{"id":5127,"date":"2025-04-07T22:05:14","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T22:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/?p=5127"},"modified":"2025-07-18T20:23:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T20:23:24","slug":"literary-agent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to traditional book publishing, the barrier to entry can often seem impossible to break through. What many don\u2019t realize is that the process can be long and arduous, filled with waiting and rejection before you finally receive any good news. Getting a book published through a traditional publisher takes a certain amount of resilience and blind optimism in the face of failure. One of the very first hurdles is securing a literary agent.<\/p>\n

What is a Literary Agent?<\/h2>\n

A literary agent is a professional who represents authors and their work. They might be a freelance agent or part of a literary agency. These professionals are there to sell your work to a publisher and get you the best deal possible. Literary agents are essentially the middlemen between a publisher and an author.<\/p>\n

One common misconception is that all literary agents work as agents full time. Often, agenting will be a part-time gig, because agents don\u2019t get paid until they sell your work. For the job to be sustainable full time, an agent would need a large roster of clients so that books are always being sold. The literary agents who do it full time have most likely been in the game for a while, so they\u2019ve developed their client list over the years, and may be part of a literary agency.<\/p>\n

The Role of a Literary Agent<\/h2>\n

You might be wondering, \u201cWhat does a literary agent do? Can\u2019t I just reach out to the publishers directly?\u201d Unfortunately the answer to that last question is usually no. Most legitimate traditional publishers will not accept work directly from a writer. Sometimes, indie publishers might do a very short un-agented submission period, but that usually only lasts a few days and can be highly competitive.<\/p>\n

One reason behind the policy of only accepting agented submissions is simply to filter out a lot of the work that isn\u2019t up to par. Going through an agent at least shows publishers that another publishing professional believes in and endorses the work. The role of a literary agent then is to get your book in front of publishers, increasing your chances of a book deal.<\/p>\n

Once an agent chooses to represent you, they may work with you on edits to make it more appealing to publishers, but this process really depends on your agent. Some agents are more editorially-minded than others and may work with you on several rounds of edits before they decide to send out your book. Other agents might only take books they believe don\u2019t need edits. That way you can get to the submission process more quickly. Depending on what you\u2019re looking for in an agent, it could be good to ask about their process before you sign a contract.<\/p>\n

After those edits are complete and the book is finalized, your agent will most likely share with you a list of editors and publishers they plan to reach out to. One of the benefits of having an agent is that they already know which editors are interested in what kinds of books, and they\u2019ve formed connections in the industry so that publishers take them seriously.<\/p>\n

The Submission Process<\/h3>\n

After finalizing the list of editors, it\u2019s time for your book to go out on submission! Some agents might send your work out to all the editors on their list at once. Others, like my own agent, might choose to do rounds of submissions depending on each publisher’s submission guidelines. For instance, they might have 10 editors in the first round. If those editors reject the work or don\u2019t respond quickly enough, then your agent would move on to the second round of editors.<\/p>\n

Usually the first round of editors will be the top choice publishers. Depending on the type of book you wrote, for many this selection could mean Big 5 publishers who are more likely to give you a higher advance.<\/p>\n

The submission process is long. While there are stories of authors getting book deals in a week, that timeframe is actually quite rare for a debut author. The waiting period just to hear back from editors can even be anywhere between three months to a year, so it\u2019s very much just a waiting game at this stage.<\/p>\n

Editorial Note: Becoming a writer? Read our comprehensive guide to plot devices<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Offer Negotiation and Beyond<\/h3>\n

If a publisher or publishers express interest in your work, then your agent\u2019s role is to negotiate an offer. Because agents usually get 15% of your book advance, it\u2019s in their best interest to get you the highest offer possible. In this way, you and your agent are in it together because your success is their success. Once an agreement has been made, a contract is drafted, and then your agent\u2019s role is to negotiate that contract, making sure the terms are fair and beneficial to you as the author.<\/p>\n

Even after a book deal is complete, your agent may still be quite involved in the publishing process (though it varies agent to agent). Usually agents will serve as the liaison between you and your publisher. Whenever you have questions or concerns, your agent is there to handle it for you and reach out to the publisher with those concerns. While it can seem unnecessary and superfluous to still have that middleman, it often works out in authors\u2019 interest. The agent understands the industry and is more likely to peacefully resolve any issues than if you were to reach out to your publisher directly.<\/p>\n

Using a Literary Agent vs. Self-Publishing<\/h2>\n

Of course, not every author needs a literary agent. Many choose the route of self-publishing instead. When you self-publish your own book, you don\u2019t need to worry about the bureaucracy of traditional publishing, and there\u2019s no one you need to answer to. You also don\u2019t need to share any of your profits with an agent or publisher.<\/p>\n

Instead you may share a smaller amount of profit with a self-publishing platform. Amazon\u2019s Kindle Direct Publishing, the most popular self-publishing platform, takes 30% of Kindle sales and 40% of print sales.<\/p>\n

With the agent route, a literary agent gets 15% of your advance. Then, with a traditional publisher, once you earn out your advance, you can start collecting royalties. However, you\u2019ll usually only get 10% to 15% of sales, with the rest going to your publisher. With self-publishing, while you won\u2019t get an advance, you will get anywhere from 60% to 100% of your sales, giving you more long-term earning potential.<\/p>\n

However, self-publishing comes with its own set of difficulties, primarily that you\u2019re doing everything on your own, without the backing of a publisher. As the author, it\u2019s your sole responsibility to find an editor, perhaps a book cover designer, and anyone else you might need to assist you. You\u2019re also paying out of pocket for the costs of production, either directly or by giving up a percentage\/fee to a publishing platform and\/or printing company. With a traditional publisher, you don\u2019t need to worry about those costs.<\/p>\n

Traditional publishers also handle marketing and bookstore distribution (although many say that the marketing and publicity of traditional publishers is severely lacking these days). With a self-published book, it\u2019s much more difficult to get that book into bookstores. Purchases come primarily from online sales. You\u2019re also doing all the publicity on your own, or spending money on a private publicist, which can cost an average of $12,000-$24,000<\/a>, with some publicists charging more or less.<\/p>\n

Essentially, there are pros and cons to both self-publishing and traditional publishing. You\u2019ll have to figure out what works best for you, depending on your time and resources.<\/p>\n

How to Find a Literary Agent<\/h2>\n

Perhaps the greatest challenge before book submission is finding a literary agent. I often get asked how that process works. Many people see it as mysterious and difficult. Unfortunately, the publishing world is often not very transparent, with a great deal of gatekeeping.<\/p>\n

However, the process is not actually as mysterious as one would think \u2014 although it does take work and patience. I\u2019ve broken it down step-by-step below:<\/p>\n

Step 1: Do Your Research<\/h3>\n

The first and possibly most important step is to do your research. One of the biggest mistakes people make is reaching out to agents who do not represent the type of work that they write. If you\u2019re writing a science fiction novel, for instance, make sure to only reach out to agents who represent sci-fi novels. The same goes for nonfiction<\/span>, children\u2019s books<\/span>, a short story<\/span>, picture books, commercial fiction<\/span>, or any other niche.<\/p>\n

The first quick and easy way to find out which agents represent work like yours is to check out the acknowledgments of books that are similar to yours. Writers will almost always thank their agents in their acknowledgements. So if there\u2019s a book you admire in the same genre or style you\u2019re writing in, look at the acknowledgments and see who the agent is for that book.<\/p>\n

Another way to figure out what agents represent certain books is through the website, Publisher\u2019s Marketplace. Publisher\u2019s Marketplace<\/a> lists every single book deal, with information about who the agent is. Some agents will even have a Publisher\u2019s Marketplace page with the types of work they\u2019re looking for and instructions on how to pitch them. The only caveat is that to access Publisher\u2019s Marketplace, you need to have a subscription, which costs $25 per month.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re ready to reach out to agents, I recommend getting a one-month subscription, doing your research and compiling a list of agents within that time. Then you can cancel the subscription. Depending on your financial situation, having access to that information for a month could definitely be worth the $25.<\/p>\n

If you want a more general list, you can also simply Google the information. For instance, a Google search for \u201cagents who represent fantasy novels\u201d will give you various websites like Reedsy, Writer\u2019s Digest and more, where you\u2019ll find lists of agents. From there, you can do your research on the individual agents either through the agency website or through Publisher\u2019s Marketplace.<\/p>\n

When doing your research, you\u2019ll also want to make note of the agency each agent works for. It\u2019s considered bad practice to reach out to two different agents from the same agency. Make sure there are no conflicts in your outreach list.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve completed your research, you can then compile a list of agents you plan to reach out to. You can reach out to as many or as few as you want, but I recommend having a list of at least 10 you can potentially reach out to, even if you don\u2019t end up contacting all of them.<\/p>\n

Agent Events<\/h4>\n

Another way to find a literary agent is through events and meetups. Throughout the year, there are events hosted by Writer\u2019s Digest, universities or other organizations where writers can meet agents face-to-face and pitch their work in person.<\/p>\n

For instance, Writer\u2019s Digest, a bestselling<\/span> and award-winning<\/span> writers\u2019 almanac, is hosting its annual conference<\/a> this July, and attendees have the option of getting a one-on-one consultation with an agent. The consultation includes a 15-minute meeting with an agent where you can pitch your work, get feedback and ask questions. The downside to these events, though, is that they can be very expensive. To attend the Writer\u2019s Digest conference, it costs $549, and the price goes up the longer you wait to register. Then, there\u2019s a $50 add-on to get an agent consultation.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Write a Query Letter<\/h3>\n

Now that you have your list of agents, it\u2019s time to write a query letter. A query letter is a letter to an agent where you introduce yourself, introduce your work and explain why you want that particular agent to represent you.<\/p>\n

There are many examples of good and bad query letters online, and I suggest reading a few of those before you start writing. Query letters are generally short: about three paragraphs and under one page.<\/p>\n

In your letter, you can write a short bio and perhaps list some of your published work if you have any. You should also have a one-paragraph summary of your book that draws the agent in. Then, make sure you very clearly state why you\u2019re reaching out to that specific agent. Maybe they represent another book you really like and is similar to yours. If so, mention it in the letter.<\/p>\n

Consider using a site like QueryTracker<\/span><\/a> to get the word out to agents and track responses.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Send Your Queries<\/h3>\n

Once your letters are written, it\u2019s time to send them out. For each agent you plan to query, make sure to go to their website or the agency website to find out how to pitch them. Different agents have different policies. Some prefer a direct email, while others might have an online form. In rare instances, you might have a better chance with physical mail.<\/p>\n

Step 4: Wait to Hear Back<\/h3>\n

The waiting part is always the most frustrating. Once you\u2019ve sent out your query letters, there\u2019s nothing else you can do.<\/p>\n

When you do finally hear back, an agent will either reject the query outright or ask you for pages. Don\u2019t take the rejections too personally, though. Maybe your work just isn\u2019t the right fit for that particular agent, or maybe they have too much on their plate at that moment. Whatever the case may be, a rejection is not a statement on the quality of your work.<\/p>\n

If an agent does ask for pages, they\u2019ll usually either ask for the full manuscript or the first 50 pages before asking for more. Once they have that content, you just have to wait some more. If the agent has your manuscript, I advise only following up after a month has passed to make sure they have had enough time to read it.<\/p>\n

Step 5: Sign With an Agent<\/h3>\n

The final step to the process is finally signing with an agent. If an agent has read your manuscript and expresses interest, then it\u2019s time to make a decision. Almost always, you\u2019ll have a call with the agent first where you can ask any questions you might have. During the call, they\u2019ll usually say nice things about your book because they are trying to sign you. So remember, you have more power at this stage to accept or reject their offer.<\/p>\n

If you decide to accept the offer, they\u2019ll send over a contract, and I can\u2019t stress enough how important it is to read your contracts. You want to make sure you\u2019re aware of everything you\u2019re signing. If you\u2019re eligible to join the Author\u2019s Guild<\/a> and can afford the membership, they also offer free contract review with Author\u2019s Guild lawyers. You can send over your contract and have them look it over to make sure the terms are fair for you.<\/p>\n

What Happens After You Sign with a Literary Agent?<\/h2>\n

After you\u2019ve found the right literary agent and signed your contract, you\u2019ll most likely do a round of edits with your agent. Of course, every agent is different. Some may get deep into the work, giving you developmental edits. Others might be more focused on line edits.<\/p>\n

After the edits are complete and your book is ready to go, your agent will share with you the list of editors they plan to submit to. Once your book goes out on submission, all you can do is wait.<\/p>\n

How to Spot a Scam Literary Agent<\/h2>\n

The most surefire way to spot a scam literary agent is if they ask for any upfront fees. A real literary agent will never ask you for money upfront. Your agent gets paid only when you get paid, and that money comes directly from the publisher as a percentage of your advance. If they ask for any money upfront, then it is 100% a scam.<\/p>\n

If an agent does reach out to you, and you\u2019re unsure, then simply conduct a search either on Google or Publisher\u2019s Marketplace. If they\u2019ve sold other books, you\u2019ll know they\u2019re a legitimate agent. Always check the sales track record if there\u2019s any doubt.<\/p>\n

Some agents will also promise you publication, and that\u2019s another red flag to watch out for. Your agent cannot guarantee your book will sell to a publisher. All they can do is put out the best pitch possible. In the end, however, your work has to speak for itself.<\/p>\n

Editorial Note: Learn how to write biracial characters<\/a> who feel authentic.<\/em><\/p>\n

Breaking Into Traditional Publishing: Why It\u2019s So Competitive<\/h2>\n

Breaking into traditional publishing isn\u2019t easy. There are a number of barriers in place that writers must break through before they get their foot in the door. The publishing world also moves slowly, so it can take years to see any progress. If you\u2019re set on breaking into traditional publishing, you need to go into it with an understanding that there will be rejection. At times, it can seem hopeless or like your work isn\u2019t good enough.<\/p>\n

The key is to not take every rejection as an indicator of how good or bad your work is. The industry requires resilience, patience and a thick skin. For most people, the difficulty of that process isn\u2019t worth it.<\/p>\n

Even beyond getting your foot in the door, authors these days are also expected to do a bulk of their own promotional work. Being an author means putting on many hats. You\u2019re a writer, a publicist, an aspiring influencer and more. Unless you\u2019re a big-name author, or you\u2019re one of the few lucky authors a publisher decides to put their resources into that year, you\u2019re most likely hustling to get your book seen and to build a successful career.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s not impossible. Many people do find success in traditional publishing. Authors just need to go into the process understanding that it could be long and arduous.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Literary agents are essentially the middlemen between a publisher and an author.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":5130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[73],"class_list":["post-5127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-literary-agents"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One? - The Rauch Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover what a literary agent does, why you might need one, how to find one, and what they charge in this helpful guide for writers.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Literary agents are essentially the middlemen between a publisher and an author.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Rauch Review\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-07T22:05:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-18T20:23:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1706\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Deena ElGenaidi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@deenaelg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Deena ElGenaidi\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Deena ElGenaidi\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d3ea9c4e7b28fb6d4f35b1f13da9c1ca\"},\"headline\":\"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-07T22:05:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-18T20:23:24+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":4120,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"literary agents\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Articles\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/\",\"name\":\"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One? - The Rauch Review\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-07T22:05:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-18T20:23:24+00:00\",\"description\":\"Discover what a literary agent does, why you might need one, how to find one, and what they charge in this helpful guide for writers.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":1365,\"caption\":\"two women talking with coffee and a laptop\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/articles\\\/literary-agent\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Rauch Review\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"Joseph Rauch, LLC\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Rauch Review\",\"alternateName\":\"Joseph Rauch, LLC\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/on-White-fav-64.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/on-White-fav-64.webp\",\"width\":64,\"height\":64,\"caption\":\"The Rauch Review\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"description\":\"The Rauch Review is an academic publication offering critical book reviews, political opinion pieces, and original writing from budding authors.\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d3ea9c4e7b28fb6d4f35b1f13da9c1ca\",\"name\":\"Deena ElGenaidi\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2025\\\/01\\\/Deena_ElGenaidi_portraits_13-cropped-1-96x96.webp\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2025\\\/01\\\/Deena_ElGenaidi_portraits_13-cropped-1-96x96.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/7\\\/2025\\\/01\\\/Deena_ElGenaidi_portraits_13-cropped-1-96x96.webp\",\"caption\":\"Deena ElGenaidi\"},\"description\":\"Deena ElGenaidi is a writer and editor in Brooklyn. Her debut novel, \\\"Dust Settles North,\\\" is forthcoming in 2025 with Bindery Books. Deena\u2019s writing has been published in Vulture, Insider, Nylon, Salon, Longreads, Electric Literature, Catapult, Lithub and more. She holds her MFA in Creative Writing from Rutgers University-Camden and her MA in English from Villanova University.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.deenaelgenaidi.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/deenaelg\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/deenaelg\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/josephrauch.com\\\/therauchreview\\\/author\\\/deenaelgenaidi\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One? - The Rauch Review","description":"Discover what a literary agent does, why you might need one, how to find one, and what they charge in this helpful guide for writers.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One?","og_description":"Literary agents are essentially the middlemen between a publisher and an author.","og_url":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/","og_site_name":"The Rauch Review","article_published_time":"2025-04-07T22:05:14+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-18T20:23:24+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1706,"url":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Deena ElGenaidi","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@deenaelg","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Deena ElGenaidi","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/"},"author":{"name":"Deena ElGenaidi","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/#\/schema\/person\/d3ea9c4e7b28fb6d4f35b1f13da9c1ca"},"headline":"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One?","datePublished":"2025-04-07T22:05:14+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-18T20:23:24+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/"},"wordCount":4120,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp","keywords":["literary agents"],"articleSection":["Articles"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/","url":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/","name":"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One? - The Rauch Review","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp","datePublished":"2025-04-07T22:05:14+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-18T20:23:24+00:00","description":"Discover what a literary agent does, why you might need one, how to find one, and what they charge in this helpful guide for writers.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/literary-agent-article_feature_GR_5000x3333-2-scaled.webp","width":2048,"height":1365,"caption":"two women talking with coffee and a laptop"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/articles\/literary-agent\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What is a Literary Agent, and How Can You Land One?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/#website","url":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/","name":"The Rauch Review","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/#organization"},"alternateName":"Joseph Rauch, LLC","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/#organization","name":"The Rauch Review","alternateName":"Joseph Rauch, LLC","url":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/08\/on-White-fav-64.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/08\/on-White-fav-64.webp","width":64,"height":64,"caption":"The Rauch Review"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"description":"The Rauch Review is an academic publication offering critical book reviews, political opinion pieces, and original writing from budding authors."},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/#\/schema\/person\/d3ea9c4e7b28fb6d4f35b1f13da9c1ca","name":"Deena ElGenaidi","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/01\/Deena_ElGenaidi_portraits_13-cropped-1-96x96.webp","url":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/01\/Deena_ElGenaidi_portraits_13-cropped-1-96x96.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/01\/Deena_ElGenaidi_portraits_13-cropped-1-96x96.webp","caption":"Deena ElGenaidi"},"description":"Deena ElGenaidi is a writer and editor in Brooklyn. Her debut novel, \"Dust Settles North,\" is forthcoming in 2025 with Bindery Books. Deena\u2019s writing has been published in Vulture, Insider, Nylon, Salon, Longreads, Electric Literature, Catapult, Lithub and more. She holds her MFA in Creative Writing from Rutgers University-Camden and her MA in English from Villanova University.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.deenaelgenaidi.com\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/deenaelg\/","https:\/\/x.com\/deenaelg"],"url":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/author\/deenaelgenaidi\/"}]}},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5127"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5127\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5975,"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5127\/revisions\/5975"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/josephrauch.com\/therauchreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}