What to Ask a Literary Agent During an Offer of Representation Call
I’ve previously shared what literary agents typically ask writers when they’re considering offering literary representation. Now let’s turn our attention to the questions writers should bring up when discussing literary representation with an agent.
About the Book
What is it about my project that resonates with you?
Start your questions on a high note and ask for some compliments! You want to know what makes your book stand out to the agent. The hope is they will answer in a way that shows they really do get what you’re trying to accomplish with the project.
What are your revision ideas for the book/proposal?
Praise is great. Criticism is even more important. You want to know if an agent thinks your project needs to be revised before sending it out on submission. (99% of the time it does.) Your vision for the project should align with the agent’s ideas.
Where would you pitch this book?
While an agent might not have a list of specific editors put together yet, they’ll probably have an idea of the imprints and publishers they want to send your book to. This gives you a glimpse at where they see your book belonging in the market. And again, you want your own vision for the book to align with this plan.
What happens if a publisher doesn’t acquire this book?
Unfortunately some books do not get picked up by a publisher, so you need to know what the future looks like if that happens. Is the agent only interested in this one specific project? Do they want to work with you long-term?
About the Agent
What expectations do you have for your clients?
This question will help you understand how to have the best possible working relationship with the agent. Communication and trust is so important between agents and their clients. How can you make the most of both of your efforts in developing your career?
Are you an editorial agent? What does the revision process look like when we begin working on a project together?
Most agents revise projects with their clients, but not to the same extent. There are some agents that expect a near-perfect draft before they read a manuscript, while others are more willing and excited to get involved early in the writing process. Find out how they work and if that will work for you.
How many clients do you have?
The answer to this question will give you an idea of how much attention you might get from the agent. If an agent is brand new and just starting to build their list, they’re going to have a lot more time to focus on you and your book(s). An agent with 70+ clients is not going to have that much time to give. There’s no wrong answer here, but it’s good to know how long you might need to wait to receive an email reply or manuscript notes. There are both pros and cons to working with new and established literary agents.
What is your communication style?
You want to know if the literary agent will communicate with you in the best way for you. If you prefer phone calls, then make sure the agent you’re signing with is ok with phone calls. Are they ok with their clients texting them? What boundaries do they set?
About the Agency
What happens if I want to terminate literary representation?
You might feel weird asking this question (wondering how to end something that hasn’t even started yet!) but it’s important to know what this process might be like down the line. Agents won’t think it’s a strange that you’re asking.
Will I be working with only you, or will I be interacting with other people at the agency?
Sometimes an agent might have an assistant. Interns might help out with tasks. Co-agents might be involved in selling subsidiary rights. (Which leads us to the next question…)
How does your agency manage subsidiary rights (like translation, tv/film adaptation, merchandise).
The big focus is making your book an actual book, but agencies also manage the subsidiary rights for their clients’ projects. Find out how this works (it’s different for every agency).
These are only a few suggestions on topics you can bring up during an offer of representation call. There might be questions specific to your project that you want to ask, or even more topics that pop up during the course of the conversation.
If the call goes well and you receive an official offer of representation, remember that you’re allowed to take some time (two weeks is standard) to make a decision. This allows you to follow up with other agents reading your work and schedule even more calls to help you find the right business partner.
You should be asking a lot of questions when speaking with a literary agent. It’s important for you to get the information you need to make an informed decision about accepting an offer of literary representation (or not).
