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Guide to Literary Agents 2017: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published

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The best resource available for finding a literary agent!

No matter what you're writing--fiction or nonfiction, books for adults or children--you need a literary agent to get the best book deal possible from a traditional publisher. Guide to Literary Agents 2017 is your essential resource for finding that literary agent and getting a contract with one of the country's top publishers. Along with listing information for more than 1,000 agents who represent writers and their books, this updated edition of GLA

   • A one-year subscription to the literary agent content on WritersMarket.com.
   • The secrets of query-writing Learn 5 common mistakes that make an agent stop reading--and how to avoid them.
   • "New Agent Spotlights": Get targeted profiles of literary reps who are actively building their client lists right now.
   • Informative articles on writing a synopsis, pitching your work online, defining your genre, utilizing writing peers to better your craft, and much more.
Includes exclusive access to the webinar "10 Steps to Landing a Literary Agent" by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

332 pages, Paperback

Published September 14, 2016

12 people are currently reading
28 people want to read

About the author

Chuck Sambuchino

44 books33 followers

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Profile Image for Becca.
721 reviews122 followers
October 30, 2017
After finally finishing my first novel, I sat back and thought...okay, now what??

Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents is the solution to that question. I wanted to try moving forward with the route of acquiring an agent whom I can partner with to develop a career and then pursue contracts with traditional publishing houses. If you are looking to self-publish or don't want an agent, then there are other guide books that will be more helpful. This book is primarily focused on helping you prepare for querying an agent (as the title suggests, but I'm reiterating that point so no one is unpleasantly surprised).

I thought writing the book was a challenge, but believe me, the effort doesn't stop there. However, the process of trying to "get your book out there" doesn't have to be terrifying. This book introduced me to some of the industry terminology, outlined how to prepare, what questions to ask, and how to stay motivated. After the guidance sections (approximately 120 pages of content), there are massive appendices that list agents and writing conferences. It is an excellent starting place with guidance such as:
-How to Write a Synopsis
-Crafting a Query
- Pitch Agents Through Twitter
-How Not to Start a Novel
-Beta Readers
-Agent profiles (what they accept, website, how to contact, tips from the agents)

Using this book as a launch point, I've already uncovered numerous other resources online that I've found helpful. There are many resources out there for fledgling writers, but at first glance, the amount of material is overwhelming. This book gave me a place to start.

I plan to check out the online material as well. If you buy the book new, you get a code for access for a free year of all the current, online material. That's good bang for your buck in my opinion.

I'm not published yet, but I have more hope now thanks to this book :)
Profile Image for Gavin Lakin.
56 reviews10 followers
July 14, 2017
Writer's Digest is the best collection of resources for writers out there. I recommend joining for all of the other options available.
Profile Image for Vincent Sargenti.
Author 2 books2 followers
July 1, 2018
Worthless unless you already have a large platform. Don't waste your money unless you enjoy getting rejection slips from people who never even took the time to look at who you are or what your works is all about. Better to self publish in today's market and forget about begging all these yahoos for the time of day.

You don't need permission from anyone in this book to deliver great writing to the public.
Profile Image for Laura A. Barton.
Author 4 books33 followers
January 18, 2018
I’ve just finished reading this book — soaking up the information and scouring the list of agents — and feel well-equipped to start my journey to find a literary agent. The tips and tools provided by industry experts has given me the confidence to move forward in an area that I had very little idea about. If you’re thinking about getting a literary agent yourself, this is a great place to start.
Profile Image for Joe Albanese.
Author 7 books32 followers
December 27, 2018
Well, I still don't have an agent, but there's plenty good info in here. No idea how much different it is from every other year.
Profile Image for Matthew.
Author 2 books16 followers
January 20, 2017
Review also posted on my website at: http://matthewtravagline.com/general/...

In as concise a way as possible, Chuck Sambuchino compiles the most important things for new authors to consider after they’ve done the legwork of writing a book (fiction or naught).


I’ve spent the good part of last year querying, so I thought I knew what to expect, but there are things that Chuck brings up that I overlooked. For instance, utilizing social media (Twitter) as a supplement to cold-call querying was something that had never crossed my mind. But if an agent is able to look at a 140 character pitch and decide if they’d want to receive a query from you (nothing being promised, of course) you can consider yourself already one step out of the slush pile. And as a writer who has spent his entire professional career thus far inside the slush pile, anything that can edge me out of it for a chance to be seen read, is a tidbit well loved.


There are sections within this guide for fiction and non-fiction proposals., query-writing, synopsis-tweaking, and even how to engage with your agent once you have signed with one (that last section must be in there for the laughs alone). In addition to these helpful sections,


Though Chuck cannot take all the credit, as this edition features sections written by a number of other agents and authors. And while not every section held import to me, I found their varying perspectives to be equally informative and refreshing. Seeing where different agents would stop during a particular query was eye-opening. Things really are equal parts luck, taste, and skill.


Ultimately, the 2017 guide is my first foray into these guides (as it is my first full year querying) so I cannot speak to any changes from previous years. As far as a tool for new writers, I can’t imagine that this is not worth its small price. The online functionality is likely worth the price alone.


I received this book for free from Chuck Sambuchino.
Profile Image for Joe Albanese.
46 reviews4 followers
December 31, 2016
This is the first version I've read of the annual book, so I don't know how it compares to the previous, but: it provided lots of helpful info on agents and tips to get one, as well as some insight on the actual writing of the manuscript. Most of this can be found online in thousands of articles and blogs, but it is very succinct here. My only issue is that with there being so many agent listings and print being so small, it is a lot of sifting through to find what you are looking for. That's more on limitations of print format though. Once I feel my novel is ready I'll be revisiting this book to look for agents to send queries to. Say a prayer for me; I'll do the same for you.
Profile Image for Lilly Longshore.
1 review
October 6, 2016
The Guide to Literary Agents 2017 provides comprehensive information for writers seeking an agent for publication their book. In addition to a substantial listing of agents with ample descriptions of genres they seek, the author includes detailed instructions and “how to’s” regarding queries, pitches and other professional expectations agents have that most new writers may not know. This is a very complete and helpful book, for both new and seasoned writers.
Profile Image for Liza Robertson.
Author 4 books1 follower
Read
July 18, 2017
This has a lot of agents to consider and gives good advice from authors as well.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews