How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent

"Noah Lukeman, one of the top literary agents in New York, gave writers a great gift."
--James Frey (regarding The Plot Thickens)

"This will certainly help writers of any kind defeat rejection and possibly score."
--Writers.com (regarding The First Five Pages)

Many books have been written about how to get published. But few have been written by literary agents, who receive thousands of submissions each year and who grapple with them on a daily basis. Even fewer have been written by active literary agents who are willing to write from the trenches and offer their perspective on why they reject manuscripts, and why they accept them. And no books have been written from an agent's perspective on what it's like, step by step, to work with an agent on a daily basis, and on how to assure that you maintain a long, happy working relationship with your agent.

How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent is the first book written from an active literary agent's perspective that teaches authors why agents reject or accept manuscripts; why they decide to represent certain authors and not represent others; the best way to approach agents; the best way to work with an agent on a daily basis; and that offers them dozens of specific resources to make the difference in their finally finding the perfect agents for their work. 

New York literary agent Noah Lukeman, President of Lukeman Literary Management Ltd, has represented multiple New York Times bestsellers, winners of the Pulitzer Prize and American Book Award, National Book Award Finalists, and has himself written three critically-acclaimed books on the craft of writing, The First Five Pages, The Plot Thickens, and A Dash of Style. During his last 13 years as a literary agent he has read thousands of manuscripts and represented hundreds of book deals, and in this book he shares his insider's perspective, offers insight and practical tips about what works and what doesn’t. 

How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent is a must-read for any author serious about getting published. Geared for a broad range of authors, its subject matter is relevant to authors of fiction and non-fiction, screenwriters, poets--any serious author--offering principles that will help lead to success no matter what your craft. Practical and engaging, filled with exercises, anecdotes and sidebars, this 200 plus page book takes you on a journey, and will bring you that much closer to finally landing a literary agent.

How to Land (and Keep) a Literary Agent includes: 

* 10 Reasons Why You Need an Agent
* 9 Steps to Building Your Bio (for Fiction)
* 8 Ways to Build Your Non-Fiction Platform
* 13 Factors to Consider When Evaluating an Agent
* 24 Free Resources for Researching Agents
* 11 Fee-Based Resources for Researching Agents
* The 4 Musts of Submitting
* 4 Keys to Successful Follow Up
* 3 Resources to Protect you from Agent Scams
* 5 Ways an Agent Can Take Advantage of You
* To Use a Book Doctor?
* 7 Ways to Protect Yourself in an Agency Agreement
* To Hire an Attorney?
* What it’s Like to Work With an Agent (a Step-by-Step Timeline)
* A Publication Timeline Chart
* 15 Ways to Assure a Great Relationship With Your Agent
* 6 Reasons to Drop Your Agent
* To Self Publish?

"Lukeman’s advice is practical—and often entails multiple, time-consuming steps—without a hint of the flakiness that creeps into many writing guides."
--Publishers Weekly (regarding The Plot Thickens)