Finding A Literary Agent You Can Work With

Now that you have finished your book, your next step should be to find a literary agent— someone who can act on your behalf when dealing with publishers and other parties involved in promoting your work. The easiest way to do this is to use PubMatch.com, the world’s first international book rights network. It’s easy to run a literary agent search on PubMatch. Simply create an author account and post your book, then search its database of publishers and literary agents searching for new titles or looking for fresh new talents to represent. Joining PubMatch.com is a great way to build business relationships that can make your book accessible to readers from all over the globe. Whether you’re new to writing or have been published multiple times, registering as a PubMatch author will allow you to find a literary agent who can help you get published either in your home market or abroad (or both). When you join PubMatch, your book becomes available for search by agents and publishers who are also in the network. You can likewise proactively search the database for international literary agents who specialise in your genre and contact them if you wish. Whether you prefer to work with industry veterans or new literary agents, you will find the right person on PubMatch. Think of it as a huge book fair where ideas are shared and connections are made on an efficient platform that connects authors with agents and publishers. Once you have made a contact with a literary agent, you then need to make a pitch. Prepare your materials—something to show your agent. A simple synopsis often works fine, but some international literary agents may ask for a chapter or two from your book. Prepare a succinct but fluent statement about what your book is about and why it stands out from every other manuscript that’s already in the market. It’s also a good idea to check the agent’s submission guidelines and make sure you follow them. Once you find a match and get an offer, you are also free to ask the agent questions, of course. Don’t be afraid to find out more about the process they follow. You will be working with your new literary agent for a long time, so it’s only right that you choose someone you feel comfortable with. And here’s a final tip: Always remember to follow up. Let the agent know that you are appreciate the valuable time he or she gave you, regardless of how the pitch went. Thriving as an author means more than just running a literary agent search and finding a literary agent. It also means building relationships with international literary agents and maintaining them.