Hello,

I'm wondering whether I should be contacting agents to submit my work to Publishers for me? It seems they will need 10-15% as a fee.

It seems also that some Publishers won't accept submissions direct from authors - is that common? I wonder, is it usually a requirement to have an agent in order to get Published? Any recommendations from good experiences?

Many thanks :-)

As I understand it, your mss is non-fiction, so, no, you don't need an agent.
If you decide to submit to agents, then do it before submitting to publishers, because Agents don't want to be touting it round publishers who've already seen and rejected it.
As for the 15% Agents' fee, that shouldn't be a factor in your decision - as the old proverb goes, A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.


- NaomiM

I'm afraid you will need to find an agent for most publishers to even consider looking at your work.

You can always approach the independents first, but an agent negotiates on your behalf, usually achieving a much better advance and is therefore well worth the fee - that's supposing you can get one to take you on. And, that's not intended as a personal slur - simply a fact of the publishing world.



<Added>

Oh, just seen that your book is not fiction - oh well, that's slightly different. In that case, you can try pitching an idea direct.

Good luck

As Naomi says, you don't need an agent for non-fiction, but it's very much to your advantage to have one if you can get on. It's not just the sale: they will probably get you a bigger advance, but in the longer term they're part of your ongoing relationship with a publisher, and know a lot more about it that you. Having said that, on the whole agents are looking for a long-term relationship, building your career, so how interested they would be would depend on whether and what you plan to go on writing.

Emma

<Added>

Don't forget that you never, ever pay a fee to an agent. They take their 10-15% (usually the latter) commission on the sale to a publisher when they make one. No sale, no commission...

Yes, sorry, as Emma says there should be no upfront fee. It would only be 10-15% of any advance/royalites you were paid by the publisher.

I wouldn't be without my agent, not just for sales but he's also there for me during little tiffs with the oublisher - which we all have from time to time.
That said, I write fiction and don't know much about the nf world.
Nessie writes both, I think, so she might know the best way to go. We share the same fiction agent, but I don't know if she uses him for her nf stuff too.
HB x

Agreed - I wouldn't be without my agent for anything, but I do know nf authors who get on perfectly well without one, usually by using the Society of Authors to check contracts and so on. I think they're the ones who are happy to be reasonably savvy and businesslike, and tend to be the ones publishing in a niche market, where there are a limited number of publishers, and a known market, and it's not about the rough-and-tumble of the bookshop tables and supermarkets, where you need an agent to keep your publisher concentrating on you, and not some other tedious author.

Everyone should join the Society to check their agency agreement, of course. Booky, they have good leaflets on all sorts subjects, which might be helpful. You can buy those direct, although you can't join (and get them free) until you've been offered a contract by an agent or a publisher.

Emma

No, I got my non-fiction deals off my own back, HB - I think it's still possible to do this, if you can put together a great cover letter and proposal.

Thanks everyone, great advice!

I was considering submitting my proposal to Harper Thorsons, a part of HarperCollins who publish books in the same genre mine will be, however I found they only accept via an agent. Hmmm, will have to look into an agent maybe...

Thought so, Nessie.
HB x

You might find these views on agents quite interesting, too (start at the Jan 13 entry; read the comments, too - especially Laura Resnick's):

http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/

Terry

A friend of mine decided to pass by the agents. I think you'll find, in the UK at least, the Big publishing houses are at a stand-still. They will only look at your work if you've been published before or you have been highly commended by the highest order.

If you are from the UK, you should try the smaller publishing house. My mate went with KMVFmedia and his book is now in demand. They take a chance on you and you take a chance on them. They act as your agent + your publisher.

Anita x

the Big publishing houses are at a stand-still.

Not sure what it means - they're publishing as many books as ever.

They will only look at your work if you've been published before or you have been highly commended by the highest order.

It's true that many but not all large publishing houses will only look at fiction if it's come from an agent, so the first step to mainstream publication is to be taken on by an agent to represent your work. Agents are in the business of finding new writers, although they are overwhelmed by submissions so it's hard to be taken on. 99% of those submissions are nowhere near good enough, so if you've written a good enough book, then the odds of being taken on are really quite good. The small publishers do look at direct submissions, but it's still important to be confident that you're dealing with a publisher, not a vanity press or 'subsidy' publisher.

My mate went with KMVFmedia and his book is now in demand. They take a chance on you and you take a chance on them.

Agents are specialists in representing books, and publishers are specialists in publishing them: no chances necessary. Any organisation which isn't solely concerned with one or the other business isn't one you want touching your book.

They act as your agent + your publisher.

This isn't possible - an agent is your representative with publishers, negotiating on your behalf. Any organisation which claims to fulfil both roles is one to avoid, because they're neither a proper publisher nor a proper agent.

The Society of Authors can advise if you're offered a contract, and Writers Workshop has a good page which should help you to check whether a publisher you're thinking about approaching (or has who has approached you) is legitimate, and not a vanity or subsidy publisher: http://www.writersworkshop.co.uk/Bandits.asp

Emma

There are number of respected small publishers out there, with impressive track records.
KMVF media follows a different business format from them.

<Added>

caveat emptor

Agents don't just sell your work. Your 10-15% pays for settling the terms of a contract in your favour and final contract negotiations. As an author, you can get your book in front of a good editor if you know how, but can you understand 10 pages of 10pt legal jargon?

That's what you pay for.

Of course, if you're paying for it, that makes the agent your employee.

doesn't it?

(Clliiiick!!!

Colin quietly opens an extra large can of worms)