Writers, You Are Wasting Your Time Looking for an Agent

I hear it constantly. “I’ve been spending months looking for a new agent. I haven’t found anyone yet.”

“That’s because you’re not ready,” I respond.

“How much longer should I give this?”

“You shouldn’t. You should spend the time improving your writing.”

“My friend’s looking for a screenwriting agent. He’s not getting anywhere either.”

“Shocking.”

The true value of literary representation is frequently misunderstood and mischaracterized. Regardless of whether the client is an author or a screenwriter, the conundrum is very much the same. As I am both, and have engaged multiple agent relationships, what follows is a list of myths and realities that will hopefully bring some much-needed clarity to the table.

I. Myth: Any agent is better than none at all.

Verdict: False. Not all agents are created equal. There are agents who are taken seriously by publishers, and agents who are not. There are equivalent agents in the worlds of television and film who are taken seriously by production companies and studios … and agents who are not.

An agent with little power and inadequate relationships will do you no favors. Further, such an agent can actually hurt a client in the long run, due to the perception of the writer being only good enough to attract lower-level representation.

A writer is far better off on their own than with someone who cannot do the job. To the writers: Do your due diligence before signing with anyone. Ask the agent the year and size of their last sale. While technically client confidentiality can be an issue, an agent can certainly discuss his or her track record without disclosing names and betraying another client’s confidence.

II. Myth: Only an agent can get you “in the door.”

Verdict: False. Nothing can be further from the truth.

For Authors:

A) Websites like www.AuthorsPublish.com frequently post updated lists of book publishers who accept unsolicited material. Subscribe to their newsletter and follow the guidelines for each desired submission. The publishers in these lists do on occasion include majors who designate a time period to receive queries from unrepresented writers.

B) Purchase a copy of “The Writer’s Marketplace,” available on Amazon.com and all book retailers. “The Writer’s Marketplace” is an annual guide of publishers and how to submit to them.

C) Publishers who do not accept unsolicited material have a valid reason to be cautious. Let’s say a writer submits a novel. That novel is turned down. Five years later, someone else submits a novel with similar themes. That novel is accepted. The second writer’s book is published, and the first writer sues the publisher for stealing the idea. This happens with some frequency, and many publishers elect to err on the side of caution. The best way to circumvent this logjam, if you do not have representation, is to hire an attorney to submit for you. You may be surprised at how many authors do exactly this. Be sure to copyright your work, regardless.

For Screenwriters:

A) The same thing applies to screenwriters as it regards unsolicited material. However, the film industry experienced a seismic shift from formerly accepted ways of doing business in April of 2019, due to a union dispute with packaging agents (CAA, WME, ICM, UTA, etc.). When the Writers Guild of America (WGA) asked their members to fire any non-WGA-signatory agents as a result, the producing world by and large became more receptive to direct contact from writers. For a comprehensive view of the dispute, see here for the official WGA video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5p6urW6c7I

As a writer, if you are not a current member of the WGA and resultantly do not have access to such contacts through their website, purchase a subscription to www.IMDBPro and cold call the executives you wish to query. If you receive a 10% daily response rate, you’re on your way. Those percentages add up to new contacts, and new possibilities.

B) As opposed to agents, managers are not regulated. A manager typically receives a 15% commission based on sale, and they are able to attach themselves to your project as producers. Lists of managers are readily available online. As ever, due diligence is a must.

III. Myth: The bigger the agent, the more successful you will be.

Verdict: False. As a general rule, if either an author’s or screenwriter’s agent works for an agency that is hugely successful, unless your work, or the potential of your work, is equivalently valued to the work of their most lucrative clients, you will most likely get lost in the midst of those highly paid and/or more established clients.

Note: For screenwriting, I was repped for two years by CAA, the largest talent agency in the world, and two years by Gersh, considered a Top 10 agency. I was “bookmarked” in both instances, which is a phrase of my design but a common practice. “Bookmarking” is when an agent signs you to a contract but you are a low-priority client. An agent will sometimes take a chance because he or she sees something in you but is unsure whether or not you’ll be profitable in the long-run.

IV: Myth: Once you have an agent, you will only have to write as they will do all the selling.

Verdict: False. This is one of the larger misconceptions about agents. Unless you are a high-level client, you will do 95–99% of the work, and the agent will review your contract for their 10% commission— the contract you brought to the table due to your networking, your submissions, and your hard work.

An agent’s 10% is most frequently based on their closing of your contract as opposed to submitting for you. However, once you prove yourself to an agent by finding your own work or opening your own deal is when your fortunes may change.

V. Myth: Agents do not return calls because they are busy working for you.

Verdict: False. Agencies are businesses. A literary agent (for books) receives generally a 15% commission based on your sale and is not licensed; a screenwriter’s agent receives a 10% commission and is licensed. Commission percentages are regulated only in the latter instance. Chances are, if you are not receiving return calls from your agent they are either focusing on a higher-valued client or simply giving up pushing your material. Suggestion: If nothing changes in this regard, send an email to the agent or speak to an attorney for the purposes of requesting to break your contract.

If your writing is of a high enough quality, you can do better. How do you determine the quality of your writing? Show the work to fellow writers. Listen to their criticisms. If you know no other writers, check out a local listing on www.Meetup.com and see if there are any related writing groups in your area. Show the work to friends you trust. Take every critique as a learning experience.

VI. Myth: Agents have their client’s best interests at heart.

Verdict: Mixed. If you prove yourself as an asset by continually improving your writing, a good agent will notice you. When this happens, they most always do have your best interests at heart.

A good agent will work for you if they see they can make money from your efforts. And heck, you may even become friends.

Until then, you have work to do. Stop spending valuable time searching for an agent. Write, submit, repeat. You really are your own best friend in this process. Do the work, bring your own deal to the table, then a good agent will find you. This applies whether you are an author or screenwriter.

In the end, it’s all about respect. As in, you need to earn a strong agent’s respect before they not only sign you but support you. Right now, some screenwriters are doing just fine without agents. Others are lost, but that choice has been made for them. For non-WGA member screenwriters, though I stand for union solidarity (and am a current Guild member myself) truth compels me to mention that you may have an easier time finding an agent than ever before due to the absence of Guild member clients. For the authors, be equally proactive. Do for your own career what you would expect of a rep. Again, a good agent will find you once you’re ready.

They can be very helpful and allow you to spend more time creating than selling … but you need to do the bulk of the work first while delivering some terrific writing.

Thank you for reading.

“Be so good at something you can’t be ignored.” — Steve Martin

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