When it comes to publishing a book, authors would usually make their way to different publishing houses to submit their work. This can be a time consuming activity, especially for writers that are still on a day job. Aside from going from one publisher to another, authors must also be updated in terms of the industry's dos and don'ts and this is where hiring an agent may come into play.

Hire an Agent?

When it comes to the industry's biz, agents can help authors, especially for up and coming writers. They are invaluable when it comes to negotiating, communication and ensuring that you get a good deal. What can agents do? First off, as they have been in the business for quite some time, they have contacts that are crucial to the author's success. They can negotiate for a better contract with editors or publishing companies.

With millions of stories sent in the editor's review, many of these will end up in the bin especially if the company has several known authors under their belt. Publishing companies would not take the risk of spending their budget publishing new or unknown authors. They want to ensure that their company will earn and as such, they prioritize authors that they know will sell.

Agents however, are knowledgeable with the industry standards. They would be able to get the attention of the editor or contact the publisher and make a better negotiation deal such as setting royalties or fees as well as any terms or conditions that the author might want to include in their contract.

Be your own Agent

Hiring an agent can eat up the author's profit as they would usually take a cut and highly sought-after agents can command a high price which can be a problem for new writers. However, there are some instances wherein becoming an agent yourself is the best choice. One instance is when the book that one intends to publish is specialized and only few or limited publishing companies handle these types of work. For those who know someone in the industry, then it might be easier to get in contact with the right company. These contacts can help you talk to legal and honest publishers and avoid unscrupulous ones. If you are really interested in becoming your own agent, it is important to keep yourself updated on current issues, legalities as well as brush up your negotiation skills to win that book contract that you are eyeing.