| When a writer finishes writing book, his task is | | | | producer, is to hire an agent who deals with these |
| only partly done. If he wants anyone to read it, | | | | people on a regular basis. |
| his next step is to get it published. | | | | Literary agents are usually paid anywhere from |
| Writers looking to get published, often go to | | | | ten to twenty percent of the amount paid to the |
| literary agents for help. The primary goal of a | | | | writer. For example, if you sell a manuscript for |
| literary agent is to represent the writer in the | | | | $5.000, the literary agent may receive anywhere |
| presentation of their work to publishers. In return | | | | from $500 to $1000. Since the job of the agent is |
| for helping to get the writer's material published, | | | | to promote you, if you are by nature, a self |
| the agent will usually get a percentage of what | | | | promoter, you may not really need an agent. |
| the work sells for. | | | | Most writers, however, being introverted and |
| Unfortunately, because they are working on | | | | introspective, do not find it easy to promote |
| percentages, agents usually prefer want to deal | | | | either themselves or their work. If you are this |
| with published authors. This makes it hard for the | | | | type of person, odds are you will need an agent |
| new writer just trying to break into the business. | | | | to get your book noticed. |
| It is a real catch -22. You need a literary agent to | | | | There are tried and proven ways of looking for a |
| help get your book published, but an agent does | | | | literary agent. The most prevalent method is to |
| not want to particularly take you on unless you | | | | write a query letter and hope that it intrigues the |
| have already had a book published. | | | | agent enough to take you on as a client. Many |
| In addition to book authors, literary agents also | | | | new writers don't write to agents because they |
| help to present work done by screenplay writers | | | | feel that their letter will be ignored or tossed aside |
| to film producers. These people rarely ever take | | | | by the too-busy agent. But, query letters are how |
| manuscripts or screenplays from a writer unless | | | | most agents get business, so they do like to |
| that writer is well known or has already had his | | | | receive query letters. Of course, the query letter |
| work produced before. So, if you are a | | | | must be well written and must convince them |
| screenwriter, basically the only realistic way of | | | | that your book is worth promoting, or else they |
| getting your work in front of a director or | | | | will toss your letter aside. |