How to find an agent during trying times
a guide to submitting your manuscript for traditional publishing when the world has gone insane
I have a deeply rooted belief that you should try to achieve your dreams, even in a world gone mad. If there is something that calls to you from within, something you are compelled to do, especially if it is creative, then work toward it. Even if you may never achieve the outcome, many times the work in itself can be rewarding…more than that, the work can be healing.
Why?
Because it proves to you, first and foremost, that your existence is consequential. Not for the act of doing, or achieving, but for being present in a world that asks you to not be. For showing up, even when the collective situation is dire. My particular soul driven fuck you to the world at large is publishing my writing.
It’s me saying ‘Look I chose to make something beautiful when the world was hideous.’
The truth is we need more creatives, we need more artists, we need more writers. The world needs more creators of beauty to say ‘fuck you’ to the machine (I also understand the irony of seeking traditional publishment as a route for this message.)
But I digress.
This guide is meant to be a touch point for writers seeking to submit their manuscripts to agents for traditional publishing. To help those who want to dream the publishing dream as I do.
Over the past two years, I have learned many useful tips and tricks in the submittal process (and am continuing to learn). For those who are just dipping their toes into submitting can seem an overwhelming prospect. I wanted to share what I have learned so others can get their writing into the public forum.
I will be honest, I am still on my publishing journey and working hard to get my work in print. It is my belief I will succeed…
…or maybe the world will end and I won’t,
but at the very least I tried.
So there.
1. Believe in yourself and your writing
Belief is the start of a successful submittal process. If you do not believe in your writing, others will not; that is simply the truth. To do this requires a lot of tenacity in confronting those parts of yourself that believe you are not worthy. I would not expect anyone just to snap their fingers "‘Ah, I am worth it” and have it be so.
As a writer, you will continually have to confront your ‘imposter syndrome’ and recognize that what you bring to the world is uniquely yours and valuable. If we look at the history of every famous writer and creative, more than half of them I would wager felt like they were imposters at some point or another.
It is part of the process, and I would argue not a reason to stop but to begin. It points to where there is room for growth.
2. Perfect your manuscript
As someone who has repeatedly cut down their manuscript (to the tone of 50k words), I urge you to perfect your manuscript before submitting it. Read it over, and over, and over again for clarity, ensure you fill any plot holes, and that your characters have a strong development arc. From the first sentences, it must be captivating as most agents will only accept a handful of chapters or less.
You want your first chapters to shine.
I would also caution against being overly descriptive, especially with fiction works. There is no need to be Tolkien with your first run around the block, and many agents will deny exceedingly long manuscripts (how do I know that?)
3. Get your beta readers and proofreaders
Steps 2 and 3 are interchangeable, but necessary because you are still editing. You will be editing the entire process, so I would advise you to get used to the feeling of cutting your words to pieces. You can view it as cathartic if it makes you feel better.
Beta readers, proofreaders, and editors are essential because they will catch what you have missed and you will most likely miss a lot. They also allow a different perspective that will ultimately inform how your readers view it. I would advise finding at least a handful of beta readers, these can be friends or family. You may also hire professional proofreaders or editors to catch mistakes on sites like Fivver.
Take notes, and if you notice that many of them make the same observations then put the information into action.
4. Writing a query letter, synopsis, and pitch
A query letter is essentially a cover letter for your manuscript, in which you offer reasons why your manuscript is publishable. You will want to include a basic overview of the plot, characters, word count, and expected demographic market. In the letter, you will also be asked to include a biography of yourself, and why you are seeking publication.
You may be asked to submit a brief synopsis (overview) and pitch. A pitch is a one to two-line ‘elevator style’ pitch; think if you only had two minutes to make someone interested in your manuscript.
I advise keeping a separate document with templates of pitch, synopsis, and query letter that can be altered for each individual agent. This saves time on rewriting.
There are many free templates for these online, also if you are going to use AI do so sparingly. Agents see hundreds of queries in a year, and by using your own words it helps you stand out from the crowd.
This is also where belief in yourself comes in. Bring your passion and your personality to your query letter. The query letter is an agent’s introduction not only to your manuscript but to you. Put yourself in their shoes, what would make them take notice?
5. Research your market
Steps 4 and 5 are interchangeable; market research should not be taken lightly. You are trying to sell your manuscript, but first, you must answer the question who are you trying to sell it to?
Are they Young Adult, Adults, Children? What type of life do they live? Where do they live? Who exactly is your target demographic?
If you can’t answer that, then an agent may have resistance to taking you on. So research to get an in-depth understanding. For example, my manuscript, ideally would be marketed ‘to women over thirty in long-term relationships or marriage, who have an interest in fantasy romance.’ A short easy sentence, and you have given your possible agent a serious reason to consider your query because you have done the leg work.
6. Research your agents
Publishing agents only focus on certain genres, so you must research agents in your genre. I have provided many great resources for research below. Agents usually will have manuscript wish lists to help you get a better idea of the projects they are passionate about.
You want to find an agent who will go to bat for you because your agent is essentially the middleman between you and the publishing houses. What your agent ‘does’ as a job is to pitch your book to the publishing houses so they will buy it, print it, and advertise it. They are also the ones who help to negotiate your publishing contract.
In this step it is important as well to figure out if you are going for a national or international agency, especially if you are in the U.S. I would advise starting with all your national agencies and then moving towards international. Also, do not query multiple agents in the same agency at once, it will almost always get your manuscript discarded.
DO query multiple agents at different agencies. It is essential to be discerning but not picky; more queries equals a higher chance of success.
A legitimate agent will take their cut after the publishing contract is fulfilled. Be wary of any agent asking to get you published for a fee.
In researching agents I would also take a deep dive into the agency they work for, to see its publishing history. If the books they have published are similar to yours then you are in good company.
7. Submit and submit some more…
Realistically, you will be submitting to well over a hundred agents so keep that in mind. Make sure when you are submitting you are following their guidelines, because many will deny you if you do not; guidelines are the holy grail of the submission process.
I would advise keeping an Excel spreadsheet or something similar to track your agents, the date you have submitted, and other important information. An agent may respond immediately, in 60-90 days, or never.
That is just the business.
If an agent is interested they will most likely ask for the entire manuscript. It may take a few months for review, but be sure to circle back around in 2-3 months if you don’t hear from them. They are reading it, but remember they have hundreds to go through.
The submitting process can be arduous, and I hope this is helpful for those who are interested in traditional publishing. You are not alone in this process, and you are fully capable of finding an agent for your manuscript.
Remember the world needs your writing, don’t give up.
Lindsey Rose considers herself a Creative Alchemist. She is an artist, writer, poet, dancer, herbalist, and professional tarot reader. She has found the greatest healing through creativity and hopes to inspire others to do the same.
Find out more at www.mystikrosearts.com or on YouTube
Resources for Submitting to Agents
Manuscript Wish List
www.manuscriptwishlist.com
Agents regularly update their wishlists giving you an idea of passion projects. Use the search function to focus on agents and then the specific genre.
Query Tracker
www.querytracker.net
Most agents now only accept submissions through the query tracker. You can search agencies both nationally and internationally; as well as see who is currently open to queries. They also have a helpful tool to keep track of your submissions if you are not using a spreadsheet.
Fiverr
www.fiverr.com
I highly recommend Fiverr for freelance editors and proofreaders. Specifically for editing those first few chapters, you will be submitting, most of them have long-term careers in the publishing industry and will be a great assistance.
Reedsy
www.reedsy.com
Another great resource for locating agents, it is mostly user-friendly would recommend it for a deep dive into agents’ profiles.
Writers Digest
www.writersdigest.com
Resource where agents write articles on publishing. Helpful in understanding your demographic if you are struggling with that.
Grammarly
This add-on is one of the best tools to help edit your query letter. I would not recommend it for the manuscript as it does not edit long documents.