The career novelist

Choosing an agent

die. However, not all agents have the same work capacity, and not
all clients need the same level of service. There is no hard rule. Even
so, if I were agent hunting 1 would wonder about agents with fewer
than, say, twenty clients. I would also be concerned about an agent
carrying more than, say, seventy-five. Would either really be able to
give me the attention I need?
One more point: if there were even the slightest doubt about who
at the agency would actually handle my work, I would look else-
where.
Hew York vs. Out of Town. Once upon a time, this was an easy call.
New York agents might have been good or bad, went the rule, but
out-of-town agents were the pits. Not so anymore. There are agents
with outstanding reputations working in Boston, Washington,
Chicago, Minneapolis, and Seattle, among other places.
There are plenty in New York, too. The point is that geographic
location is no longer the most important item on an agent's resume.
Far more important is how a particular agent got started.
If you are agent shopping, ask about your prospects' back-
grounds. While many reputable agents belong to the AAR
(Association of Authors' Representatives), the business itself is
unlicensed and unregulated by any government agency. Anyone can
call himself or herself a literary agent, so it pays to know exactly with
whom you are dealing.
If your prospective agent has a posh New York address, but was
a hairdresser until a year ago... well, good luck. If, on the other
hand, you are a romance writer and you find an agent who formerly
edited for Silhouette, but who now lives in Kansas City... well, I
would take that agent's experience seriously, regardless of address.
10 Percent Commissions vs. 15 Percent Commissions. No doubt about it,
new authors do not seem to give a damn what commission an agent
charges them. All they want is the validation and security of repre-
sentation.
Old-time pros, of course, are a different matter. They bristle at
the idea of paying 15 percent. To them, 10 percent is traditional and
fair; 15 percent is just a lousy rip-off.
Who is right? I will bet that you can guess my position on this
point: the question should not be "How much?" but rather, "Which