Does a writer really need an agent to get the attention of a traditional, high-class publisher? So it seems, or at least that's what people keep telling us when we are looking for a publisher. One of those Americans who looks like he is living on the outskirts of the publishing world has targeted me in an attempt to make me sign up for one of his courses. They may be good and worthwhile, but I don't feel tempted to try them out as I don't feel that's what I need at this stage. However, I've noticed that one of the "baits" he uses to get students is to insists that his courses may be a way of getting in touch with an agent who (of course) knows the "art of catching the eye of a publisher". To me that looks like a rather circumstantial way to get something published, but it is in accordance with the information I've had from other writers: One can't approach a traditional, high-class publisher on one's own, but has to go by one's agent.
When I read the pamphlets of the man who runs those before-mentioned courses in publishing it's obvious that the chance of getting an agent is one of the baits, right before the SUPER-BAIT, namely the publishing contract. What he is saying is, that attending his courses would open the door into the publishing firm through the agent. To me it's obvious that it shouldn't be like that, and neither should an author have to pay to get published, unless that's his/her choice to do so because he/she likes the idea of e.g. self-publishing.
In 1998 a friend and I published this book with St. Martin's Press. We had an agent by the name of Florence Feiler who had done a lot for Karen Blixen and her works in English. Because of my good experiences with Florence as an agent I approached St. Martin's Press when I myself had a script I wanted to publish in USA. By that time Florence had died, and the publishers didn't even bother to reply which to me was a clear indication that those writers who had told me about the difficult modern ways of the publishing world hadn't lied: It's not at all customary anymore that writers approach a publishing firm without an agent.
Do I want an agent? No, but I may have to try to get one nonetheless, which isn't as easy as one might think. That's why the man with the publishing courses may use the chance of getting an agent as bait for the students he is dreaming of getting ....
The stream of invites for those publishing courses made me think a little more about the nature of the job of a literary agent. What is the education of such an agent? It appears that it may be something of a more or less haphazard nature. There are no fixed exams, and to me it seems it's assumed that they are "well read in life", and - most important, I assume - have contacts in the literary circles. As to their duties they are supposed to find publishers and/or other outlets for their clients' writings. Also they should negotiate terms and contracts as well as collecting incoming payments and royalties.
If they are on a commission - which definitely is the best - it's customary for them to charge 10-15 % of the money their client earns. That should be OK, I suppose, but what guarantee does an author have that his/her agent is worth his/her money? How does he/she know that they have those contacts that are their bait for an author and which are vital for getting a publishing contract? If there is anything I've learnt about the publishing world these years it is that a lot of people shatter promises of all kinds on the not too easily passable paths of all kinds of writers. All - or most of - these promises may prove to be nothing but air and unsubstantial dreams of getting the hopeful writer to pay much too much for nothing ....
https://www.fiverr.com/search/gigs?query=literary%20agent&source=top-bar&acmpl
https://vault.com/professions/literary-agents/requirements
https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/literary-agent-job-description
https://blog.reedsy.com/literary-agents/
https://www.theliteraryoffice.com/contact
https://literaryagencies.com/list-of-literary-agents/
https://fabledplanet.com/30-top-fantasy-and-science-fiction-literary-agents/
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