Hi, y’all. Yep, I’m from the South, the deep South, where from June to November we watch for hurricanes. But I don’t want to bore you with storm stories. Nope! I’m going to address literary agents and the often asked questions – Do I need one and how do I find a good one?

I’ll answer the last part first because finding an agent is not hard. Getting an agent to represent you – now that’s a different deal. And finding a good one for you – that’s the most difficult task of all. What do you look for in an agent for you? First, you need to ask yourself some questions about your career. Where are you and where do you want to go? I think that might be the most important question you can ask yourself. If you want only to write series romance, then you may not even need an agent, but if your goal is mainstream then the need for a ‘good’ agent is essential. Accept the fact unpublished authors have more trouble getting their work accepted by an agent than published authors.

You also need an agent that doesn’t scare you to death. Look for someone you can talk to, someone who is interested in helping you grow. Also, remember, you are hiring the agent, so you ask the questions. You have probably heard that before, but when you interview an agent, write your questions on a piece of paper and have it ready to review as the interview continues. If you‘ve written your concerns down and have the paper handy, the agent will get the idea you are serious about your career. Know your goals, question the agent on her/his procedures, don’t forget to ask about percentages charged. If you are comfortable with the individual, you may have found the agent for you, especially if that agent likes your work.

Now the first question – Do you need an agent? That depends. Don’t you hate that answer. I always did. But let me explain my statement. Finding an agent to represent you depends on what you want to publish. As I hinted, writing series romance doesn’t require an agent. Anything else, maybe. E-publishing doesn’t need an agent yet, but as the industry grows that may change. Mainstream, definitely. All the other types – probably. An agent can get your work read, can send your manuscript to a publisher interested in your time period or style, can negotiate a better contract. But, again, the key to getting an agent is to identify your writing goals. That’s the first step in answering the question, “Do I need an agent and how do I find one.”