by Alissa King

Created on: January 21, 2007   Last Updated: December 10, 2011

Finding a literary agent is no easy task. Good agents aren't usually interested in a writer until they are established. Getting established is nearly impossible without a good agent. There are a few ways that a talented writer can circumvent this vicious cycle and gain the attention of an influential agent, but a writer must have luck, determination and good writing skills going for them in order to take advantage of these options.

The first possible way to net yourself a reputable literary agent is to get a good book published. There are some writing contests that are on a par with American Idol in that they take relatively unknown writers and give them a chance to enter their book in a writing contest. The winner of the contest gets their work published and often sold online by a book vendor like Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com. In Canada they offer a contest like this every year called the 3-day Writing Contest. It is based in British Columbia but open to contestants internationally. http://www.3daynovel.com/.

Another book writing contest going on currently is the First Chapters Writing Competition at gather.com
Details: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=2814 74976881655.

If you're not confident about these kinds of competitions, there are also some small, independent publishers who will purchase a relatively unknown manuscript if the writing meets their specific criteria and surpasses quality standards. A web search for Independent Publishers will net information on these publishing houses and their writing guidelines. Milkweed Editions is a very reputable independent publisher, however they only publish a handful of books each year. Competition is stiff for unestablished writers.

If your heart is set on snagging an agent for a much loved but much rejected manuscript, do your research and identify six to ten agents that publish your genre. Once you've determined the agents you are interested in, instead of mailing your synopsis to them, send it instead to their assistant, along with two or three chapters of your book. If you can get your agent's second in command to fall in love with your story, then you have an active, verbal advocate right there in the office, doing the promotional work for you. Assistants often do most of the reading anyway, but to address your writing to them specifically will move your manuscript up in the ranks, and possibly net you the magic edge you need to end up getting your manuscript published. These are the best tips I've learned to squeeze into a highly competitive, cut throat industry. Be prepared for rejection: You really have to love writing to attempt to make it as a writer.

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