Ah, the literary agent… a magnificent creature, part-myth (few in my world have ever seen one), part-magic, for he or she has the ability to make authors’ dreams come true. You see, they have the power to open magical gateways into the gilded world of traditional publishing.
Literary agents often live in pods, called literary agencies, and the agencies are said to number no more than 100o in the U.S. and perhaps 30 in all of Canada. The size of each pod varies, from only one lone member, to dozens, and many of them congregate on the coasts. New York City, for example, has the highest concentration of agents on the continent. Still, the size of their pods or the location of their natural habitats are less important in the search for an agent than understanding the proclivities of each individual creature. While they may help their pod-mates or fellow creatures, ultimately, they are solo beings who make initial, life-altering decisions on their own.
So how to find one?
No, no, you ask the wrong question. It is not how to find one. That, my dear reader, is extraordinarily simple. Each has what’s called an “online presence”, part of their trickery to make us believe they exist. Words, pictures and information about themselves appear, like magic, on flickering screens around the world.
But! To catch one, to hook one–as they so like to tease authors–is the extraordinary challenge. Many writers believe they are up to the task. Thousands upon thousands of them prey on these agent-creatures each and every year–and each writer is convinced that he or she will, with his or her skill, quickly and easily ensnare one.
But they are wiley, cunning creatures, these literary agents. They cannot be fooled. They alone will decide when and who and how they will be caught.
But there are specialized tools in a writer’s arsenal with which to attract them, namely, the Query Letter. It is easily come by–anyone with a pen and imagination can acquire one–but a good query letter, an exemplary query letter, ah, now that is, indeed, almost as rare as the literary agent him or herself.
But it’s an absolute necessity. Without one, a writer has no hope, which is why there is a veritable cottage industry of query-letter advisors out there. For all their skill, though, these advisors have yet to create a sure-fire formula that will guarantee the author’s query-letter-weapon-of-choice will find its mark. (Didn’t I say these agents are crafty creatures?)
Each agent is unique, too, and each expects to be treated as such. Therefore one query letter is not sufficient. A whole arsenal is necessary–but remember, each letter must be hand-crafted to great precision. The mould may be the same, but the finish must carefully reflect the individual tastes of each agent.
It is, therefore, a very time-consuming endeavour–and utterly impossible to target all the creatures in hopes of nabbing one. A scatter shot approach will not do. So how to decide whom to tailor the query-letter weapon?
A random romp through the Internet wilds is one method. See who is out there and, indiscriminitely choose a handful at whom to aim your query letter. However, a more targeted approach is recommended. Begin by identifying those authors you admire who have already hooked a literary agent. Often, the author will heap public praise on his/her creature, so this is not too difficult to discover. Now you have a name; now you have a target.
But don’t stop there. Often the creatures themselves will discuss others of their kind; those tracks, some of which you may never have been aware of before, could be invaluable to your hunt.
Finally, the last step in ensnaring that elusive literary agent: patience. They are unpredictable and independent creatures, these agents. One cannot hurry them. If you place a well-crafted, personalized query letter in front of the creatures you most wish to see, they will–slowly, cautiously–seek you out.
If they like your writing, of course.
If they do not, then fear not. Literary agents may be elusive, but they are not extinct. Simply choose another target; study him or her, sharpen your query letter–and let fly.
I wish you all the best in your quest.
Happy hunting.
