Here are my 12 steps to finding a literary agent…I’m a full-time freelance writer who just signed on with the Irene Goodman Literary Agency in NYC, and I’m thrilled to reach this milestone in my writing career!  

First, I gotta share a quip I found from Irene Goodman herself:

“Writing is your job, just like your postman has a job,” says Goodman. “He delivers the mail every day, rain or shine. Successful authors sit down and face that blank screen every day. You don’t actually have to do it every day, but you do have to do it on a firm schedule…If you write only when the muse strikes or when you feel like it, you will have a very hard time finishing a book.”

These are unverified words – I found them on the internet – but boy do I love them! At a writer’s conference recently, bestselling author Bob Mayer said he can’t afford writer’s block. He’s got bills to pay and a family to feed…no time to wait around for the voice of the muse.

Regarding agents: click on the 2009 Guide to Literary Agents for oceans of info, and read on to learn how I found my Special Agent Jon Sternfeld, of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

12 Steps to Finding a Literary Agent

I’m (currently) a nonfiction writer, but the following tips are also applicable to novelists, poets, children’s writers, etc. The major difference is that, unless they’re Stephen King, fiction writers need to write the book first. Nonfiction writers can get an agent with just a well-written book proposal and 2-3 sample chapters…

1. Hammer out your idea. It should go without saying that you need a great hook, a well-thought-out idea, and strong writing skills to catch an agent’s attention…but I have to say it anyway. I know that writers rush in where fools fear to go (no offense, fellow scribes! I’m one of the quickest writers out of the starting gate, which often backfires). Also important – make sure you’re building your writer’s platform.

2. Prepare an airtight book proposal. My favorite resource is Elizabeth Lyon’s Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write (Revised and Updated). However, I see that Stephen Blake Mettee recently released The Fast Track Course on How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal, which might be worth a peek. There are lots of book on the market about book proposals; read as many as you can stomach, then trust your gut when you’re actually writing your book proposal.

3. Polish your proposal until it sparkles. The first agent I talked to (not Sternfeld at Irene Goodman) said he can’t believe how unprepared and unprofessional writers can be! Don’t just edit your book proposal (or novel) until it’s finished…edit it until there’s absolutely no way you can make it better. To be a successful writers, you have to go beyond “good enough.” Read How to Write Query Letters for Magazines (the tips work for agents’ query letters, too).

4. Research agents. Use the 2009 Guide to Literary Agents, explore Predators & Editors, or Google ”literary agents in America/Canada.” I also asked a colleague for her agent’s name, she emailed him, he emailed me, we spoke later that day, and he sent me a contract a couple days later. I didn’t sign on with him – I’ll tell you why soon.

5. Follow the submission guidelines. The websites I visited had clear submission guidelines. Take them seriously – you’ll stand out as a potential successful writer that an agent would want to sign!

6. Query far and wide. I don’t know if all agents and writers are on the same page here, but agent Janet Reid recommends sending your query to as many agents as possible. I e-mailed 14 of the “highly recommended” ones on Predators & Editors.

7. Avoid “resting on your laurels.” Move on to something else while you’re waiting – pitch a few magazine article ideas, play around with a new book idea, catch up on your blog. It took Sternfeld less than a week to contact me – but it can take longer. Sometimes years.

8. Respond if an agent calls. Sternfeld emailed a request for a phone conversation less than a week after I sent my book proposal, and I emailed him back a few minutes later. We talked within half an hour – I think we both wanted to strike while the iron was hot!

9. Make sure he’s riding your wave. It can be tempting to sign on with the first agent you talk to, but hold up a second. The first one I spoke with (my colleague’s agent) suggested a fairly significant change to my book. That didn’t light my fire, but I’m open to thinking about stuff. He sent the contract and left the ball in my court…and I decided not to play with him. Sternfeld, however, was thrilled with my book proposal! “Even if you don’t sign with me,” he said, “don’t change anything about your book. It’s great the way it is.” Finer words were never spoken.

10. Read the contract. Maybe it’s necessary to have a lawyer review an agent’s contract before you sign it…and maybe not. I signed on with Irene Goodman without a lawyer’s rubber stamp (but I did compare it to my other contract – which was 5 pages long. Goodman’s was one page).

11. Do a “background check” on the agency. I did this step twice: first when I researched literary agents, and then again when I was offered a contract. It was easy with Irene Goodman, as they’ve been around for 30 years, are highly recommended on Predators & Editors, and are reverred on the Absolute Write forums. But, do make sure you research your agent’s name and the agency’s name – you may not be able to look under every rock, but it’s worth a shuffle through the forest.

12. Sign, and celebrate! As I said, who know what the future holds – but signing with an agent is definitely a milestone to celebrate. But don’t party too hard tonight, fellow scribes, because tomorrow morning you gotta get back to work….

Visit the Irene Goodman Literary Agency for more info – plus they have links to some good articles about writing…and if you have any tips for or warnings about finding a literary agent, please share below!