Literary agents and consultancies

Literary agents are particularly useful for fiction writers for both adults and children, so submitting your manuscript to them rather than directly to a publisher could prove a worthwhile strategy. Whichever route you choose, your manuscript will need to be flawless. Each agency has its own submission guidelines so make sure you check what they are and submit precisely what you are asked for, nothing less or more.

Literary consultancies work with authors to improve their manuscripts and offer advice on how commercially successful their work is likely to be. CPM’s evaluation report will tell you if your text would benefit from copy-editing and/or proofreading, but if you want help with the content, structure and tone of your book, then an organisation such as the Literary Consultancy may be able to help. The Writers and Artists website has lots of helpful information about agents and how to approach them as well as listings. You can also find a members’ directory at the Association of Authors’ Agents.