A professional who represents authors, pitches their books to publishers, negotiates deals, and takes a commission (usually 15%) on sales.
A literary agent is your advocate in the publishing world. They read your manuscript, fall in love with it (hopefully), and then use their industry connections and expertise to sell it to the right editor at the right publishing house. They negotiate your contract, handle subsidiary rights like film and foreign translation, and guide your career over time. In traditional publishing, most major publishers won't even look at your manuscript unless it comes through an agent. Think of them as part business partner, part career strategist, part cheerleader.
If you want to publish with a major house, you almost certainly need an agent. But beyond the gatekeeping reality, a good agent is genuinely invaluable. They know which editors are looking for exactly your kind of book, they understand contract language that would make your eyes glaze over, and they fight for you in ways you can't fight for yourself. The right agent doesn't just sell one book. They help you build a career.
Verrill has been King's agent for decades, managing one of the most prolific and commercially successful author careers in publishing history.
Stimola represented Suzanne Collins and sold The Hunger Games, demonstrating how the right agent can connect a manuscript with the publisher who turns it into a phenomenon.
Research every agent before you query. Check their Publishers Marketplace page, their agency website, and their social media. If they don't represent your genre, it's a wasted query no matter how great your book is.
An agent's track record tells you what they can actually sell. Look up their deals on Publishers Marketplace. An agent with no recent sales in your genre might love your book but struggle to place it.
Your manuscript should be polished and ready to submit before you query. Agents are not developmental editors. Some will suggest revisions after signing you, but sending unfinished or rough work is a fast path to rejection.
When you get an offer of representation, notify all other agents who have your query or manuscript. Give them a deadline (usually two weeks) to respond. Then research the offering agent thoroughly and ask them hard questions about their vision for your career.
Go to QueryTracker or Publishers Marketplace and find five literary agents who represent your genre. For each one, note their recent sales, what they say they're looking for on their website, and one thing you have in common with their taste. Rank them from your top choice to your fifth. This is the beginning of your query list.