers on your own. I discuss that on those pages.

A legitimate agent is the best choice.
by: Jeremy

I concur with Steve. Any agent who charges up front fees is not an agent, he/she is an opportunist.

You can well afford a legitimate agent, who charges a typical 10-15% commission on results only.

I was a strictly performance commission based agent in a similar field for 35 years, so I hope I am able to add some practical and realistic comment.

The agents (the good ones) nearly always choose you not the other way round. That is where the large number of quasi agents find the loophole, as after the almost inevitable rejections, a writer might be tempted to accept a fee based deal.

It is worth the effort to try to find a good agent that will work with you and not compromise with third rate.. Having no agent is better than having a questionable agent!

My office used to have a huge amount of submissions each month (up to 1,000)and our acceptance rate was in the single figures. There is a lot of "noise" out there and it takes persistence to get noticed.

I am not writing this to discourage you in any way, but to encourage you to only seek the best.

agents
by: jgiunta

I think the number of children's book publishers relying on agents is increasing. The publishers that you may feel are a good fit for your book may not look at it because you do not have an agent. For that reason, you may want to go the agent route.

Agents are not bad, but it can be difficult finding one that will represent you. If you are fortunate to find one, you still have to market the book idea. Having an agent is no guarantee of publication. I believe this is why so many authors are trying self-publishing.

Nevertheless, an agent can actually meet with a publisher and have a face to face conversation with her. He can explain the value of the book and how well it would fit into the publishers canon. An agent can also help an author improve the story and make it more marketable.

I suggest you google the authors you admire and find out who is representing them. Send them your manuscript. They will be reputable and have a successful track record.

The important thing is that you want an agent you can trust and who believes in your work. There are plenty out there, but it is not easy to find the right one for you. As was stated earlier, most agents don't charge a reading fee or any upfront costs. If you find one who does, I suggest you keep looking unless they have a good reputation.

I too struggle with whether or not to get an agent. I see agents as a resource to pursue after one or two books have been published. But, today, it may be necessary to have one. I don't think it will hurt you.I hope this helps.

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