Christina Phillips

~ How to Find an Agent ~

Searching for agent representation can be exciting, exhilarating, frustrating and downright demoralizing. But if you decide you want an agent to help with your career, how do you go about this formidable search?

I can only relay my own process, and for US agents my first port of call was AgentQuery. This is a fantastic resource. Type in either the name of the agent you wish to research or the genre your work falls under, and up pops the relevant information. It's a great way to start off your agent list.

Another excellent resource is Publishers Marketplace, which lists agents, editors and their deals. This isn't a free resource, but the information is invaluable and it can be worth joining for a month or so while researching.

The Association of Authors' Agents (UK) promotes a code of professional practice, and their website has a listing of all member agents and other relevant information.

So once you have your list of agents and you've read through their websites (if available), check them out on Preditors & Editors. This informative site lets you check whether the agent has made sales and whether there are any red flags attached to the name. One major reason to run from an agent is if they charge upfront fees. Agents make their money by selling your work, not by charging you for the privilege of signing with them.

Another brilliant site is Absolute Write. This is a forum where people ask questions on individual agents or agencies and you can invariably find a thread on the agent you're researching (although this is more likely if the agent you're interested in is in the US).

Victoria Strauss and Ann Crispin have an excellent blog where they help new writers avoid scam agents and they've put together a Top Twenty Worst Agents List, which is well worth checking out.

And of course there is the incomparable Miss Snark, retired but not forgotten, whose entire archived blog is full of golden nuggets for writers at all stages of their career.