First-time authors often feel overwhelmed when it comes to completing a book and getting it published. Writing your first book is the initial step to a process that can be lengthy and confusing if you’re inexperienced. Your final work must be proofread to check for mistakes and to find issues that could be remedied to make your work better. Once you have a final copy, you must then decide how you wish to proceed with publishing. If you self-publish, you can work through the process on your own. But if you wish to work with a publisher, you may decide to hire an agent to help you. Understanding the pros and cons that go with working with an agent can help you make an informed decision on how best to move forward.
Benefits of hiring an agent
An agent acts as your go-between during publishing. They can look at your finalized manuscript and help you decide whether it needs some tweaking before being sent to publishers. An agent can help you find publishers that might be interested in your work and give you guidance on how best to pitch your book. Working with an agent can take a lot of stress off of you, the author, because they understand the steps involved in getting a manuscript published. Plus, if you work with an experienced agent, their reputation and the fact that they believe in your work make it more appealing to publishers.
The downside of working with an agent
Obviously, hiring an agent is going to cost you. They generally earn commission based on the deal you make with your publisher. So, when working with an agent, expect to hand over around 15% of what you earn. Having an agent doesn’t ensure that you’ll ever be published, and anyone promising that is unlikely to be trustworthy. Working with an agent can also make the publishing process longer as you must first find an agent who wishes to represent you, then start the process of sending your manuscript to publishers.
As a first-time author, you’re probably nervous and excited about the prospect of having your manuscript published. It’s important to remember that the publishing process can be stressful and time-consuming. Working with an agent can reduce some of the stress, but there are some downsides to hiring an agent. Carefully consider how you wish to proceed with publishing your work before deciding whether hiring an agent is the right step to help you meet your goals.
