Literary Agent for Mystery Writers
From LoveToKnow Freelance-Writing
Finding a literary agent for mystery writers is not hard to do. Getting one to represent your manuscript, however, can be a challenge.
Why You Need a Literary Agent
What is a literary agent and what purpose does one serve for authors? A literary agent can open the door for publishers to view your work.
Thirty years ago, literary agents were not as popular. Authors could simply submit their partial manuscripts to an acquisition editor on their own. No middleman was needed.
Now, in order for an editor to even take a look at a author's work so that it will not end up in the slush pile, a literary agent is needed. An editor of a major publishing house is not going to read any of the chapters of a writer's mystery unless the writer is represented by an agent. It is clear that a literary agent for mystery writers is key to getting that contract to becoming published.
Before You Start
Perhaps you have been writing novels for years. You are eager to see your mystery on the shelves of your favorite bookstores and autograph copies of your captivating book. Before sending out queries to agents that specialize in mysteries, make sure that your pages are in the best shape they can be. Carefully perfect your manuscript. Check for misspellings. Scan the work for adjectives that have a tendency to be overused. Have another writer read your story and make suggestions for improving it. Take a refresher course in grammar and punctuation.
Books to Help You with Your Book
A list of books to help you as you get your mystery in tiptop shape can be purchased at Amazon and include:
- Don't Murder Your Mystery: 24 Fiction-Writing Techniques to Save Your Manuscript from Turning up D. O. A. by Chris Roerden
- How to Write and Market Your Mystery Novel: A Step-By-Step Guide from Idea to Final Rewrite and Marketing by Jean Hager
Mystery Writer Resources
The organizations listed below specialize in guiding mystery authors in their writing.
Literary Agent Sites
Looking for a literary agent for mystery writers can be done with ease using the Internet.
If you prefer to do your search with an actual book with pages to turn and mark, consider checking your library or bookstore for Chuck Sambuchino's 2008 Guide to Literary Agents. Some agents ask that you send the first three chapters; there are those who only want the first ten pages. Check to see how an agent wants these sent to them. Many agents allow you to send partials via email.
Signing on with an Agent
When you sign on with a literary agent, agreeing to let him or her represent you and showcase your work to an editor, your contract states that the agent gets a cut of any advance money or royalties from the sale of the book. The cut is usually 15 percent. This means that 15 percent of anything the publishing house offers the author goes to the agent for his or her fee. This is standard procedure. The literary agent, after all, is the one able to open the publishing door for an author so that the mystery is accepted by a publisher.
Talk a Walk
Sitting at the computer and working on a mystery in the fashion of Agatha Christie can make for a sedentary lifestyle. Don't forget to get outside and smell the fresh air every once in a while. Take a walk. Walking around the block can do wonders to get your creative juices flowing, not to mention be good for your circulation and health.
As you pursue your love of writing mysteries, be aware of the pros and cons of being a writer. Network with other authors so that you will be encouraged and stay driven. Hopefully, one day you will have an agent call to say she has read your manuscript and wants to represent you. Stay focused; with persistence, it can happen to you!
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