A literary agent serves as a link between authors and the world of publishing. Literary agents are the vital link between the creative world of writing and the business of publishing texts. They are in charge of finding great manuscripts, plays, and stories. To become a literary agent, there is no set path; much like breaking into Hollywood, it may take many years and a strong willingness to accept rejection. Though there are no formal requirements to become a literary agent, a good education, internships, apprenticeships, and unwavering dedication can all help pave the way to a successful agency career.
One of the first steps toward becoming a literary agent may be to obtain a college education. Many agents have a bachelor’s degree in a field related to their work, such as English, literature, classics, or even creative writing. An education in literature can help hone this ability. A literary agent must first and foremost be able to recognize great writing. Another option is to pursue a degree in business or communications, because a literary agent cannot make money unless he or she understands the business world and how book deals are made. Whether you major in literature or business, it’s critical to self-educate in the other area, because an agent must have both a business mind and a passion for literature.
Attempting to become a literary agent is usually a lengthy apprenticeship process. Many literary agents begin their careers as unpaid interns at literary agencies. This can be a good way to meet people and gain experience in the agency’s real world, but it’s usually unrewarding. Interns are typically only trusted with basic responsibilities, such as coffee runs, errands, answering phones, and performing office duties, in addition to receiving little or no pay. Internships, on the other hand, can pay off in the long run by establishing valuable contacts that can lead to paid positions.
After a few months as an intern, the next step in the process of becoming a literary agent is to apply for assistant positions. While assistants still do a lot of the grunt work, they are usually paid and have more access to the agent’s world. Because assistant jobs can be extremely competitive, now is a good time to take advantage of any contacts you’ve made during internships or while in school. Many literary agents treat their assistants as trainees or junior agents, gradually increasing their responsibilities and giving them more opportunities to prove themselves on the job. An assistant may be able to broker his or her way into a job as a real agent after some success.
Moving to an area with a large number of literary agencies can also help in the quest to become a literary agent. Anyone interested in pursuing a career as an agent should consider New York, London, Sydney, and San Francisco. Working at small, boutique agencies rather than large, well-known agencies is also important to consider. Rather than promoting any of their many assistants or junior agents, large agencies may prefer to hire hot agents from other companies. A young agent may have more opportunities for training and to get to know the working agents at a smaller company.