For your new literary agent

When searching for a literary agent, some people think about only their query letter. But usually agents ask for more.

Synopsis

These are not always the most fun, but they do point out your plot right off the back. Does it all flow together? Does it make sense? Is there a spot where it may be slow? The agent will be able to see through it.

Spend a little more time explaining the beginning more than the rest, but make sure to hit key points. You won’t have space to put in all the sub plots or so in here. These are typically between 300 to 500 words. Most agents will ask for a certain word limit. Pay attention to that.

Sample pages

Agents always know the number of pages that want for sample pages. This could be from the first five pages to the first three chapters. Make sure these are the most polished pages ever. Grammar mistakes could put the agent off.

Author Bio

This isn’t long at all, but some agents (though more rarely) will ask for an author bio as well. Make sure this still grabs and catches the agent’s attention. Though it may be small, it’s still like a part of your “resume.”

Anything else an agent has asked you for? Gotten a response from an agent before? Leave a comment below!