Every year I engage prospective authors and self-published authors who want to know what it takes to land a book deal in mainstream publishing. They are seeking a deal that comes with the cache of being paid an impressive advance, having an in-house publicist obtain media attention, having a marketing and sales team push their book nationally and of course a sharp editor who “gets” their writing and voice.
What do agents look for when acquiring clients?
As an agent who exclusively represents works of non-fiction from memoir to sports narratives here is what puts a writer on my radar for potential representation.
- Strong Author Platform
Since my entry into publishing, I have always done publicity for the authors I work with, so with my publicist’s eye, I look for writers who have strong visibility. A strong author platform should reveal that an author can sell their book based on who they are, their professional or personal relationships, and media engagement.
A great byline piece that goes viral, an entertaining podcast or radio interview, or repeat appearances on television are often ways that various voices have come into view. Agents read and share content on the internet just like everyone else. We are looking for those who have strong engagement with their targeted readership before there is a book.
Promote your Book like a Publicist
- Writing Chops
Seems obvious that if you want a literary agent you would have strong writing. Strong writing and a voice that resonates with the desired readership. Writing for newspapers and magazines often requires you to edit down to meet the word count mandate.
With a book, there is a bit more leeway to expand and explore. Make sure your writing is clear and concise. Don’t ramble and please use an editor and proofreading before submitting to any agent.
- A Solid Proposal
A proposal is a business plan that gives the full overview of what the book is about, a profile of the targeted audience, a chapter-by-chapter outline of the entire book, author bio and credentials, marketing and publicity resources, promotional ideas, competitive and comparable book titles in print and book specifications (photos, page count, illustrations, graphs, etc).
The proposal is a big picture document that showcases the purpose and plan for the book based on the author’s resources.
Garnering a literary agent is a competitive process, and when all the things listed above are equal it will come down to the chemistry between you and the agent, the agents’ capabilities to sell a book in the genre you are writing and how passionate they are about your subject matter.
9 Keys to Building an Author Platform that will Help You Sell More Books – Independently
The agent and author relationship is a partnership. The goal is to find a publisher who wants to do business with you both. To find agents that may be interested in your work I often recommend The Guide to Literary Agents by Chuck Sambuchino. It’s updated annually.
Be forewarned that rejection is part of the journey. Stay the course and happy writing.
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