What Does an Agent Do Besides Sell Your Project?

It’s a fresh year, and perhaps you’re asking yourself questions many writers ask: Do I really need an agent? What do they even do for authors, after the book contract is signed? Here at Books & Such, we partner with writers in a very holistic way, providing ample opportunities for them to reach their highest potential professionally. I’ll talk more about some of the ways we do this below, but it’s worth noting that the services an agent offers will vary considerably from agency to agency.

So, what does an agent do besides sell your project?

Polish, polish, polish

Once an agent agrees to represent you and your project to publishers, the next step is to make sure it is in the best shape to get an enthusiastic yes. This might include requesting that you edit existing content for better flow or even add content. These decisions and requests will be made with you, as the agent-client partnership is just that—a collaboration. Once the project is in good shape, you and the agent will turn your attention to the proposal, making certain that it shines before an agent sends it to publishers.

Navigate the publishing path

You have a signed book contract, what now? This is when you may need your agent more than ever. Between marketing meetings, emails with publicists, and discussions about cover design—it can get overwhelming. While the relationship with your agent is a business partnership, you and your agent are in a business partnership with a publisher, as well. If things get particularly confusing or bumpy, your agent is the liaison between you and the publisher. While it’s easy to get rather emotional about your beloved project as the author, your agent will remain calm and help you handle any snags along the way.

Advise & brainstorm

Sometimes unexpected things happen, and authors need to reassess their plans. Perhaps their first book didn’t sell as well as everyone hoped, or their favorite genre is no longer as popular as it once was. Maybe you have an excellent idea for a future book, but your agent knows how the market will respond based on similar concepts, and advises you to give it more thought. An agent often finds themselves in the role of a guidance counselor, helping authors brainstorm several possible book ideas or possible paths to reach their publishing goals. Remember, an agent believes in your work immensely—or they would not be your agent. This makes them the perfect person to offer tailored advice as you progress professionally.

Educate

Not sure about the best ways to grow your platform, or the latest trends in publishing? This is where an agent can shine. Here at Books & Such, our agents present multiple webinars for our clients each year addressing these very topics, among others pertinent to authors. Agents can offer unique insight into what works currently in spaces like social media or newsletters, as we have a sort of bird’s eye view with multiple clients testing and trying new things. One of the joys of agenting, at least for me (a former teacher), is educating clients while working with them to ensure I’ve done my part to help them reach their full professional potential.

Encourage

The writing life is full of ups and downs. Agents feel the highs and lows right alongside their authors as contracts and rejections come in. There is also a lot of waiting involved in publishing. Sometimes during the long wait for responses from editors, authors can get a little (or a lot) anxious. They may begin to doubt themselves, the project, or how good their writing actually is. This is when an agent can remind you that you are talented, your project is good,  and you are a good writer—it’s just hard to wait. Your agent wants you to succeed, and every now and then, our job is to encourage you to keep going. Remember, there’s no such thing as an overnight success.

Celebrate

Perhaps this last one is obvious, but when an author has something professional to celebrate, we agents celebrate right along with them. We’re in a business that often yields more nos than yeses, so when we get an opportunity, we celebrate!

 

At the end of the day, we agents support writers to the best of our ability. We cheerlead and empathize. We (virtually) hold hands, and walk together down uncertain paths. We hold hope, even when authors feel hopeless. We navigate the publishing life together. And we are always, always, grateful for our clients.

 

What would you add to this list? Do any of these surprise you?