Agents are as hard to sign with as a publisher…is it worth the effort?

Recently I was asked why I have an agent. To date I’ve sold most of my books on my own, so why have one now? Great question…one that has several answers. Like three.

1. An agent is a master of negotiation.

Most writers I know are not wheelers & dealers. They’re twitchy little mammals, preferring to hole up in a room with a computer for hours on end, shunning all but their imaginary characters. So when it comes to bartering for royalty rates or advance dollars, a writer isn’t the most savvy business person to nail a tight deal.

2. A reputable agent is well connected.

There are other things besides book deals. Foreign rights. Movie rights. And rights I don’t even know about because I’m not a well-connected agent. A good agent knows people—or people that know people—that can grant you these rights. This isn’t to say that once you have an agent you’ll land a sweet Hollywood deal. I’m merely pointing out that an agent’s knowledge and connections can stretch beyond the publishing realm.

3. Agents look at the big picture to guide your career.

I admit it. I’ve got tunnel vision. I just want to write stories. Period. An agent, however, looks at your career as a whole, beyond the particular story you may be writing at the moment, and envisions a goal for the future.

The main reason I decided to sign with my current agent is because I was approached by my publisher to become their exclusive author for the next five years. That’s a huge commitment with a contract full of legalese—of which I’m not fluent. Plus the agent I chose happens to be a fan of my writing, which is pretty awesome.

So yes, agents are a very useful tool to have in your writerly toolbox, but trust me, the old adage is true: a bad agent is worse than no agent. Do your homework. Sign with the best possible agent you can find.