The Cons of Using an Agentįirst, you have to do a ton of research on each agent before you contact them. They’re a lot like a business manager, and they can contact otherwise unreachable editors and negotiate all the important contract details on your behalf–but it's not all roses. They (if they’re any good) will help you make your book even better, then work their tail off to find you a great deal. If you think your work is Big 5 material, you have to find an agent who’s interested in your book. In order for the slightest hope that big publishing houses will show interest, fiction authors must have impressive writing skills and their work must fit the commercial mold of genre fiction, while nonfiction authors must have a compelling hook, a marketable idea, and a substantial author platform.
These companies are extremely selective and will only accept proposals through an agent. These are the big dogs - the Holy Grail of publishing accolades and prestige. When you think of traditional publishers, the Big 5 might be your first thought: Looking to format your manuscript for a publisher but can't shell out the money you need for a formatting program? Download our free formatting templates for Microsoft Word and format them today! Get Your Formatting Templates for FREE! Traditional Publishing & Literary Agents–What’s The Deal?
