Agent Representation
Do you need a literary agent? Everyone will have advice for you on this point. The truth is, having an agent will give you an edge. Publishing houses have a number of acquisition editors. These are the editors that review the manuscripts and decide, usually through a committee, whether or not they are going to buy your manuscript. These acquisition editors are flooded with work and many publishing houses have simply indicated that they will not accept manuscripts unless they are submitted by a literary agent. Having an agent will save you a lot of time, effort and financial resources.
First, finish your novel or work of non-fiction. Do not approach an agent with a myriad of random ideas. Agents want to sell something that is tangible. Second, write a query letter. Query letters should be short and act as the “trailer” for your work. Include a few salient points about yourself and your successes, but the body of the letter should capture the essence of the work. Attach a brief synopsis of the novel or work of non-fiction. A lengthy synopsis will not get reviewed.
Do not expect the agent to find the strengths in your work if those strengths are buried deep within the novel. Make your work strong at the beginning so there is a hook that will attract and retain the agent’s attention.
Understand that the work you have created is essentially to entertain and inform. If it does neither of these, you cannot expect the agent to move forward. If you are writing either with English as a first language or English as a second language, the agent will expect you to have a command of the language in either event.