Choosing Agents to Query
Need one? Want one? Which one? Your questions answered...
Welcome to the fourth edition of Path to Publication. Today, we’re talking about how to choose which agents to query.
Just like every writer is different, every agent is different too. They each have their own ways of working, preferred genres and connections; so an agent who suits one writer, won’t necessarily suit another.
So instead of trying to figure out who might be ‘the best agent’ or ‘the dream agent’, ask yourself ‘who is the right agent for me?’
Hopefully, this blog will help you figure that out…
Do I need an agent?
Before we do anything else, let’s decide whether you need an agent at all, because not every author does.
If you want to control every step of the publishing process (writing, editing, typesetting, cover design, sales and marketing), get your novel to market quickly, and pocket as much money from sales as you can, then you’ll probably self-publish your novel as an eBook using something like KDP. You don’t need an agent.
If you don’t want to take on much of the publishing process (except writing and editing), but want to get your book to market reasonably quickly and get a decent cut of the profits, then you should consider a digital-only or digital-first publisher. You won’t get a hardback or see your book in the shops, but you can submit your manuscript direct to the publisher. You don’t need an agent.
If, like me, you don’t want the stress of self-publishing, but do want to see your work in printed form gracing the shelves of your local bookstore, supermarket or airport departure lounge, then you need a traditional publishing contract. And for that, you do need an agent.
I could write a lot of words here about exactly what an agent does, what they charge and what compromises an author has to make when embarking on a traditional publishing contract, but I’m not going to. This information is readily found elsewhere and, if you do need an agent, it doesn’t change the price of fish. Let’s focus on how to find the right one instead.
Health Warning: when publishing your novel, money should flow towards an author, not away from them. If you are asked to pay to publish your novel, you’re likely talking to a ‘vanity press’ or ‘collaborative publisher’. Be very wary of these.
Where to find agents
The best way to hear about agents is via word of mouth from already published authors, from contacts within writing groups or organisations, or from the providers of writing courses, who often have partnerships with agencies.
You can also find agents through the acknowledgements in published books. If there are particular authors whose careers you’d like to emulate, or who write books similar to your novel, take a look at their books and see who they thank.
There’s also The Writers and Artists Yearbook, which lists thousands of agents and agencies, as well as providing advice on many aspects of writing and the publishing industry.
When you do find an agent that might be of interest, find out as much as you can about them. Agency websites will often list a manuscript wishlist where an agent describes what they are looking for and when they are open to submissions. Do also check if they have a social media presence — you often get a better feel for an agent based on what they post — or whether they’ve done any interviews, presentations, etc that might be available on YouTube.
What sort of agent do I want?
Finding the right agent is a bit like Goldilocks and the three bears. The picture makes more sense now, right? You, the writer, are Goldilocks, and you need to find the agent that’s ‘just right’.
The criteria for what makes the right agent will be different for every author, but as a minimum you want someone you like and respect, who takes you seriously, cares about your work and your career, and is willing to fight your corner.
On top of that, it’s worth considering some of the following criteria:
Network and Reputation
do they have contacts across a range of publishers and know what those editors want?
are they well regarded by authors and publishers ?
Experience and seniority
senior agents have more experience, but may also have agency management responsibilities
junior agents with less experience should be clearly supported by seniors
Client list
a bigger client list may mean less time per client, and vice versa
does the agent represent notable clients that you admire?
Shape of portfolio
are they genre-specific (e.g. crime/thriller) or more general?
do they represent your target audience, i.e. adult/children/MG/YA
do they represent fiction, non-fiction, or both?
Editorial work
not all agents work editorially, but most do
Conflicts of interest
some agents are also writers and may represent authors with whom they end up competing for publishing slots
Agent / Agency location:
most are in London (near the publishers) but there are some regional agencies (e.g. Bristol, Oxford, Liverpool and Edinburgh)
Size of agency:
agencies range from single agents to large multi-national companies
larger agencies will naturally have more business continuity (ability to cover for agents unexpectedly unable to work) and are more likely to have in-house specialist rights teams (i.e. TV/film, overseas, translation)
smaller agencies may need to outsource some functions, but may be able to provide a more bespoke ‘boutique’ experience for their clients
There is no right answer to any of these criteria, but there will be some that appeal to you and some that definitely don’t. The key thing is to decide which are ‘must haves’, which are ‘must nots’, and upon which you’re willing to compromise.
How and when to query agents
The first three editions of this series — refining your opening chapters, writing a synopsis, and writing a query letter — explain most of the ‘how’ when it comes to querying. But there are two other things to consider when you’re ready to query.
One, visit the agent website again and check that:
the agent is open for queries
your book still meets their requirements for genre and audience (agents may change their requirements after signing new authors)
that they are the best agent in that agency to query (many agencies ask that you only query one agent)
and that you have a good reason to query them that you can use to personalise your query letter
Two, consider how many agents you are going to query at the same time. It’s tempting to query everyone at once, but resist the urge to do so unless you have a small list. If, for example, you have 20 agents on your list, consider querying in batches. This is both easier to manage and, if you get feedback from the first batch that your book needs more work, you can do this before querying others.
Finally, think hard about when to query agents. Avoid the run up to book fairs and Christmas, when agents will be busier than normal. Much better to query agents after key events when they have capacity, and are in a better frame of mind. For 2025, the key book fairs are:
London Book Fair (11 - 13 March 2025)
Bologna Children’s Book Fair (31 March - 3 April 2025)
Frankfurt Book Fair (15 - 19 October 2025)
Health Warning: Please, if you happen to go to one of these book fairs, don’t try to query an agent in person. They are there to sell books already on submission, not to take on more authors. If you’re absolutely desperate to meet an agent before querying them, consider arranging an Agent 1-2-1 instead.
Top tips when choosing agents to query
Know what you want. There’s no such thing as ‘the dream agent’ but knowing what you do and don’t want from an agent or agency is key.
Cast your net wide. To start, find as many agents as you can who, on paper, meet your requirements.
Do your homework. Find out what the agents are like as people and listen to feedback from existing or former clients.
Refine your list. Remove anyone that you don’t think you’d enjoy working with. Save your time as well as theirs.
Create a tracker. Keep a record of who you want to query (and why), their requirements and response times. Assign a priority order if you like.
Hopefully that’s given you a few pointers on how to choose which agents to query, how to query them and when. Since this has been a whistlestop tour, please leave a comment with any questions you may have.
While I may not be able to provide feedback on individual agents or agencies, I’m happy to help advise on the process!
And finally, there’s only one more newsletter this year. Coming on December 15th:
My Novel Portfolio, a.k.a. which book will I write next?
See you then!
Thank you for being so generous with your tips on finding an agent - I'm currently at the very beginning of querying my memoir, so taking a break until January to send any more. I do hope people take on board your advice NOT to try to chat to an agent at a book fair - I used to do music licensing and go to a huge music convention in Cannes every year and would see hopeful artists wandering round the hotel bars at night trying to chat to anyone.