Questions to Ask Literary Agents
For the call with a literary agent who has offered to represent you, whether you have one offer or several. The list opens with five questions for any call, then goes through the edits, the submission plan, the agent's record, commission and the agency agreement, and how you would work together afterwards. Each has a note on what a good or a worrying answer sounds like, and the guide at the end covers what to do before the call, after it, and once you are signed.
Want questions from the whole vault instead? Try the random question generator.
The questions
Each question, and why to ask it
Ask first
What did you respond to in the manuscript, and what would you want changed before we submit?
Why ask it
An agent who has read closely will name scenes, a structural problem and the reader they picture for the book. Praise with no specifics leaves you guessing how far they read. The changes they list are also your first look at the edit letter to come.
Which editors and imprints would you take this to, and in what order?
Why ask it
Two or three named editors, with a reason for each, show real thinking; a general answer about the big houses does not. Some agents hold the full list back until you sign, which is fair. The order tells you how they see the book: literary, commercial, or pitched across both.
What have you sold in this genre recently, and to whom?
Why ask it
Recent sales in your category are the closest thing to evidence available to you. An agent with a strong list in another genre may still be the right person, but you should hear them explain why rather than assume it.
What would you do if this book does not sell?
Why ask it
Plenty of agented manuscripts go out to editors and do not sell, so this is a future worth planning for. Listen for a second step: revise and go out again, or set it aside and turn to your next book. A vague answer deserves a follow-up, because this is the point where some writers stop hearing from their agent.
Am I signing with you for this book, or for my career?
Why ask it
Some agreements cover a single project, others cover future work. This determines whether a book that fails to sell ends the relationship, and you want that understood before it happens rather than after.
The book
How much revision are we talking about, and over what timeline?
Why ask it
Editorial expectations range from a light polish to a rewrite, and the gap between an agent's idea of a few changes and yours is where relationships go wrong. Get it in months, and find out whether the point of view, the ending or the plot would have to move.
How would you pitch this book in a sentence, and which titles would you compare it to?
Why ask it
Have them say the pitch out loud, since some version of that sentence is what editors will hear first. If the pitch or the comparison titles describe a book you do not recognize, you have found a difference in vision while it is still cheap to find.
Where do you see this book fitting in the market right now?
Why ask it
This asks for a judgment rather than enthusiasm. Listen for what editors in your category are buying, what they have cooled on, and where your book falls between the two. Honesty about what is hard to sell at the moment is a better sign than confidence.
Which genre and age category would you tell editors this is?
Why ask it
A book that straddles two shelves, such as an adult novel with a teenage narrator or a thriller built around a love story, still has to be pitched as one thing. The label decides which editors see it and can affect length and content, so settle it before you start revising.
How hands-on are you editorially, and what form do your notes take?
Why ask it
Some agents write a long edit letter and read every draft; others send a manuscript out close to how it arrived. Neither is wrong, but a writer who wants a second editor and an agent who does not edit will frustrate each other.
What happens if I disagree with one of your notes?
Why ask it
You are hoping to hear that the book stays yours and that a note points at a problem without dictating the fix. An agent who will not submit until every change is made is also describing how later disagreements will go.
How much work does my proposal need, and how many sample chapters would you send out with it?
Why ask it
One for nonfiction writers, whose books are often sold on a proposal and sample chapters instead of a finished manuscript. Agents differ on how long and how polished that package should be, and many have a format they like. Hearing it now saves you building the wrong one.
Submission
How many editors would you send it to in the first round, and how many rounds would you plan for?
Why ask it
A small first round keeps editors in reserve in case the early replies point to a problem you can fix; a wide one can build competition. Hear which they would choose for your book and why, and what would make them stop and revise between rounds.
When would you expect to go on submission, and are there times of year you avoid?
Why ask it
The date depends on how much revision you agree on, but many agents also steer clear of slow stretches such as late summer and the weeks around the winter holidays. Even a loose range lets you plan your own year, and tells you whether they feel any urgency about the book.
When we go on submission, will you share the list and pass on the responses?
Why ask it
Some agents forward every reply as it arrives, some send a summary when a round closes, and a few keep the list to themselves. Editors' passes are the only account you will get of why a book missed, so say on the call which of those you would want.
How long do editors usually take to reply to you, and when do you chase?
Why ask it
Replies can come in days or take many months, and the answer shows whether this agent follows up on a schedule or simply waits. Ask what a long silence tends to mean in their experience, so you are not left to interpret it alone.
What kind of deal do you think this book could realistically get?
Why ask it
Nobody can promise an advance before editors have read the book, and a careful agent will say so. What you can fairly expect is a range of outcomes with the reasoning behind it, from a modest offer at a small press to competing bids. A confident figure quoted on the call is a reason to slow down.
Would you aim for a one-book deal or a multi-book deal?
Why ask it
A two-book deal brings security along with a deadline for a book you have not written yet, while a single-book deal leaves you free to renegotiate if the first one does well. Either can be right; the agent should have a reason that fits this book and how fast you write.
If more than one editor wants the book, how do you run that?
Why ask it
Competing interest can go to an auction, to a round of best bids, or to an early pre-emptive offer that takes the book off the table. Find out how they choose between those and how much say you have, including whether you could accept a smaller offer from the editor you prefer.
Will I speak to interested editors before we accept an offer?
Why ask it
A call with the editor is your chance to hear what they would change and how they talk about the book, which can matter as much as the advance. Ask whether the agent arranges these calls and sits in on them.
If the large publishers pass, would you take it to smaller or independent presses?
Why ask it
Not every agent does that round, partly because the commission on a small advance is small. If you would be glad to be published by a good independent press, say so on the call and hear how they respond.
The agent
How many clients do you have, and how many books did you sell last year?
Why ask it
The ratio matters more than either number. A large list with few recent sales suggests clients waiting in a queue, and a very short list can mean either careful attention or a career still being built.
How many of your clients were debuts when you signed them, and how did their first books go?
Why ask it
A first book needs more editing, more explaining and more patience than a fifth, and agents differ in how much of that they enjoy. The debuts that sold slowly, or not at all, tell you more than the one that went to auction.
How long have you been agenting, and who at the agency backs you up?
Why ask it
A newer agent is not a weaker choice, since a short list can mean more time for each client. What you need to hear is that a senior colleague reviews their contracts and can open doors to editors they have not met yet.
Would I deal only with you or with an assistant too, and what happens to me if you leave the agency?
Why ask it
An assistant handling paperwork and chasing payments is normal; what you want to know is who reads your drafts. Agents also move, and whether your agreement is with the person or with the agency decides what happens to you when they do. It is an awkward thing to raise mid-submission, so raise it now.
Which sale on your list are you proudest of, and what did you do to make it happen?
Why ask it
The story they pick shows what they think the job is: a large advance, a hard edit, a book rescued after a first round of passes. Pay attention to the work they describe doing, and less to how well the book turned out.
Have you and a client ever parted ways, and what caused it?
Why ask it
Any agent with a list of some size has been through it, so a claim that it has never happened deserves a follow-up. Calm, specific reasons such as a change of genre or different expectations about contact are reassuring. Blame aimed wholly at the writers is not.
Could I speak to two of your clients, including one whose book did not sell?
Why ask it
The second half is the important half. A satisfied client whose book sold tells you little that the deal announcement did not, whereas someone the agent could not place will tell you how they behave when things go badly.
Does the agency belong to a professional association or follow a published code of practice?
Why ask it
Groups such as the Association of American Literary Agents and, in the UK, the Association of Authors' Agents publish codes covering fees and the handling of client money. Good agents exist outside them, so treat membership as one check among several and confirm it on the association's own site.
Money and contract
What is your commission, and does it change for foreign, audio or dramatic rights?
Why ask it
Rates are largely conventional within each country, and a higher rate on foreign deals usually reflects a co-agent taking a share. What matters is that the numbers are stated plainly on the call and match the written agreement exactly.
Do you ever charge authors for anything?
Why ask it
Reputable agents are paid by commission on what they sell. A reading fee, an editing fee or any other charge before a sale is the clearest warning sign in this business. Some agreements do let the agency deduct named costs, such as bank charges on a foreign payment, from money the book has earned. Those belong in the agreement, not as a surprise on a statement.
How does money reach me, and how quickly after the publisher pays?
Why ask it
Most agencies collect payments and remit your share, so you are relying on their bookkeeping. Ask about the interval, the statements you receive, and whether client funds are held separately, which is the ordinary professional standard.
Do you handle subrights in house or through co-agents, and how does that work?
Why ask it
Translation, audio and screen rights can keep a book earning long after the first deal. Some agencies have their own rights department and some work through co-agents in each territory, so find out who would actually be pitching your book abroad and how you would hear about it.
Would you try to keep translation and audio rights out of the publisher's deal?
Why ask it
Rights the publisher takes are sold by its own team and the income is generally split with it; rights you keep are sold by the agency on your behalf. Which route earns more depends on the book and the offer, so ask for their reasoning on yours and be wary of a blanket rule.
Who handles film and television interest, and have any of your clients' books been optioned?
Why ask it
Many literary agents pass screen rights to a specialist film agent and share the commission. Options are a long shot for any book, so the encouraging answer is a named partner and modest expectations. Big promises here are a reason for caution.
Can I see the agency agreement before I decide, and what does ending it involve?
Why ask it
You should read the termination clause, the notice period, and what happens to deals already in play, before signing. An agent who is comfortable sending the contract in advance is telling you something reassuring about all of it.
If I left the agency later, would you keep the commission on books you had already sold?
Why ask it
Usually the answer is yes: the agency stays on the deals it made for as long as those contracts run. Ask as well about a manuscript still with editors when you leave, since some agreements claim a sale made within a set period afterwards. How this works depends on the contract and where you live, so read the wording itself.
Does the agreement cover short stories, articles and scripts, or only books?
Why ask it
Agencies draw this line in different places. If you already earn from magazine work, a newsletter or screenwriting, name it on the call and ask for the exclusion to be written into the agreement.
Who negotiates the publishing contract itself: you, or a contracts person at the agency?
Why ask it
An offer is a few headline terms, and the contract that follows runs to many pages on royalties, options and when rights return to you. Find out who reads those pages for you and which clauses they typically push back on.
How does the agency handle contract clauses about AI, such as training on my book or AI narration?
Why ask it
These clauses are recent and publishers word them differently, so there is no settled standard to quote. The useful answer is what the agency asks for as a matter of course, where it has had to give ground, and whether you would be consulted before anything of the kind was agreed.
Working together
Email, phone or text: which do you prefer, and how long should I expect to wait for a reply?
Why ask it
Get an actual figure: same day, a few days, a week. It also helps to agree on what counts as a fair check-in while the book is with editors, so that a quiet month on submission does not read as bad news.
How quickly do you usually read a new manuscript from a client?
Why ask it
After the first book, the wait for your agent to read the next draft is the one you will feel most. Whether the figure comes in weeks or in months, the better sign is that they give one and tell clients when it is going to slip.
What do you expect from me on publicity and online presence?
Why ask it
Some agents want an audience in place before submission, particularly for nonfiction, where editors often ask about it. For a novel the answer may be that it hardly matters. You come away knowing whether building a following is part of what you are agreeing to.
Once the deal is signed, how involved do you stay with the publisher?
Why ask it
Cover disputes, a moved publication date, a late payment and an editor who leaves are all moments when an agent can step in. Ask for one example of going back to a publisher on a client's behalf after the contract was done.
How do you see my career developing over the next few books?
Why ask it
The answer shows whether they have thought past this manuscript: one genre or several, a book a year or a slower pace, the kind of publisher they would aim for next. If their picture differs from yours, say they see a series and you see standalones, this is the moment to say it.
Do you want to hear my next idea before I write it, or see the finished draft?
Why ask it
Some agents like a paragraph each on three ideas so they can point you at the one they think will sell. Others would prefer you write what you must and show them later. Knowing which can save you a year on a book they would have talked you out of.
What if I want to write in another genre or for a different age group?
Why ask it
If there is a picture book or a memoir in your drawer, mention it here. The agent may represent it, hand it to a colleague, or leave you free to find someone else for that work, and agencies have different rules on which.
What happens if I write a book you do not love?
Why ask it
Over a long career it will probably come up. Good answers involve an honest conversation and a plan, whether that is revising, setting the book aside or agreeing you may take that one elsewhere. That it has never happened is the answer to probe.
How do you feel about clients self-publishing some of their work?
Why ask it
Views run from encouragement to a flat no, and the agreement may say whether the agency takes commission on books it did not sell. If you have self-published titles already, or plan to, get this settled before you sign.
What do you need from a client for this to work well?
Why ask it
The agent is choosing too, and this gives them room to say so. Deadlines kept, openness to edits and no surprises in public are typical answers, and whichever one they lead with is the one to take most seriously.
When do you need my decision, and are you comfortable with me giving the other agents time to respond?
Why ask it
A week or two is the usual courtesy, and a professional expects you to take it. An agent who wants an answer on the call, or bristles when other agents are mentioned, has told you how they handle not getting their way.
Handling an offer of representation
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
Before the call
Tell everyone else who has the manuscript
When one agent offers, notify every agent holding your full or partial submission and give them a fixed window to respond, commonly a week or two. This is standard practice, not pressure, and it is the only chance you get to compare offers.
Look up their actual deals
Check recent sales in industry deal listings, the acknowledgments pages of books like yours, and the agency's own client list. Look for sales in the last two years rather than a career highlight from a decade ago.
Write your questions down and keep them visible
Offer calls are exciting and short, and it is remarkably easy to finish one having asked nothing about money or contracts. Mark the five under Ask first, add the handful that matter most for your book, and keep that page in front of you.
Split the list between the call and email
No call has room for every question here. Use the conversation for the ones where tone matters: the edits, the submission plan, what happens if the book does not sell. Commission, payment and agreement details can go in a follow-up email, where the answers arrive in writing.
Decide your own limits first
Know what revision you are willing to do, whether you would change the ending, and how long you can wait. An offer is easier to evaluate against a position you formed before the phone rang.
Warning signs
- Any fee you are asked to pay before a sale: reading, editing, marketing or a charge for sending the book out.
- A recommendation that you pay a particular editorial service, especially one connected to the agency.
- No written agreement, or an agreement with no termination clause and no notice period.
- Pressure to accept immediately, or discouragement from notifying other agents who have your manuscript.
- No verifiable sales to established publishers, or a client list that cannot be checked.
- Vagueness about which editors would receive the book, or about who is paid what when it sells.
- An advance or a sale promised on the call. Nobody knows what editors will offer until they have read the book.
- An offer that arrives alongside a suggestion to publish through a service the agency also owns.
After the call, before you sign
- Read the agreement twice, specifically the commission percentages, the term, what happens to work in progress on termination, and whether it covers all future books.
- Ask for anything discussed on the call to be confirmed in email. Warm verbal promises about revision timelines and submission plans are worth having in writing.
- Compare offers on editorial fit and submission plan, not on enthusiasm. The agent who named the real weakness in your manuscript is often the better choice.
- Talk to the clients you were given, and ask them what the agent is like when a book stalls.
- If you are turning an offer down, do it promptly and plainly. Publishing is small and these conversations recur across a career.
- Consider having a lawyer who knows publishing contracts review the agreement, particularly one that covers your whole career. Some authors' organizations read contracts for their members, so check what yours offers.
If you already have an agent
- The Submission questions are worth asking again just before the book goes out, when the list of editors and the timing are real.
- Agree on a check-in rhythm for the quiet stretches, so that no news does not turn into no contact.
- Raise a problem early and plainly. A short email saying what you need is easier on both of you than months of politeness.
- Before you start the next book, ask the next-idea question under Working together. A conversation costs less than a finished draft.
- The career question is worth repeating every couple of books, since what you want from the work is likely to have shifted.
If there is no offer yet
- At a conference or a pitch session, keep to what an agent can answer for a stranger: what they have sold lately in your genre, how editorial they are, how many of their clients were debuts.
- Leave commission, the agency agreement and client references for an offer. At a pitch table they use up the few minutes you have.
- On a panel, ask something the whole room can use, and save questions about your own book for the query letter.