Do You Really Need An Agent?

        Something you'll hear quite often from authors is a desire for an agent. For some strange reason, we writers get this thought in our head that once we get an agent our manuscripts will sell themselves...all our troubles are over and it's all gravy from there. Well, I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but that isn't necessarily so. Sometimes, having an agent doesn't help. Believe it or not there are times when having an agent can actually hurt your writing career! I'll bet you've read tons of blogs about the need for an agent before you can hope to succeed, but I'm here to say it's not always so! Read on . . .

        Agents make money selling on every contract they sign. They also get a percentage of the author's royalties. They have to make money to live, the same as you or I. If they have an author who sells a lot of books and has publishers scrambling to grab them up, they'll devote a lot of time to that author (and possibly name their firstborn child after them to keep the relationship going). Now, imagine you're not that big name author, but just another writer who has a good book idea. The agent may have been all gung-ho to get you when they read that idea, but a first-time author just isn't going to pull in a bidding war unless they've got a perfect book idea at the perfect time. So the agent can give attention to the selling author, or the newbie. Who do you think will win? An agent who just sits on your manuscript idea with promises of presenting it around can demoralize you as an author because you think your idea isn't any good, when it could be exactly what a publisher is looking for if they could just see it! But it's got to be sent to them first!

        And most agents won't flood publishers with a lot of proposals because they don't want that publisher to grow callous toward their stuff. They want that publisher to say, "Oh, this is from HIM! It's got to be good!" instead of "Oh for crying out loud! Again?? This is the fifth one this week! Why won't he leave me alone??" Hurts, but it happens. That means even if your story might fit the publisher, if he knows one of his big authors has a project coming up he's going to present the same publisher, he'll sit on yours.

        But why would an agent sign you and then sit on your stuff? Well, maybe you have a wonderful manuscript that the agent is psyched about, so he signs you up to sell that story. He does so, but then the book doesn't sell like he wanted and so he loses interest in you. You're still plugging away and sending him fresh proposals and manuscripts, but by now you're on his "Things To Possibly Get Around To Before I Retire" list, and you have no idea why your writing career has stalled. It's easy to get discouraged at this stage--and it seems almost unreal--but sometimes it happens.

        The big problem is there's such a struggle to get an agent that when you finally land one you don't want to let them go--even if they're not helping at all! It's so cool to say "My agent is shopping that story around," but if they're not actually doing anything for you, they're a rock around your neck while you're swimming in the publishing ocean (metaphor time!). You could be the greatest writer on earth, but if your agent doesn't believe in you it's doing you no good. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you may actually have to fire your agent (or "release him from his contract", as it's put in the industry). The good news? It could actually be the best thing you could do to see your writing take off again!

        Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying agents are no good and they're all lazy or anything like that. On the contrary, a good agent is a dream come true for a writer! There is no doubt that good agents have their place in the grand scheme of writing. They learn the ins and outs of publishing contracts, they know the editors personally and can open doors most mere mortal authors can not. They can steer your clear of a dishonest editor or a less-than-trustworthy publishing house. They offer editorial services and give advice on future projects. They even send you candy at Christmas sometimes! They are a valuable commodity that most writers would do well to avail themselves of. I say "most writers", because despite all their help they are not absolutely necessary to land a multi-book publishing contract. Believe it or not, you can get one on your own. . .as long as you're willing to put forth a little effort.

        Are agents unnecessary? Well, let's just say it's time to stop focusing on finding an agent and focus on finishing your manuscript. Then polish it. Then give it to some honest folks who will critique it and destroy it and then give it back to you. Then rewrite it. Then repeat it all one more time. And at that point, it's time to move on to the next step.

        An un-agented writer has a lot against them. Just about every major publishing house out there has a standing policy of not accepting unsolicited manuscripts. They'll plainly state on their websites that they have no interest in them, and sending them in is a waste of everyone's time and effort. The writer also has no one guiding their career, and no editorial help when needed. So how on earth can they hope to get published? Two words: "writer's conferences."

        More on those next week as we focus on getting you published. . .even on your own. With prayer and effort, this is your year to see your work in print!