I'm Trying to Get a Book Published! discussion

How do you find an agent to send your query to? How do you know if they're a good option for you?

There are a lot of online databases of agents that have helped me. These will usually tell you specifically what genres the agent is looking for and how to submit to him/her. The two databases that have helped me the most are agentquery.com and 1000literaryagents.com.

I checked out 1000literaryagents.com today, and it atually helped. :D

Also, here's some information you may want to consider.

AAR stands for The Association of Authors' Representatives. Its members are agents who abide by its membership criteria and code of ethics. AAR membership ensures that a literary agent makes real sales to major publishers, and does not charge up-front fees to its clients. However, many legitimate agents, even mega-über agents, choose not to be AAR members. Furthermore, many newer agents who are actively building client lists, do not immediately qualify for AAR membership. Agencies often operate in accordance with the provisions of AAR's Canon of Ethics, even though all their agents are not AAR members.

Bottom line: AAR membership is always a good sign, but it’s not a 24K gold star guarantee. Don’t discount the agents listed in our database who are not AAR members. We pre-screen all the agents in our database—AAR members or not—and feel confident that 99.9% of the literary agents listed in our AQ database are the real-deal.


Information courtesy of agentquery.com

After finding an agent you're interested in, I'd type them into Google and see what others have to say about their work ethic. The "AbsoluteWriterCooler", or something like that, is a site I like to look on (it'll pop up on Google) to see what others have to say. It's like a chatroom thingy where people discuss agents. :D

Anyone who is serious about getting published through a traditional press needs to own a copy of Writers Digest Guide to Literary Agents. It's the bible for authors seeking literary representation. I have used this book before, so I can personally vouch for it.

My advice is to make certain that you get the latest version of this book since it is updated every year to keep up with changes in the industry. There is nothing more worse than querying an agent who no longer works at a particular literary agency. Lack of research shows a lack of professionalism which is the most important asset for an author. Here's the link to the book:

http://www.writersdigestshop.com/prod...

Thanks to everyone who provided help + links. You guys rock my socks. :)

Kenzie wrote: "After finding an agent you're interested in, I'd type them into Google and see what others have to say about their work ethic. The "AbsoluteWriterCooler", or something like that, is a site I like t..."

oh yes! AbsoluteWriterCooler has been useful for me too. :)
another good site to use is wordhustler.com. type in an agency and it will show you a rating. although i don't know how reliable it is, because it doesn't really tell you what's wrong w/the agency.
also google "preditors and editors". it's another useful site that has info on literary agents and agencies.

To further harp upon my earlier point, I advise anyone looking for an agent to visit their local bookstore (Borders, barnesandnoble, etc.) and check out Writers Digest Guide to Literary Agents. There is no better resource available to aspiring authors to find an agent. Trust me, as soon as you hold this book in your hands, you'll wonder why no one ever told you about it before. ;)