The Benefits of Working with a Literary Agent

As a new author navigating the publishing industry, you may ask why you should submit your book to a literary agent? Working with a literary agent has many advantages. A literary agent helps you prepare your book for submission, match you with the right publisher, and negotiate the contract.

Preparing your Book for Submission

At Langtons International Agency we curate a special list of publishers that we feel would be a perfect fit for your book. Choosing an editor that specializes in your topic and writing style will give you the best opportunity to sell your book or marketing proposal to a commercial publisher. A literary agent can help you gather marketing materials, create an author bio, and write a strong pitch letter to entice publishers.

Finding the Right Publisher

A literary agent’s job is to find a publisher for the writers they represent. In fact, most commercial publishers will not accept manuscripts that are not represented by a well-established literary agent. Literary agents are familiar with what a publisher is looking for in a manuscript. Additionally, a good literary agency will have connections with acquiring editors which they can leverage to get your book published.

Negotiating the Deal

Your book has been sold to a publisher! Now what? After your book has been sold to a publisher, a literary agent is responsible for negotiating the contract for your book. Literary agents are familiar with industry standards and have the skills to negotiate a great deal for your book. Your agent will handle the logistics of the contract, including things such as advances and royalties

 

Submitting Your Book to a Literary Agent

Finding the Right Agent

Once you’ve decided to work with a literary agent, it’s time to find the right agent for the topic of your book. Some agents specialize in specific genres, while other agents, such as Langtons International Agency, represent a wide variety of genres. It’s important for authors to do their research and determine which agent is the best fit to represent the genre of their book. Agents familiar with your genre will know the right editor and publishing house for your book.

Leveraging Personal Connections

The second thing to consider is whether you have any personal connections to the literary agent. Did someone refer you to this agency? Do you feel personally moved by their mission statement and their work? Your literary agent will ultimately be handling your career, so you should feel prepared to trust their professional expertise and develop a strong working relationship with them.

Composing your Query Letter

After you have selected the best literary agent for your book, it’s time to prepare a strong query letter. When writing your query letter, include the reasons you selected that particular agency, a brief description of your book, your bio (including any previously published works), and five sample pages.

Langtons International Agency is always looking for well-written, commercial books from a wide variety of genres to present to publishers. We would love to hear from you and receive your query letter. Our website provides a more detailed explanation of what we’re looking for www.langtonsinternational.com.

Submit your query letter here: https://langtonsinternational.com/contact/