Do I Need A Literary Agent?

The short answer is: maybe. There are publishers who won't even give your query letter a look, if it hasn't been submitted by an agent. If you are a new author who doesn't know his way around the publishing industry, having an agent is probably a wise idea, and here are a few reasons why:

• they know which publishers to contact, which saves you from sending out useless inquiries
• they work to sell your book to a publisher, since they don't get paid unless your proposal is sold
• they ensure your proposal is solid and powerful, and will work with you if it's not

Where do I look for an agent? There are a number of publications in print: Writers Digest Guide to Literary Agents, Writer's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents, are two places to start. And there are numerous sites online, the best is the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR). If your agent is not a member, continue your search.

Here's a link to an excellent article by Bobbi Linkemer, herself an author of 14 books, an editor, ghost writer, and book writing teacher: WHAT EVERY AUTHOR SHOULD KNOW ABOUT LITERARY AGENTS.