New Author Question: Do I Need an Agent?
A question that comes up often in conversations with first time authors is “Do I need an agent?” My answer is “maybe.” Honestly, it makes absolutely no difference to me and in fact I work with a lot of great agents who often make my job easier. Some of my publishing colleagues will tell you that no one “needs” an agent. In many ways they are right. In technology/computer publishing it has been my experience that an agent is not required and authors are not required to have an agent to work with me. But before you just assume this is a one-size-fits-all answer, let me offer a few points.
- Agents can help take the anxiety out of contract negotiation - Does the idea of reading and understanding a Publishing Agreement give you angina? Seriously, they are not that bad, although some are easier to understand than others. But if you are the type of person who just does not enter into any sort of contract before you have had your resident expert review it, then an Agent makes sense. Some authors have their Attorney review their Publishing Agreement which is ok with me, but unless he or she has previous experience with publishing contracts in particular I suggest an agent instead.
- Agents can help you find more projects - Are you looking at a one-time project, side work or a longer-term gig? Every author has a first book - is yours an experiment to see if its something you like, or have you “always wanted to write?” Regardless, a good agent should work for you to try an find new projects that fit your interests and skills.
- Sometimes an agent is required - this is not generally the case in the type of publishing I do, but if you are writing fiction or some other types of literature you may need to have an agent to have your submission reviewed for publication.
If you do decide to use an agent, a bit of advice:
- References - an agent should be able to point to several published books in your genre, or work for an agency that can do the same. Am I ruling out beginning, independent agents? Not necessarily, but if they can not provide this type of reference, what other experience do they have as an editor, publisher, or author that makes them a good choice as an agent?
- Upfront fees -I do not recommend an agent who charges an upfront or “reading fee.”
- Make ‘em earn it - ask what you are getting for your agent’s commission. Having an agent should be a partnership, so be sure they are holding up their end of the relationship. A good agent not only knows where to send your submission, but is an active part of the proposal development process.
- What have you done for me lately? -a good agent is a hunter, not just a gatherer. Your agent should be actively looking for new projects for you, not just waiting for offers to come in. They should be finding opportunities you would not come across yourself. The agents I tend to work with the most are the ones who ping me every so often to see what I am looking for.
- Help me! - a good agent knows when you need help, and where to get it. This one is a bit selfish on my part, but if you miss a deadline I’m going to ask how we are going to get back on track. Agents can often help find contributors or co-authors to help keep a book on target. For me it is one additional person looking for help, and for you it is better than losing your book deal.
Authors and Agents, what did I miss?
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Comments
Hey Chris, I like the new blog!
I’ll echo Neil, Murphy’s Law is pretty much a constant of the publishing universe, even (or especially) in tech publishing. A competent agent can be a great help in making sure a project stays on track. Likewise, an incompetent or uninvolved agent can be a detriment.
Not only do editors come and go, often entire publishing companies are bought and sold and it’s helpful to have someone looking out for the author’s interest. Agents also have the benefit of having seen countless contracts and royalty statements from each publisher and should have a good handle on what can be done to get the best terms possible, and what sorts of hidden problems may exist in the boilerplate contract.
[...] publishing categories (we don’t publish fiction, for instance) I have access to many agents and colleagues outside of Wiley and will do my best to get an answer for [...]
Being an agent, I agree with most of what Chris has to say. I do want to add one of many other reasons why I think that agents can help. Often projects just don;t go well including everything from editors leaving the company, authors getting sick, time lines not met, etc. A good agent knows how to, and does, intervene and helps smooth the bumps. Often, editors, because of their other responsibilities, are limited in how much they can help.