Do You Have Any Questions for Literary Agents?

Hey friends,

One of Inkwell Insight’s upcoming podcast guests is CeCe Lyra, a literary agent with P.S. Literary.

If you’ve ever wanted to ask a literary agent a question about what they do, the business of publishing, or why query letters are so daunting to tackle, here is your chance!

Reply to this email with your questions before May 7th. Depending on the volume of subscriber questions we receive, I may not be able to ask all of them, but I will do my best to get to as many as possible.

Literary Agents: Business Partner, Publishing Gatekeeper, and More

I attended my first writing conference as a teenager, and one of the things that stood out to me at that time was that the other writers at the conference (most of whom were at least twice my age) treated the literary agents in attendance with something akin to a mix of fear, reverence, and fangirling.

Since people who had been writing longer than I had been alive viewed agents that way, I assumed I should do the same, and didn’t venture to speak to any of them during that weekend.

The majority of attendees held the literary agents in high regard, but I think there were a select few who were… indifferent.

What I came to realize is that for those seeking traditional publication, agents represent the first major hurdle in finding success. Many publishing houses review submissions from reputable agents only and will not accept submissions from writers directly. As such, having a literary agent supporting your work opens the door for you to be picked up, promoted, and distributed by a publishing house; this typically means larger advances and more favorable contract terms.

The trade-off, of course, is an industry standard of 15% of your earnings.

For writers who want total career and creative control and do not want to share their earnings, working with an agent loses its appeal. Plenty of writers prefer querying the select few publishers who accept unsolicited manuscript submissions or self-publishing. Should a publisher accept an unrepresented manuscript, it’s then on the writer to hire a lawyer for legal review of any contracts and to engage in contract negotiations, likely without someone experienced in the industry. If they go the self-publishing route, then the marketing and distribution of their title also falls squarely on their shoulders (one reason self-published titles rarely sell more than a few copies for authors who don’t already have a large, established audience).

Wanting to go the traditional publication route or self-representing each has its own pros and cons, so figuring out what’s right for you and your writing career deserves some space and self-reflection.

As long as you’re not that guy on Twitter who attacks agents and people seeking agents every chance he gets (he exists… if that’s you, please unsubscribe), either option could be good!

Other than Open Doors with More Publishers, What do Literary Agents do?

At the core of their role, literary agents are focused on helping writers succeed in the publishing industry. After all, the more successful the authors they represent are, the larger their 15% of the cut becomes.

This takes the form of several key functions:

1. Identify and represent talent. Agents read queries and pitches (so, so many) to find aspiring authors that resonate with them and who they believe have the potential to stand out in the publishing marketplace.

2. Manuscript assessment and development. As agents take on clients, they work with them to strengthen their manuscripts prior to shopping it around with publishing houses.

3. Pitch to publishers. Since most publishers don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts from writers directly, as mentioned, agents become the mediators who can get your manuscript in front of the right acquisitions editor.

4. Liaising Between Authors and Publishers. As part of their relationship with publishers, agents act as intermediaries, managing communication, resolving disputes, and aligning the publisher’s vision with the author’s goals.

5. Negotiating Contracts. They negotiate publishing contracts on behalf of the author, including advances, royalties, and rights (such as foreign or film rights), ensuring fair compensation and favorable terms. They are familiar with boilerplate contracts, the typical offerings from publishing houses, and the implications of these terms for authors, enabling them to avoid unfavorable contract terms.

6. Career Management and Support. They maintain long-term relationships with authors, offer guidance, encouragement, and help manage publication schedules and payments

Often, writers look at sending out their query letters and getting signed with an agent as the end goal. But with everything that agents do for writers, it’s important to remember that they are your business partner as much as your opportunity to get in front of publishers. Finding an agent who you can see yourself working with long-term and who understands what you want out of your career it critical to your publishing success if you’re pursuing the trad pub route.

Send Me Your Questions for CeCe

Don’t forget to send me your questions about literary agents and the business of publishing before May 7th. You can reply to this email or leave a comment on it if viewing as a webpage.

You’ll be able to hear our interview with CeCe on the Inkwell Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you treat your ears to literary goodness.

Have a fantastic week,

Blake Reichenbach