So I received an interesting phone call. This guy keeps track of agents and was appalled to find that we have only two sales listed from 2009 and none this year. I told him that not all agents post their sales online and he proceeded to laugh at me and say he would be marking our agency as inactive in his database - which apparently is viewed by 'thousands' of writers.
But I've never heard of him.
And I'm pretty up to date on the major agency databases.
So, this, of course, brought about this blog post.
How do you know which agent / agency is legit?
So there are a few guidelines on how to find a legit agent:
- Check the AAR (Association of Authors' Representatives). Think of it as the association that lays out the guidelines which agents should* follow. This web site is amazing and spells out everything for authors. It even includes their Canon of Ethics. People don't wake up and decide "I'm going to open an agency" without understanding this code and adhering to it first.** This isn't FIGHT CLUB. There's no "big secret" on how agencies run. It's pretty much written out in black and white here for all to see. You don't have to be a member or pay a fee to read this. However, also note that there is a strict list of qualifications for becoming an AAR member (length of time in the business, certain $$ amount in sales, etc). So several brand-spankin' new agents (::cough:: me ::cough::) may not be part of it; however, in my case, Lowenstein Associates is an AAR member. So, in essence, this is not the 'do or die' of agent listings.
- Check out P&E (Predators and Editors). This is a fabulous web site with information on agencies. They take complaints from people and will flag those who do not abide by AAR guidelines (i.e. charge reading fees). The downfall? It's not always up to date (note they have us under our old name). So, in essence, this is not the 'do or die' of agent listings.
- Check out the agency's web site. This is (should be) the most updated location with recent deals, agent info, submission info, etc.*** So, in essence, this is not the 'do or die' of agent listings.
- Check out the agency's Publishers Marketplace page. This is (should be) an updated section with information; however, not every agency is listed here since it's by subscription only. So, in essence, this is not the 'do or die' of agent listings.
There are several sites out there (which I can't list them all) with information on agents - most of which are online. There are also books sold in 'brick and mortar' stores, but those tend to be out of date the moment they hit the bookshelf.
The point? Research widely. An agent-author relationship is a really personal relationship that requires a lot of trust. Hopefully you'll research to see who they are, what they've sold and what the company is like before querying.
And never base your decision off of one site, since clearly everyone updates at different times. Learn which sites are legit - not everything on the Internet is true (in case you didn't know....)
Notes:
*All legit agents should follow these guidelines, regardless if they are part of the AAR or not.
** Well, legit agents don't do this.
***Not all agencies have a web site - true. This is why you search various sources.
Which sites do you use to research legit agents?
