Top Ten Reasons You Can--and Can't--Get an Agent

Top Ten Reasons You Can’t Get an Agent

1.     You are approaching the wrong agents.

2.     Your marketing strategy is all shotgun.

3.     Your query letter isn’t working.

4.     Your story idea is not unique enough to stand out in the marketplace or to stand up to the competition.

5.     You have no idea what the competition is.

6.     Your story idea is not strong enough or compelling enough to sustain a book-length narrative.

7.     Your story idea is not well-executed.

8.     Your level of craft is not high enough.

9.     You are not an active member of your writing community.

10. You are not prepared to be an author as well as a writer.

Top Ten Reasons You Can Get an Agent

1.     You know which agents would work for you.

2.     You’ve written a great query letter.

3.     You come highly recommended.

4.     Your work is based on a strong idea.

5.     You’ve executed that idea well.

6.     Your level of craft is high.

7.     You’ve already published in this or other formats: literary journals, digital and/or print publications, etc.

8.     You’ve got a platform.

9.     You are an active member of your writing community.

10. You present yourself and your work in a professional manner.