DO YOU REALLY NEED AN AGENT TO PUBLISH A BOOK?

Actors have agents. So do athletes. Why even a circus clown can have an agent so why not writers? But maybe the bigger question should be...do writers NEED an agent to publish a book?

Maybe not.

It's going to depend on what your end goal is. Have you put together some favorite family recipes and just need a few copies printed? Then you definitely don't need an agent. Maybe you've self-published quite a few titles on your own and feel fairly confident about the whole publishing thing but now want to consider expanding into a more traditional market? You might do just fine without an agent when subbing that next manuscript to a larger publishing house if you have decent books sales, like in the thousands, to back up the titles already out there.

I feel I was lucky since I didn't have an agent at the time Anaiah Press offered me a book contract for THE STORY CATCHER. Maybe it was because my manuscript was simply that compelling that it didn't need an agent to sing it's praises. Or maybe it was because Anaiah is a small press just starting out and was willing to give my book a chance. No matter the reason my book is proof that at least for one writer, an agent wasn't needed to get a book deal.

But for the majority of writers out there, if you have long term goals (like I do) of really wanting to make a career out of your writing, then securing an agent is probably the best way to increase your chances of receiving a contract offer.

Look at it this way. I can either cast my fishing line in my backyard pond where there might be one or two fishies to take a nibble at what I'm offering. Or...I can hop on that agent's charter boat that's willing to take me out in the middle of the ocean to help me land a whale of an offer. Which do you think I would want to go with??

And just in case you aren't sure where to start, here are some newer agents who are actively seeking new clients. They just might cover the genres you write in. Check them out by clicking on their agency links listed below:

Caitie Flum... http://www.lizadawsonassociates.com/

Amanda Panitch...http://www.lmqlit.com/

Kirsten Carleton... http://www.waxmanleavell.com/

Cynthia Kane...http://capitaltalentagency.com/

Leon Husock...http://www.lperkinsagency.com/

Lane Heymont... http://www.theseymouragency.com/

Lydia Blyfield... https://carolmannagency.wordpress.com/

Kerry D'Agostino... http://www.curtisbrown.com/

Mary C Moore... http://www.kimberleycameron.com/

Blurb:

Addie comes from a long line of readers, or “story catchers,” as her family likes to call themselves. Every time Addie tries to catch a story on her own, though, the words play tricks on her. Addie tries everything she can think of to corral those wiggly letters, but it  will take a little faith to become the next STORY CATCHER.

Buy Links:
Amazon Kindle ¦ Paperback ¦ B&N ¦ Smashwords

THE STORY CATCHER FAN CLUB 

Fan club membership includes:

Membership Certificate

Bi-monthly Newsletter full of mazes, puzzles, games, news and other goodies

Reading log for earning Story Catcher Award

Short story starring YOU!

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/p/story-catcher-fan-club.html

Book Trailer: