ASK A LITERARY CONSULTANT
Agent wish-list
Sarah Conkerton, Cornerstones’ Assistant Editor with an agency background, talks about where to find potential literary agents and how to build a list ahead of your submissions (what’s known as a sub list)
Sarah Conkerton
Where to start
First, think about what kind of agent you want, and your aims for your novel. You’ll want a clear idea of the genre and where it fits into the market, so you can submit to agents who represent authors in that area. If you aren’t sure, look for good comparative titles.
If you write in multiple genres, think about those as well as the genre of the book you’re submitting – ie, if you write fantasy for both YA and adult audiences, you might target agents who represent both. Some agents are happy to move out of their usual genre for existing clients, but if they don’t feel they’re the best person to sell one of your works, may suggest finding a separate agent.