Anyone who has a television is familiar with American Idol, The Voice, America’s Got Talent, etc. In the world of publishing, agents are the judges reading through proposals on every genre looking for the next great American novel. Some agents can be blunt like Simon Cowell and others can be encouraging like Blake Shelton. Publishers look to agents to be that first filter; to weed out those proposals that still need work and find the unique stories, voice or character that would attract readers and sell well in the marketplace. So work to make your story, your voice unique!

From there, agents will work with authors on honing the proposal, beefing up their social media platform, finding data about their genre, analyzing trends, editing their manuscript, negotiating contracts, developing their brand and creating a marketing strategy. Many agents also look at the author’s goals and dreams to help in career planning and time management because once a contract is signed, many times the author is busy writing, editing and marketing all at the same time and the dream of becoming a published author can easily morph into a job managing deadlines, interviews, and book signing events

Not all agents do all things. So as an author it is important to ask questions of the prospective agent. Get an idea of their strengths and weaknesses. Some agents are great editors, others are great marketers, and still others have the business acumen to dig into contracts and pull out clauses others may miss. The agent works FOR and WITH the author and so it is important that the priorities, expectations and communication align. If you are an author that needs a lot of hand-holding, make sure your agent is one that can provide that level of service.

Ultimately, having an agent is like having a cheerleader and business manager behind you on this publishing journey. They are your greatest advocate and are watching your back to make sure you have the best terms for bringing your book to market. It is a long-term relationship and one that should feel natural, like a marriage! So go into the hunt for the perfect agent as if you are looking for a partner to be with you on this journey called publishing.

To visit the author's website, click Julie Gwinn.