Written during my agenting days, this post details what literary agents want. This by yr, I've built upward a nifty client listing and sold some keen books. What are literary agents looking for changes ofttimes, every bit I mentioned on Alice Pope's blog a few weeks agone. For instance, once they accept a great base of clients and don't feel the same frenzy to grow their lists, they get more selective. Just they will always desire potent work. Here's how to requite yourself summit consideration.

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What literary agents want when evaluating a full manuscript.

What Literary Agents Want

And as publishers take tightened lists and as my ain feel with editors and published books and writing and marketing grows, my standards have risen even college. It'south more difficult to take hold of my eye at present, every bit I've seen more, and, more importantly, gotten sick everything that'due south tired and flat and been done hundreds of times earlier. There's still, of course, room on my list. Lots of it. Simply those slots are harder to catch, and those worthy writers are harder to win over, as they tend to accept lots of offers. (I notice that, if a project has me really excited, more often than not, a handful of other agents are as well about to offer or already offering on it…more than on that in a future post.)

And then now that I'thou inbound my 2d year equally an agent, I'm finding myself being more exclusive most what I want to have on, simply I'm as well finding myself in more competitive situations with bigger agents. It's a tough position to exist in, and it doesn't always let me become through my entire manuscript consideration process (which was supposed to be the indicate of this post). Still, while this is happening more and more than, I wanted to let you in to my regular manuscript consideration process, since my slush consideration process post seemed to get a adept response. This is how it all goes down on my end.

What Are Literary Agents Looking For: A Skilful Query Letter

Beginning, a query letter catches my middle. Because I want to be completely sure of my judgment and rule out chances of slush psychosis, per the post linked higher up, I put it in my Perchance Pile. Since this is a fantasy scenario, permit's just say I dutifully return to my Mayhap Pile the very next day (instead of a calendar week later, after I realize that life has gotten abroad from me) and request those manuscripts that still sound expert. For any batch of slush, I stop upward requesting one or two manuscripts at a time.

One time I get the manuscript from an author, I put it in my queue. At whatever point in time, I may have between two and ten full requests in line. And I go to them depending on how much time I have and in social club of request appointment. It ordinarily takes me two weeks to a month (this summer was boring because of the move) to answer to a total (unless, of course, the writer has other offers or I'grand very interested in something, right after the query, and need to read immediately…and this doesn't happen that often, even with full requests).

Literary Agency Interns

The other thing I practise when I get a full request in is I send it to my readers. Yes, I have readers. ABLit agents piece of work with qualified young publishing enthusiasts on total manuscripts and sometimes customer manuscripts. Since we're scattered all over the land, my colleagues and I have our own networks of readers, although there are some readers that everyone at the bureau works with.

I currently accept several readers and I too work with one of our agency readers. I take a very rigorous reader screening procedure and cull my readers very carefully. Though, I don't always agree with them, I value their feedback. They provide a valuable service to me, as they fill in my blind spots and make sure I'm non missing anything — good or bad — about a manuscript. (I started out every bit a reader for ABLit, so I love didactics and working with my readers, information technology'southward a bang-up learning experience for both of usa. Speaking of which, toxic assistant attitude toward "lowly interns" can become you in problem, so avert it.)

What Literary Agents Desire in a Manuscript

Then anyhow. I send the total request to all my readers and read it myself, every bit well. If the manuscript really catches my eye on a read, or if a reader highly recommends something that I haven't gotten to nevertheless, I kick the submission into loftier gear. When I'm interested, I read chop-chop.

About submissions, unfortunately, tend to fall apart past page fifty — the commencement benchmark, when I tell my readers to check their guts and see if they however want to keep reading. If I can put a total request down by page 50, I volition non pick it back up again. The issue is usually vocalism, character, pacing, or plotting. (The vocalism is flat, the grapheme is one-dimensional, the story crawls forth, and nosotros haven't gotten into the main plot/action of the manuscript yet.) If my readers chime in and say that they put it downwards as well, information technology'due south a decline. (My readers don't talk to each other near submissions, nor practise I allow my readers decide for me. It'due south not rejection or offer by consensus. Merely because I accept such expert readers, I tend to hold on manuscripts with at least one of them and really do accept their feedback into consideration. Still, the final decision is mine.)

Learn to Write a Novel

If a submission is really skillful, a "kicking it into high gear" submission, a "finished information technology in one sitting submission," and I recall it is especially commercial or might attract other agent attention, I will ask that all my readers terminate it and send me a reader's report. I volition also accept notes on the manuscript. If I finish a manuscript and can't stop thinking about it, I know I have a very potent candidate for an offer of representation. I usually give myself a few days to make certain the project is still an I-can't-live-without-it submission. If I'one thousand still obsessed with it, I let the author know and and then we schedule a call.

Nonetheless, not all of my offers end in the author signing up (more than on this, as promised, later). And all of the manuscripts I have on do become through revision, based on my editorial notes from my start read and from the repeat read that I ever practise after I take someone on. And yes, I have read good manuscripts that were getting lots of offers merely that I idea needed work, and I've passed on them rather than competing for them.

Only high as my standards are and tough as my editorial vision is, I do love the whole process of reading a potential client's manuscript — from the heady asking to the potential treasure trove of the full to the rare manuscripts that sparks my imagination. And I'k definitely looking for more of this magic, and more successful offers. What are literary agents looking for? In brusque, good stuff! Continue writing and revising!

Though I'g no longer a gatekeeper, I tin can bring my literary agent experience to your novel. Hire me as a developmental editor.