This month, I attended the second virtual presentation of the 10-month agent symposium hosted by the Writers League of Texas (WLT). A literary agent spoke for 30 minutes on a topic related to traditional publishing, followed by a Q&A session.

Presentation 2: “The Ins & Outs of Approaching Agents” with Mary C. Moore of Aevitas Creative Management

Mary broke down her presentation by addressing the why (do you need a literary agent), when (knowing when you are ready to query), who (which agents to approach and how to do your research), what (details of the submission package and what agents expect to see in their inbox), and where (how to submit).

Here are my ten takeaways, along with a bonus one that put my mind at ease.

1. A good agent acts as your business partner. They have a strong understanding of literary contract language, along with valuable business insights and industry connections to assist you in navigating your career.
2. Mary no longer expects her clients to have a major social media presence. A basic website with your bio is good.
3. Be well-read in your content genre. Learn the nuances.
4. Knowing your audience for your novel will lead you to the right agent.
5. Know your intent: What is your theme? What are you trying to say? Why are you writing that novel?
6. Read back covers of books for pitch ideas. She suggests reading twenty in a row within the genre you are writing.
7. Don’t be scared of cold querying. Cold querying is Mary’s number one way of gaining clients.
8. If you are writing something you have personal experience in, put that in your query letter.
9. Mary accepts a wide range of genres. She is looking for layered, upfiction but all fiction is welcome. She wants something fresh.
10. It’s not common to get feedback from agents. Agents are overwhelmed and busy. They can get upwards of twenty queries a day. If you see “I’d love to see future work” in a rejection letter, believe it. Agents don’t say that lightly.

Bonus Mindblower: Mary emphasized that there is nothing wrong with submitting your work early. If you send out your submission and later realize it isn’t ready, most agents receive so many queries that they won’t remember that you submitted.

Last month was the first presentation with Abby Walters from Creative Artists Agency. Click here to read my notes on “Before the Agent Search”.

I turned my notes into a podcast. Have a listen!