How to Land an Agent for a Self-Published Book

Note from Jane (January 2022): Even though this station was first written and published successful 2017, I guidelines by it and my proposal remains nan same.

One of nan astir predominant questions in my inbox is: “I’ve self-published my book, but now I want an agent. How do I get one?” Usually nan writer wants an supplier (or accepted publisher) because they’ve been disappointed by their sales aliases person knowledgeable vexation successful getting readers. Other times, nan author’s scheme was to self-publish first and magically pull attraction that would lead to a accepted book deal—something that is moreover much of a uncommon occurrence than landing a book woody done nan slush pile.

If you’ve fixed up connected nan self-publishing way and want to effort traditional, past location are respective approaches you tin take.

1. Query agents arsenic if you didn’t self-publish.

This is nan astir sensible attack if you put very small clip aliases effort into self-publishing your book, haven’t been connected nan marketplace very long, and judge self-publishing was a mistake. (I would besides counsel taking nan activity disconnected nan marketplace earlier you query if it was so a mistake, but that’s not required.)

Prepare a query letter and synopsis (or a book connection for nonfiction), and research agents who are willing successful your genre, conscionable arsenic you would for an unpublished work. Then transportation and spot what responses you get. If you’re capable to unafraid interest, you should disclose nan history of nan project; if nan supplier is genuinely interested, that history is improbable to impact their enthusiasm for nan work, particularly if nan activity received small aliases nary attraction while it was connected nan market.

2. Query and mention your self-publishing effort.

If your self-publishing effort has resulted successful immoderate nickname aliases sales, past you should query agents conscionable arsenic you would for an unpublished work, but mention successful your query what occurrence you’ve enjoyed pinch nan project. It’s important to statement erstwhile you released nan book, what value it’s trading at, really galore copies you’ve sold, really galore reviews you person connected Amazon aliases Goodreads, and your mean rating. Do not nonstop a transcript of nan book pinch your query. Instead, hold for nan supplier to bespeak successful their consequence what they’d for illustration to see—the first chapter? First 50 pages? The full book? Be prepared to nonstop nan activity successful manuscript format if requested.

If interested, nan supplier will intimately scrutinize nan activity connected Amazon and Goodreads—and astir apt thoroughly investigation your online presence—so make judge that you’ve spiffed up your website and are putting your champion master look forward.

3. Continue trading your self-pub work.

The honorable truth is that astir agents (and publishers) person small aliases nary liking successful acquiring self-published activity unless it’s receiving important attraction successful nan media aliases hitting bestseller lists. In different words, if you’re doing good capable to merit a accepted deal, agents and publishers will travel to you, not nan different measurement around. Usually, your champion stake is to proceed looking for ways to summation attraction and visibility for your work—to effort and make waves. If that seems like an workout successful futility, then…

4. Query pinch a new project.

Aside from hitting bestseller lists, possibly nan champion measurement to onshore a accepted woody for a self-published activity is to unafraid an supplier for a brand-new work. Should that happen, nan supplier will person a speech pinch you astir your imagination for your career and each of your existing work—and will strategize pinch you to determine really to grip your existing self-published oeuvre.

Approaches to avoid

• As stated before, do not nonstop nan book to nan supplier unless they specifically petition it.
• Do not be writers conferences or industry events pinch your self-published book successful manus and effort to waste agents aliases publishers connected it successful personification (unless location is an definitive invitation to do so).
• Do not lead your query aliases your transportation pinch “I self-published this book and thought you mightiness beryllium interested.” The apt guidance will be I americium not willing successful your self-published book. In different words, nan truth that you self-published is almost ne'er a trading point. Pitch nan merits of nan work, not its self-published history, unless you tin say, “I self-published this book and person sold 50,000 copies truthful far.”

For much advice

• Should You Self-Publish aliases Traditionally Publish?