What Literary Agents Look For

Like other literary agents, I hear from thousands of writers each year, and accept only a tiny fraction of them for representation. What makes these few desirable as clients? What does an agent look for in a writer? Someone who’s:

Original. You’d think it would go without saying that writers should strive to develop fresh story concepts. However, the majority of the submission I receive are tired and derivative, as if the authors have worked to create something like or as good as currently successful novels. Instead, they should work to develop ideas that are truly their own, unlike anything already on the market. Books like these are usually the result of a writer’s special passion—the book he or she had to write. This passion invariably communicates itself to agents and the editors they sell to.

A good writer. A fresh story concept alone is not enough. A novel must also be well written. Imagine an agent’s disappointment at reading a knockout query letter, requesting the manuscript, and finding that the writing is poor. Good writing is clear, always interesting, and without pretension. Much of what I receive is difficult to follow, dull, or “writerly”—writing that’s trying hard to “sound” like writing. When in doubt, keep it simple; just tell the story. Don’t worry about style, which shouldn’t be consciously applied anyway. If agents tell you your writing needs work, consider joining a critique group or working with a freelance editor or book doctor.

Professional. Even great ideas and top-quality writing are often not enough. Remember that agents seek long-term relationships with their clients. Years of experience teach us that it’s difficult or impossible to have a lengthy relationship with a writer who has no regard for industry conventions. Professional behavior includes approaching an agent in the accepted fashion (books on this topic abound); communicating clearly and honestly, with respect for the agent’s time; setting realistic deadlines and meeting them; and abiding by the terms of the representation agreement between you and your agent.

Reasonable. It’s frustrating for an agent to work hard for a client and bring him or her reasonable deals—only to find the writer simply won’t be reasonable. Agents want to work with people who understand that publishing is an unpredictable business; one writer’s career track usually bears no resemblance to another’s. A reasonable writer recognizes that most careers are shaped over the course of years, and that patience—and a day job—are usually necessities. A reasonable writer understands that you can’t get everything you want all the time, that some elements of the publishing process are beyond even the most aggressive writer’s and agent’s control, and that an agent worth having usually has a healthy client list to service.

Flexible. Like many agents, I work with my clients to set goals for us to reach. We then devise “stepping stones” that will lead us to those goals, and we keep sharply focused on our course. But life doesn’t always cooperate. Editors change jobs. Books expected to succeed brilliantly fail because of a terrorist attack, a devastating hurricane, or a jacket that was all wrong. Agents are flexible when necessary and appreciate this quality in a writer. As disappointing as it may be to have to face reality and readjust goals, it’s often necessary. A flexible writer rolls, as cheerfully as possible, with the punches.

Committed. In order to reach their goals, writers must be prepared to hang in there for the long haul—to write book after book after book on the way to the success they seek. An agent wants to know that a writer is as committed as the agent is to giving a career the time it needs to blossom. Agents are likely to drop clients who show signs of abandoning the fight after the first signs of adversity.

Hard-working. Agents work hard and want to know that the writers they represent are working just as hard. We tend to lose interest in lazy writers who produce inferior work; who put off starting projects and then must rush to reach deadlines; or fail to promote books to the best of their ability.

No relationship is guaranteed, but if you work to cultivate the above qualities in yourself, you’ll give yourself the best chance of success with an agent.