Agents: Do You NEED One?

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve worked with some top agents and I have writing friends who have top agents in the industry, so I keep my ear to the ground, so to speak, on that seemingly hidden world…the world of agents. I have a New York agent now. So if you have questions about agents, let me know and I’ll try to answer them in these upcoming posts where we’ll be talking about agents, especially for children’s writers.

First let’s start out by answering the all-important question: What is an agent?

In the world of writing, an agent is someone who takes your manuscript and submits it to publishers and tries to land a book contract for you. Usually, agents submit to publishers who require an agent, but not always.

Now here’s another question that’s very important to ask:

Do you need an agent?

Well, sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t.

Here’s a general guide:

Interested in Self-publishing? No.

Wanna write for the Educational Market? No.

Wanna write for the Magazine Market? No.

Wanna work with Traditional Publishers? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Some of these publishers require an agent, some don’t.

Wanna target the Christian Market? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Some of these publishers require an agent, some don’t.

Is there a different market you’re interested in? Let me know and I’ll tell you if you need an agent or not.