Looking for a traditional publishing contract?<\/p>\n

You need a literary agent.<\/p>\n

A good agent will work hard to sell your book to a publisher and negotiate a bigger advance and better contract than you would for yourself.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, many editors \u2013 particularly those at the biggest publishers \u2013 prefer working with agents. They know that agents\u00a0filter out work that isn’t publishable by vetting<\/span>\u00a0the author’s book concept and writing in advance. They also know that agents speak the lingo and understand the process — they don’t have to spend time educating them on what to expect.<\/p>\n

An agent is your publishing advocate<\/h2>\n

In addition, without an agent, an author has no advocate when it comes to contract negotiations.<\/p>\n

The publisher generates the publishing contract, which by nature focuses on that company’s best interests.<\/p>\n

Do you know enough about book publishing agreements to negotiate a fair and balanced contract? No? Then keep in m ind that\u00a0a literary agent works to get the best deal for the author, because that\u2019s also the best deal for the agent.<\/p>\n

Now that you know you need an agent, here are six free literary agent databases that will help you find one. They’re listed in alphabetical order.<\/p>\n

Click on the database name to go to the resource.<\/p>\n

1. AgentQuery<\/a><\/h2>\n

Search this free database by keyword, nonfiction genre, and fiction genre. Use the site\u2019s \u201cAgentQuery Connect\u201d social platform to find examples of query letters that work or to ask writers to critique yours.<\/p>\n

2. Association of Authors’ Representatives\u00a0<\/a><\/h2>\n

This trade group lets you search its member database by genre\/category. The list is divided according to fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and dramatic works.<\/p>\n

Association of Authors’ Representatives members must meet experience requirements and adhere to its ethics code. I find this reassuring.<\/p>\n

3. List of Literary Agents<\/a><\/h2>\n

Once you register using the form on the right under the photo of people who don’t look like literary agents, click the “enter” button on the confirmation page. Once you “enter” the membership area, scroll down to “Access Our Other Resources” and select “Directory of Literary Agents.”<\/p>\n

There, use the drop-down menu to search for your fiction or nonfiction genre\/category to get a list of agents.<\/p>\n

4. Manuscript Wish List<\/a><\/h2>\n

I love this resource. It has a clean and simple look and everything is written with a smile.<\/p>\n

Skip right to \u201cThe Comprehensive Search and Query Guide<\/a>\u201d to get instructions for all of your search options on one page. Easy, easy, easy, thanks to the editors.<\/p>\n

5. Poets & Writers Literary Agent Database<\/a><\/h2>\n

It’s a three-step process.<\/p>\n

First, select from a list of 32 genres and categories that starts with autobiography\/memoir and ends with young adult. Then select whether you want agents that allow electronic submissions (of course you do). Then hit “filter.”<\/p>\n

This resource seems particularly useful for fiction authors.<\/p>\n

6. QueryTracker<\/a><\/h2>\n

One of Writer\u2019s Digest<\/em>\u2019s top websites for 2018, QueryTracker gives you free access to a searchable database of more than 1,600 agents. The only requirement is that you join the site by providing your email address.<\/p>\n

Free membership also includes query tracking tools.<\/p>\n

Other resources for finding a literary agent<\/h2>\n

There are other resources and methods besides these literary agent databases:<\/p>\n

\n
• Publishers Marketplace<\/a> (pay the $25 monthly fee only during months you’re searching for an agent)<\/li>\n
• Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents<\/span><\/em><\/a><\/li>\n
• Guide to Literary Agents 2019: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
• Ask author colleagues who write in your genre to introduce you to their agent (and don’t get annoyed if this makes them uncomfortable)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  One of my favorite methods is to read the acknowledgements of similar books to find out if the author thanked the agent (they usually do). The agent is likely to be open to more projects in that genre or category or about that topic.<\/p>\n

  Just remember: If your book is good enough to get a contract with a legacy book publisher that pays advances, ignore the voices around you saying, “You don’t need an agent!”<\/p>\n

  You do.<\/p>\n

  Do you have a literary agent? How did you find yours?<\/em><\/p>\n

  ---

  \n

  Tip of the Month<\/strong><\/h2>\n

  <\/a>I\u00a0like to share\u00a0a \u201cTip of the Month,\u201d a free resource or tool for authors, on the last\u00a0Wednesday of the month.<\/p>\n

  Your February tip is the really cool free Adazing Mockup Shots generator<\/a> (that’s an affiliate link), a tool that creates three different 3-D images of your book cover. Simply upload your cover image and you’ll get three mockups at no charge. I tried it — one of mine is on the right.<\/p>\n

  For an extra fee, you can purchase hundreds of images of your book in different settings. Here’s one of mine:<\/p>\n

  <\/a><\/p>\n

  Use the additional paid package of images in your book trailer and social media campaigns. (Any post on any platform gets noticed more if it includes an image.) I love the premium image package, but you can get three impressive 3-D images<\/a> without spending a thing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  <\/a><\/p>\n

  Looking for a traditional publishing contract?<\/p>\n

  You need a literary agent.<\/p>\n

  A good agent will work hard to sell your book to a publisher and negotiate a bigger advance and better contract than you would for yourself.<\/p>\n

  What\u2019s more, many editors \u2013 particularly those at the biggest publishers \u2013 prefer working with agents. They know that agents\u00a0filter out work that isn’t publishable by vetting<\/span>\u00a0the author’s book concept and writing in advance. They also know that agents speak the lingo and understand the process — they don’t have to spend time educating them on what to expect.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":19766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[1081,1082,1083,1035],"class_list":["post-12067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tools","tag-agents","tag-literary-agent","tag-literary-agent-databases","tag-publishing-contract"],"yoast_head":"\n