How do you Find Popular Authors' Agents?

[weirdside]

I was wondering, how do you find agents of popular authors? Is there a database? Is it just dumb luck to find that info?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Are you looking to communicate with some of those authors through their agents, or are you looking for representation?

If the first one, you would do better to contact them through their publishers; if the second, I can't imagine that there would be a separate listing for "agents of popular authors." I don't think you would be thrown back entirely on dumb luck, though, since a lot of authors maintain an online presence at their own websites or on writing forums, and you could ask them who their agents are. That said, a lot of the time top agents are not looking to take on new clients, especially if those clients are unpublished writers. You might be better off looking for agents who represent a few midlist writers -- experienced agents who are nevertheless interested in new clients and new authors. Where luck would come in to it would be in contacting somebody really good about the time that they are setting up their own agency (having worked at some other big agency before, or being an industry professional moving from something like editing to agenting) while they are still interested in new clients.

(But you don't want an agent who may be willing to sign you, but is then too busy with the big-name authors to spare much time or attention representing you. Better to have someone that editors know, yet who will actually be sending out your manuscript.)

 

[Omphalos]

Some literary agents who have websites list their clients. That is how I found Kevin J. Anderson's agent. Try a google search.

 

[Culhwch]

I'd agree with Teresa, but just thought that you might find the information in the acknowledgements sections of their books, if you're really dead keen on finding them...

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Oh, there are lots of ways of finding them. Besides their individual websites and the acknowledgement pages you guys mentioned above: sometimes agents go to conferences and conventions (although most of that time would be spent wining and dining the clients they already have). Or you can meet authors in those same places, or at book signings, and ask them who represents them. The more networking you do and the more people within the field that you meet, the more resources you have for learning these things.

But for someone to put together a database of "agents who probably won't give new authors the time of day" -- it doesn't really seem worth anyone's time to do it.

 

[mygoditsraining]

The Writer's and Artist's Yearbook has a full list of publishers and agents for the UK, and a partial list for the US.

I'm sure there's got to be something like it for the US entire - I've heard "Writer's Market" mentioned a few times but looking on the internet that seems to be a paid database and not something you can pick up in the library. Maybe one of our US posters can advise on the correct resource.

The Yearbook listings, as an example, have little blurbs on most agents and publishers, listing submission requirements, what genres they accept and sometimes lists of published authors under their umbrella. Generally, this is provided both to make them attractive but also to let authors match up their suitability ahead of time. If you know what they are likely to publish, you know whether you're going to suit.

"Popular" is a funny way to put it, though. I mean, most large agencies will have a couple of "popular" authors on their books. Just because someone represents a "eight books at the top of the NY Times bestseller list" author, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are going to sell your book twice as hard as a agent who represents a "four bestelling books" author.

If your writing is so good that you are in a position to cherry pick the best agent and publishing house that will provide a strong market position for your book, then surely the way to go would be to submit across the boardand use the range of offers to negotiate an excellent contract rather than submit to just one?

 

[weirdside]

I mean finding agents who represent authors that have similar novels to the ones I'm working on. I have found some authors who mention their agent by name on their blog or website and some who don't. I was just wondering if there was a comprehensive list or wiki on this subject.