Expecting an Offer of Representation From
a Literary Agent?
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
Let’s get into what it means to get an offer of representation from a literary agent. If you’ve been alerted that a literary agent wants to talk to you on the phone, and you get the sense that an offer of representation is coming, read on. There are certain things to consider when you’re moving to the next step with a literary agent. I’m a former literary agent, and have a literary agent, so I’ve been on both sides of this conversation. Read on to find out what you’re expecting here.
The Conversation Before the Offer of Representation
The literary agent is considering your query letter and manuscript, as well as their understanding of the publishing market, when they make an offer of representation. But they never decide before they’re able to have a conversation with you, the writer. A literary agent will want to know more about you, your working style, your personality, and some other soft skills and writer tools that are tough to tell from an email.
So as you prepare to potentially receive an offer of representation, you can tell the agent more about yourself and your work. Your query letter author biography was probably pretty short, so there might be things about you that the agent doesn’t yet know. Don’t spill your entire life story (even if you overshare when you get nervous), but be prepared to share a little bit more of yourself ahead of an offer of representation.
The literary might ask you a few softball questions to get a better understanding of your personality, humor, and storytelling skills (no pressure!). In return, they might tell you a bit about themselves and you can also evaluate whether they might be a good fit to work with you.
The Offer of Representation Hinges On Agreement About the Project
But what the literary agent is especially eager to hear about is how you react to their proposed writing notes on the manuscript itself. They will likely have some suggestions for the project, or thoughts for what could make it more marketable. They know the publishing landscape and are thinking about making an offer of representation because they believe they can sell the project.
If they suggest revisions, they are looking to see how you react and whether your tastes align with theirs. It’s a pretty crucial potential obstacle to an offer of representation if it turns out their vision is very different from yours or you reject any and all suggestions.
As an agent prepares an offer of representation, it’s important to note that the agent may have a lot more feedback once an offer of representation is made and accepted. But they probably won’t throw it all out at once, as it could be too much to handle, and might give the impression that they don't enjoy the book (which isn’t true, or they wouldn’t be offering). That's why I narrow my three most important ideas, including a couple that could be contentious, and offer them up for discussion.
The reason they don’t give all of their feedback is simple: I have seen many instances where an agent has spent countless hours with an author discussing revision plans and giving feedback, only to have them sign with a different agent and still incorporate the notes. When I was a literary agent, this happened to me a few times.
Things That Scuttle an Offer of Representation
The feedback part is very important, and it cuts both ways. If, for example, your book is a dark psychological thriller, and an agent calls to make an offer of representation, but asks you to make it more like Gossip Girl, then it's clear that the writer and the agent are not aligned on vision.
An agent will also want to gain insight into your career aspirations, as well your thoughts on how this submission should be handled. But the real question an agent might be asking here is: What are your expectations? If you're already dreaming of a book tour and huge advance, this tells the agent that your expectations might be unrealistic, and that getting you a book deal that fulfills your fantasies might be impossible. (Remember, everyone in this scenario wants a giant book deal, but that kind of scenario is very rare for a debut writer.)
If things don’t go well in this offer of representation phone call and the agent either changes their mind or pulls back, that might actually be a blessing in disguise. If you don’t pass the “vibe check,” or the agent doesn’t pass it with you, it’s better to find out now, before the relationship gets any more complicated. (Many writers either get dropped by their literary agent or need to break up with a literary agent after a few years, because agents aren’t a magic bullet.)
In the case of a literary agent call or an offer of representation, if the writer and agent aren’t able to reach a compromise, then it’s okay to be honest. Sometimes awkwardness is the result of nerves, and sometimes it indicates a larger issue of fit. If it’s the latter, thank the agent for their offer of representation and politely decline. Too many writers get into a tough spot with an agent who’s a poor fit when they ignore their instincts during these early stages.
How to Get an Offer of Representation
I firmly believe that the ability to revise is one of the most essential skills that a writer can have. I've had the opportunity to work on many promising drafts, to give numerous notes, only to be disappointed with the revised version. Agents have been burned along these lines before, so they really want to feel writers out as they’re making an offer of representation.
Once an agent and writer start working together, it’s important to note that the manuscript will always require some amount of additional work. When I was agenting, I only encountered one project that didn’t need much revision before it was ready to be pitched to publishers. How well, how carefully, and how extensively a writer goes about revision is extremely important. Thai is one thing an agent will want to gauge when they’re considering making an offer of representation, and it needs to be top of mind for you as you forge ahead into this new and exciting territory of your writing journey.
Click here to purchase Irresistible Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.