Chuck Sambuchino - Guide to Literary Agents 2016: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published

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The same month that this edition of GLA is released (September 2015), I will also see my next humor book hit store shelves, as well. (Its a parody survival guide called When Clowns Attack, because lets be honestclowns are freaky.) I mention this good news because the first person I thank in the books acknowledgments section is, in fact, my agent. This is because she believed in the project from the beginning and helped me every step of the way. Even now, seven years into our partnership, she is still my advocate and right hand.

The story of my most recent book is just another reminder of how valuable a good literary agent can be to any writer seeking a traditional book deal. And if you, too, want to find a helpful and enthusiastic advocate, youve come to the right place. Welcome to the 25th edition of the Guide to Literary Agents. And as GLA reaches this quarter-century milestone, rest assured we have plenty of great instruction in these pages to help you get published: spotlights on new agents actively building their lists, query letter examples, synopsis writing tips, lists of writers conferences, and more. All in all, weve compiled individual info on more than 1,000 agents in this edition.

Please stay in touch with me through my blogguidetoliteraryagents.com/blogor on Twitter (@chucksambuchino) and continue to pass along feedback and success stories. Until we next meet, good luck on your writing journey. (And dont forget to access your free webinar download at www.writersmarket.com/gla16-webinar.)

Chuck Sambuchino

Editor, Guide to Literary Agents / Childrens Writers & Illustrators Market

Author, Get a Literary Agent (2015); Create Your Writer Platform (2012)

Searching for a literary agent can be overwhelming, whether youve just finished your first book or you have several publishing credits on your rsum. More than likely, youre eager to start pursuing agents and anxious to see your name on the spine of a book. But before you go directly to the listings of agencies in this book, take time to familiarize yourself with the way agents work and how you should approach them. By doing so, you will be more prepared for your search, and ultimately save yourself effort and unnecessary grief.

This book begins with feature articles that explain how to prepare for representation, offer strategies for contacting agents, and provide perspectives on the author/agent relationship. The articles are organized into three sections appropriate for each stage of the search process: Getting Started and Contacting Agents. You may want to start by reading through each article, and then refer back to relevant articles during each stage of your search.

Because there are many ways to make that initial contact with an agent, weve also provided a section called Perspectives. These personal accounts from agents and published authors offer information and inspiration for any writer hoping to find representation.

A literary agent will present your work directly to editors or producers. Its the agents job to get her clients work published or sold, and to negotiate a fair contract. In the Literary Agents section, we list each agents contact information and explain what type of work the agency represents as well as how to submit your work for consideration.

For face-to-face contact, many writers prefer to meet agents at Conferences. By doing so, writers can assess an agents personality, attend workshops and have the chance to get more feedback on their work than they get by mailing submissions and waiting for a response. The conferences section lists conferences agents and/or editors attend. In many cases, private consultations are available, and agents attend with the hope of finding new clients to represent.

Aside from the articles and listings, this book offers a section of