How do I choose the right agent?

On finding The One

I recently spoke to an author client who was in the enviable position of choosing between literary agents. They had submitted their novel to five or six, and all of them wanted to represent their work. They were now in what the industry sometimes calls a ‘beauty contest’. A round of meetings in which each agent tried to persuade the author that their representation would be the best. The author wanted my advice on how to choose between them. That crossroad moment we all experience a few times in our life, where all is a confusion of facts and feelings. How to make the right decision?

I could go off on a philosophical tangent now, there being no wrong decisions etc., but let’s assume, for now, that there is a right one.

It struck me as I spoke to the author that the term ‘beauty contest’ is particularly apt — as they rightly identified, a person’s best face isn’t necessarily an indicator of the success of a future relationship, so how to see beyond it? Much like trying to find love through dating apps, there is a lot of surface information to process, and then you have to decide whether or not they’re the love of your life after just one real-life date. I hope this article will help you think beyond the exterior and clarify your mind on what an agent can do for you, whether or not you have multiple offers of representation. 

So what is an agent? An agent is like a business partner, or perhaps more accurately, a shareholder in your business, as they take a percentage of everything you earn. They invest their time up front, essentially working for free, in the hope of returns later on. They are the gatekeepers to the publishing houses, having detailed knowledge of editors and hopefully relationships with them, so you are paying them for their access, a bit like a member’s club. (A system with its flaws, of course, but I won’t labour on that here. At least it is only your writing that has to be beautiful to gain access, not your current account.) 

As your agent is going to be an investor, you must go into any meeting with them thinking like a business owner: the business of You. You are equals, two people who are hoping to make money, as well as art, together. Even if you only have one offer from an agent, you need to go into any discussion with them feeling open to the possibility of turning them down, and knowing they might do the same to you. A mismatch might mean that despite representation you don’t get a publishing deal, or you get a bad one that starts off your career with low sales and therefore decreased chances of future deals. Neither of you want that. So it’s worth waiting around, even rewriting the new book or writing a new one, before choosing an agent. 

Think of your meetings with agents like a meeting with investors. You want to persuade them to invest in you, but you also need to be assured of what they are offering. Below is a list of the main areas of expertise an agent and their team are going to be offering you. Depending on who you are and what your skills are, some of these will be more or less vital to you:

• Editorial skills: working on your manuscript

• Marketing skills: creating a pitch (this might differ to your pitch to them), designed to persuade publishers to acquire the book

• Networking skills: submitting it to editors at publishing houses

• Financial/negotiation skills: getting the best offer for your book; film/TV/foreign translation rights; contract terms e.g. royalty escalators (when royalties go up as sales increase)

• Career advice: e.g. which deal to take; how to navigate being a writer; how to grow your brand; when to switch publishers

• Project management skills: helping you keep on track with your writing schedule, events etc.

• Crisis management: this could include managing conflict with your publisher; reputational damage etc.

Ask your agent about each of the skills above that is important to you. To figure this out this you need self-knowledge. What skills don’t I have? What kind of person motivates me? What are my priorities in becoming a writer? Is it money, longevity, authenticity? Much like a romantic partner, you need someone who complements you, bringing new skills to the table, but who doesn’t conflict with you too much. 

What you need from an agent will change as your career develops, but it’s worth thinking ahead — how do you want your career to progress, and if it does, who do you want by your side then? Don’t be blinded by a beautiful office or the photos of famous authors on the walls; think beyond the surface to the deeper qualities you are looking for.

There is an extent to which you won’t know the truth of a person until you start working with them. I always suggest asking at least one difficult question as a way of testing the waters. Much like you might ask a potential partner how they feel about having kids on a first date – risky, but how they respond will tell you everything you need to know about them as a person. Do they hedge? Do they give it you frankly? If you only have one chance, you might as well know. So ask them what they’d do if you wrote a second novel they thought was awful – would they tell you? If your first book flopped, what would they do? What do they think is the most important part of their job? What do they think you need to work on the most? Anything that probes beneath the surface.

Be yourself. Like turning up to the first date with unwashed hair. Or at least without having just been to the hairdressers. Be brave enough to share your fears as well as your ambitions. Talk about the parts of your writing you are less confident about. Show vulnerability; it might mean they give you an answer that changes your life.

You might not get an offer of representation from anyone with all of the skills you require right now. But you will still be able to gain insight about the way in which they conduct business and what it would be like to work in collaboration with them. For example, you might have an offer from a junior agent who hasn’t got a lot of experience. But you talk about books, and they show an understanding of the business and tell you they’re going to work hard to sell your novel. They tell you how they would handle hypothetical crises, and they show good emotional intelligence. They may be a better option than someone with all the contacts but who can’t answer the questions you pose in a way that fills you with confidence. 

Listen to your gut — think about what it is telling you. Don’t blindly follow it, but notice what it is picking up on, try to understand why, and then decide whether to listen to it. For example, it might be telling you that you feel safe with someone; but perhaps that is because you are feeling particularly vulnerable, and actually what you truly need is someone who stretches you. Or perhaps you do need that person you feel safe with right now to be able to write and create: self-knowledge precedes action. 

Choosing an agent, choosing any business partner, is one of the biggest decisions you will make. It’s not irreversible, but reversing, much like divorce, is painful and leaves its scars as well as its lessons. So take your time. Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into making a fast decision. And if all this sounds scary, remember this: most agents are incredibly talented people who take risks on writers every day, most not getting paid until they do. They really really love books. There are tons of brilliant younger agents joining the ranks, each of whom is hungry for new talent to reach an audience. It may take time, much like finding your ideal partner, but the work pays off.

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As always, these are my opinions and experiences as an publisher, as well as someone thinking about how to bring their own writing to publication. If you are an agent, or an author, and think I’ve missed something vital here, or would like to add your advice, I know many writers who’d love to hear from you. Just put a note in the comments. I am so grateful to everyone who joins the discussion.

Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan on Unsplash