First, be sure your novel is finished and well-edited. You may wish to have your manuscript professionally edited. You should only pitch agents your absolute best work.
Research potential agents. Top resource books include Writers Market and the Jeff Herman Guide to Literary Agents. Plus, almost every literary agency hosts a website. Consult for the most up-to-date information.
Make a list of agents who represent your type of work, be it young adult, romance, science fiction, non-fiction, and so on.
Narrow your agent pool by researching titles each agent has represented. Dozens of agents specialize in young adult paranormal fiction; don't pitch them if you've written a young adult book about a kid detective.
Craft your query letter. A query letter is an agent's first look at you the writer. It needs to be dynamite. It should 1. Tell what you book is about in three compelling sentences; 2. State why you are querying that specific agent; and 3. Explain why you are the person to write this particular book. One page, max.
Follow each agent's query submission guidelines and send your letters. Yes, you can query more than one agent at a time. Just be sure to personalize each query and only solicit one agent per literary house. Note: make sure your first chapter is dynamite. Some agents request a first chapter along with your query letter. This is your chance to impress. You need to make the most of it.
If an agent is interested in seeing your work, he/she will request either a partial or full manuscript. Follow submission instructions closely. At this point it is perfectly acceptable to ask for a reading timeline. A reputable agent should respond to a manuscript within 2-3 months.
While you wait, keep writing. If you do receive an offer of representation, the agent will want to know what else you are working on. Think of it as a long-term relationship.
The offer. If you get it, be prepared with a list of questions. Commission structure? Foreign rights? Editing process? You want to know exactly what you're entering into.
Publication. Remember, an agent needs to sell your book to a publishing house. This may take one week. Or one year. Or it may not happen at all. Be patient and professional in this process and let the agent do his/her job.
Be persistent. The book The Help was rejected over two dozen times before it was eventually published. Look how that turned out. Literary agents are busy, in-demand folks. But they want to discover the next great novel. Keep after them.
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