Many of our clients and spearheads are interested in publishing a book—and why not? A book is a very good way for subject-matter experts to share their expertise with an audience. Unlike blogs, it also has potential to make some money, which has undeniable advantages.
This is the third article in our series and discusses one aspect of traditional publishing: working with a literary agent.
What is a literary agent?
Literary agents represent authors to publishers. They help authors to get their book published by the right publisher, and negotiate the deal for them. Obviously this matters if you want to publish with one of the big fiction houses—but does a subject matter expert need a literary agent?
Let’s start with why you might not want an agent—or why an agent might not be interested in your book. First, if you want to self-publish, you don’t need an agent. You simply upload your (edited) book onto your self-publishing platform of choice, and away you go. This is a perfectly reasonable route that avoids a lot of potential rejection.
Similarly, if your book is very niche, and unlikely to sell many copies, no agent is going to be very interested, because they simply won’t make any money from it. You can either self-publish, or approach specialist publishers yourself.
When might an agent be interested in your book? Chris Newson, Director of Newson Wallwork Media, says that he looks for domain experts. Potential authors have the authority to write on that subject, and will be seen as an expert by others. Part of this is your platform: your following on social media, and whether you are viewed as an expert.
Agents must decide whether the project is publishable. Chris has a ‘success rate’ of 90% of projects signed by publishers. Publishers, in turn, must decide whether a book is marketable. Chris therefore looks for authors who have the “passion and connections” to help promote and publicise the book to its potential audience.
Finding an agent
Finding a suitable agent is a bit like applying for a job: it’s a two-way, multi-step process in which both parties need to be happy at all stages. The process includes:
- Identifying suitable agents to shortlist. There are various tools to help with this. Jericho Writers provides a tool to members called AgentMatch, #MSWL, or Manuscript Wish List, which features posts by agents describing the kind of books they want. The key is to find agents who are looking for books like yours, and authors like you. Create a shortlist of up to five.
- Pitching to potential agents. You will need a one-page pitch that should explain exactly why your book is needed in the market, and now. You should also explain why you are the person best placed to write this book. There are some useful questions to consider here. Your email to potential agents should be personalised: address them by name, and provide a reason why you have chosen to approach them. Don’t fire off exactly the same email to all your shortlisted agents, or you are likely to get a standard rejection straight back.
- Responding to agents’ queries. Agents who are interested in your book will have a list of questions for you, otherwise known as a proposal document. Chris Newson’s, for example, includes questions about the book’s potential audience, and also its competition: what other books or content are competing for the audience’s attention. It also asks about the author’s ability to market the book.
Working with an agent
Once you have an agent, what should you expect? Obviously, your agent should be able to advise you on which publishers to consider, and make the initial approaches on your behalf. Both publishers and agents will probably also want to be involved in the process of shaping the direction and focus of non-fiction books. From this point, your agent is basically your guide into and through the world of publishing.
This is therefore an important ‘top tip’: if you are planning to go down the traditional publication route, with an agent, you need to find an agent before you have written your manuscript. You really only need a clear idea: basically the contents of your pitch/proposal. So what are you waiting for to start shortlisting?