Find an Agent/Publisher

A Great Way to Find Possible Agents
Most of the big publishing house will not accept any MS unless it is through an agent. Agents also act as an advocate for the author, protecting them from shady publishing deals. If you can land a good agent, it is well worth the trouble.

Finding the right agent is difficult--it can even be down right disheartening. When looking for an agent, it is good to switch between mailing in and sending query letters by email. Sometimes writers only prefer to send letters by email--since it is quicker and costs nothing--but because it is an easier medium, it is usually used more. Several struggling writers will basically send out their query letters like spam until they find an agent. Consequently, agents are inundated with query and MS submissions that they can't possible ever get around to. So, it can sometimes be your advantage to print out the query and mail it.

The best thing to do is decrease the quantity of letters being sent, and increase the quality. Many agents prefer exclusive submission anyway. It is a good idea to really research the agent and find out if their goals are in line with yours. Find out what other books that have dealt with and why? Find out publishing house the agent usually pitches to. Look into the publishing house; find out if that publishing house matches your goals.

This might seem like more work, it might even seem like a waste of time, but it will make the difference in getting an agent or not. Take for example, if a door to door salesperson came to your door, asking you to listen to a long presentation about how their product could benefit your life. Unless you are extremely interested in exactly what they have, you'll probably just shut the door. But, wonder if a well acquainted neighbor came over and said I noticed your missing "this" from your life. The effect is almost the opposite: Even if you really don't need what they are offering, you will at least listen to what they have.

If you can just get a Literary agent to seriously consider your work, and if your story fills a niche in the market and is well written, you just might have a chance.

Once you find an agent that is interested in your work, don't rush into anything. Again, do your homework. There are such things as bad agents who won't help you further your goals of being an author--they might even prevent them. Ask for some references. Talk to people. Look at the success of the books the agent represents. Remember, this agent will become your business partner--so be sure they are a good one.

Find a Publisher

Publishing a book is the second highest goal in America. There are many writers out there--and many individuals who are trying to publish their book. Unfortunately, with the shear number of manuscripts even a good one has a very low chance of being published. Most the time, the MS will be put in a slush pile, which is in very close proximity to the trash can. For a first time author, and in this economy, getting published by a major publishing house is akin to purchasing a winning lottery ticket.

The stories that are most likely published are women’s fiction--since this represents the largest readership. But, just because it is most likely published, it does not mean it will be successful. With the abundant amount of women's fiction out there, it is hard to make a name for oneself unless you have a unique idea (like vampires?).


Publishers are looking for a sure thing--something that will sell at least 10,000 copies. Even if you have the best query letter, the best book idea, and the best 'go getter' attitude, they won't be likely to pick up your book unless you have a platform. A platform is a large amount of individuals that are interested in the things you write--such as a blog or a youtube following.


Like all platforms, in order to have viability, the creator needs to produce value (value in this sense in good, free information that makes your blog interesting). A good level of value is to have 3 quarters value to 1 quarter advertisement. That means for everything you try to get your readers to do or buy, you should have add at least 3x the value with good information.


If you've tried establishing a platform, but only can get a few uninterested relatives to join. Then you need to impress the publishers with your publishing experience--or as they call it publishing credits. Essentially, what other publishers have taken a chance on you in the past? To meet this end, it is important to take every opportunity to publish anything you can--such as an article in a church newsletter, or a letter to the editor in the local newspaper. Make attempts to publish in every small newspaper or magazine in your area. Usually small papers will be more than delighted to publish a well written article--especially if it means they don't have to write it themselves. The publishers will want to know pertinent publishing credits; so be sure to wright articles that establish you as an expert in the field that your book is being published--this is especially true for a non-fiction.