Typical Mistakes to Shun When Approaching a Literary Agent

The role of literary agents is very significant in book publishing. They help reach the standard for publishing and promote your work. However, it is not an easy job to find appropriate literary agents. Therefore, you need to approach them carefully. To do so, beware of these mistakes commonly made by newbie. Avoiding them ensure selection of your book proposal among the other hundreds.

1. Poorly written contact letter 

Book agents frequently report to have received poorly written query letters. Poor writing has been a major reason for their rejecting such proposals. You had better learn effective techniques to make a good and impressive book proposal and then compose a draft before writing the complete one.

2. Offering inappropriate genre or subject to the agent

Authors also commonly make mistake by approaching an inappropriate agent for their genre. For example, writers send query letters for publishing their children book to an agent who is well known for publishing romances. If you do the same mistake, you will surely be rejected. You had better choose and approach top literary agents carefully to shun such a silly mistake.

3. Author’s hype, arrogance, and ego

Mind your language, give up to date information, and set out your sincerest efforts. The way you talk about yourself and your work might be annoying for the agents. Do not be hyperbolic. You had better make it simple but impressive. Do not talk on other author’s demerits. Agents would not hear these. Instead, these will leave a nasty taste in their mouth.

4. Poor knowledge about the publishing process

Being a master in writing doesn’t always mean knowing well about publishing. Poor knowledge of publishing may result in poor responses from the agents. Therefore, be humble in framing your book proposal. Include information about your target market, the benefit people will get from your work, and other useful and informative aspects of it. You should not write with assumption that the agents already understand what you want.  Learning more about publishing process will let you know how to make an acceptable proposal.

5. Unawareness about book competition 

Eight percents out of 60 book agents complain on authors’ ignorance about the book competition in the market. They don’t seem to know if their book really brings a new, unique concept or it's just typical one among the other hundreds in the market. Authors are not really sure the target of their books and thus produce works that are so typical, not interesting, or have nothing special. Get to know your genre and the market competition better. It is useful to create a unique and attractive book.

While it is really not easy to deal with appropriate book agents, it does not mean you can’t. So long as you stay away from making those five common mistakes above, you will be helped to advance your book proposal approval. Hence, get prepared with adequate knowledge, information, awareness, and lowliness.