Do you need an agent?
When I first began writing the need of having an agent quickly became a question that needed an answer. My first response was ‘Of course’. But, as you will see, my answer changed.
Since my answer was ‘Of course’, I proceeded to look for an agent. At first, I didn’t know what I was looking for in an agent or why I needed one. Thus, began my education.
But there was one thing I knew. I had the internet available and could research the subject. I began digging.
First Things First
One of the first things I needed to know was what genre I was writing. It turned out to be historical fiction. From that little bit of knowledge I now knew that if I was to get an agent, he or she must work in the historical fiction arena.
The next step was to learn what do agents do on behalf of the writer.
More on the other side of this break.
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Now back to the article.
Searching for an Agent
Searching through the internet I learned there are three things they do.
- Find and submit to them the author’s manuscript.
- Negotiate contracts.
- Distribute money (royalties, etc.)
Sounds relatively easy, doesn’t it? But I soon discovered some interesting facts:
- Finding an agent in my genre is time consuming
- It requires knowing what you need
- Not every agent is accepting new clients
- My book needed to pass their approval
- Seeking a publisher in more productive
- Being a publisher is better yet!
Publishers May Require an Agent
In addition, I discovered that a growing number of publishers ‘require’ you to have an agent! They won’t look at your manuscript unless there is an agent!
It was shortly after I discovered this that I decided to go self-publishing. It was a major move; virtually a first step toward independence. Later I would take another step away from Self-Publishing and toward Indie Publishing that would change my life!
Note: some people use self-publishing and indie publishing interchangeably, but there are differences.
Self-Publishing
My going with a Self-Publisher quickly dispelled some of the misinformation I had acquired. For example, having an agent wasn’t required. You could have one, but you didn’t to have one.
In my case I thought it wise to continue looking for an agent. But this proved hard and boring. I eventually found an agent I liked, and I submitted my book to her only to get a rejection letter stating that she didn’t work in my particular genre. Bummer! By the way, my genre was still historical fiction which was her genre, but it was also Bible based historical fiction, and that is probably what she was referring to.
Indie Publishing
A lot of similarities between self-publishing and indie publishing, but one major difference is that indie publishers don’t charge fees because the author is the publisher. Of course, that means that the author assumes all responsibility for writing, editing, proofing, publishing, and marketing. But the author also reaps greater financial rewards!
Truths Learned About Agents
The truths I learned here were:
- It can take months to find the right agent
- That agent may not want you
- Agents are not required for self-publishing or indie publishing.
So I went with a self-publisher and learned that although there is more freedom than in traditional publisher, the self-publisher still had control of all the tools and most of the profits. Plus, you had to pay them upfront!
One advantage of the self-publisher/indie publisher is that they will help you market your book. They may provide you marketing tools for a small fee. But another truth is that no matter what publisher you have you will do most of the marketing.
This all leads to a question:
Can you benefit from an agent?
The answer is yes. They have the expertise and the experience to get things done. So, there is value in getting an agent.
However, I opted out. Instantly I became Author, Publisher, and Marketer! Which means that I had the added responsibility that agents normally handle, which is quite a chore.
What Should I Look For In An Agent?
Ultimately you make that call. Discover your genre or genres, learn their characteristics, and search for agents in that genre. No matter what, I think you should consider it. But you should explore the world of agents. You might find one you like.
And remember that going alone, especially Independent, requires you to do the work of an agent!
That said, I believe that going Indie is the best way to go. Yes, you work hard but the rewards are greater also! As an Indie you have a lot of responsibilities, but you also have greater possibilities. As an Indie you can hire companies to help you with certain aspects of your business.
VISIT MY AUTHOR’S PAGE TODAY: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.
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Company information:
T&R Independent Bookstore is a division of T&R Independent Books founded in 2014 by R. Frederick and Tess Riddle. TR Ministry, aka Ministry Services, is both a charge from God and an exciting outreach to the Christian Community.
