How I [FINALLY] Signed with a Literary Agent

Plus, my biggest tip for writers trying to do the same

May 31, 2024

For years, the story burned a hole in my chest.

It made every day feel a little like emotional rucking— you know, the thing where you go on a walk or hike with a weighted backpack or vest. I made many attempts to get the story out of my head an on to paper, but nothing ever gelled. I’d ghostwritten books before, but that was different. When you write someone else’s story, you follow their outline, plug in details, tighten up the story.

A blinking cursor on a blank page to write my own felt overwhelming.

In 2019, I met Janna Marlies Maron— fellow writer, publisher of the literary magazine Under the Gum Tree, and editor extraordinaire. She was on the precipice of launching More to the Story, a non-fiction manuscript bootcamp for women, an online course that promised to help writers complete their book in nine months.

On a More to the Story writing retreat in Tahoe, 2021.

I signed up in January of 2020, did everything Janna said. I spent hours— so many hours!— at my desk, pouring my heart out, editing chapters line-by-line, deleting thousands of words when they didn’t end up doing what I thought they would. By September, I held what writer Anne Lamott calls a shitty first draft of Mom Genes in my hands (a literal copy, thanks to the good people at Kinkos who printed and bound it for me).

Are you even a millennial if you don’t take a selfie to commemorate the day you finished the first draft of your book?

I sped down the proverbial highway, watching the hard part shrinking to nothing in the rearview mirror.

LOL.

Girl, I didn’t know I was just getting started. If you want to publish an actual book, many things need to happen after you’re “done” writing. (Are we ever “done”?). I decided pursuing a traditional publishing deal was my Plan A. In order to do that, I needed a literary agent.

What is a literary agent?

Unless you want to self-publish or go with a smaller press, writers need representation from a literary agent. A literary agent brings your book/book proposal (basically a very thorough business plan for your book) to publishers on your behalf. Ideally, they have connections with the kinds of publishers looking to publish books like yours. They negotiate contracts, and should be your partner throughout the publishing process. Signing with an agent is free, however, if/when your book sells you agreed to pay them a percentage of any advance/sales of your book (usually 15%).

So… how do you find an agent?

Basically cold calling via email.

There are many databases that help you search for agents (like Manuscript Wishlist or Duotrope), or you can read the acknowledgments of books similar to yours and find you who your favorite authors work with.

Once you’ve identified an agent you might like to work with, you send them a “query letter.” This is a 300-500 word email that describes what your books is about, why they specifically are the person to champion your work, some “comps” (aka other books published within the last three or so years that are similar to yours and have sold well), plus your bio, and anything else they specifically ask for (like the first 10 pages of your manuscript).

You spend hours crafting the perfect email, click send, then wait to hear back. Most agents will tell you that they respond within a certain period of time— anywhere between six weeks to three months (!!!!). They also often tell you: if you don’t hear back, consider it a no.

Doesn’t this sound fun?!

If the agent is interested in learning more, they will follow up and either ask for your full manuscript/book proposal/or to set up a call.

Not-so-fun facts about literary agents:

Your chances of landing one isn’t that great. Most agents represent between 20-60 authors (not all actively trying to publish a book at the same time). Many receive a few hundred query letters a month (aka thousands annually), and only sign a few writers per year. You do the math.
The process can take a long time. I sent my first agent query letter in January of 2021. I signed with my current agent a few months ago, in April of 2024.
Even if you sign with an agent, it doesn’t mean you’ve got a publishing deal in the bag. After a full year of querying (about 50 letters), I signed with my first agent in February of 2022. I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited. I spent the next few months making her suggested edits to my manuscript, and the next 18 months trying to get her to respond to any of emails and texts. She basically ghosted me, and eventually, I had to end things. It was a huge blow to my confidence, not to mention so frustrating to have to “start over” with the querying process (though it took less letters the second time around!).

The most beautiful bottle of wine I received from my editor after signing with my first agent.

What I learned about the querying process:

Don’t take it personally. You’re probably going hear no a lot. That’s okay. Think of it like dating— most people aren’t looking for any ol’ warm body to share a bed with, you want someone who gets you! This is the person representing you and your work to the world. They need to love you and your book. The right agent is worth the wait.
It’s a numbers game. I sent out nearly 80 queries in total. I probably got responses from 30 percent of them (mostly of the canned “no thanks” variety). About 10 percent of agents requested my full manuscript, and two offered representation.
Don’t overthink it. When you hem and haw over every sentence, you’re getting in your own way. Just effing send the thing! If an agent likes the premise, connects with the story, and thinks you’re the right person to tell it, a typo or could-be-worded-better sentence probably isn’t going to make them go all Forest Gump and run.
It’s more about tenacity than talent. It is SO EASY TO QUIT when you keep hearing no (or worse, crickets!). But keep going! I lost faith so many times, but after taking a breather, I got back after it. I’m not saying talent doesn’t matter, but the truth is, even amazing authors get loads of help from editors. My biggest lesson is that the writers who get agents/publishing deals are the ones who didn’t let a few [dozen] rejections stop them.
It only takes one yes. Just keep going.

So, to recap:

I started working on this book in 2018-19, but not seriously until 2020. I finished my first draft in fall of 2020, but didn’t sign with an agent until 2022. I broke up with said agent in 2023, and signed with a new agent in spring of 2024. It’s taken over five years to get to a place where my book might be ready to sell this fall. And even then, who knows?

Good things take time. If you’re building something you care about, remember that the overnight success is the exception to the rule (and usually doesn’t tell the whole story). Keep going, be patient, and enjoy the journey because it’s the only part of the process you can really count on.