Do You Need an Agent?

One of the questions I've seen pop up often is whether or not an agency is necessary in order to publish a book.

The short answer is: it depends.

Like I've covered in other articles, there are three main routes when deciding to publish a book. These routes are traditional publishing, small presses (not vanity presses), and self-publishing. All three of these routes are equally commendable, but they each have a different process from beginning to end, and what route you choose will decide whether or not you need an agent.

Do I Need an Agent for Traditional Publishing?

If the goal is to traditionally publish your book with, say, one of the Big Five publishers or their imprints, you're going to need an agent.

Any big publisher will be open to agented authors only. This means that there is quite literally no other way to reach the publisher's editors other than through a recognized literary agent. If you want your book traditionally published with a Big Five, you'll definitely need an agent.

Do I Need an Agent if I Pursue Small Presses Only?

If your goal is to try to pursue publishing your book through a small press, you may not need an agent. Obviously, an agent is always useful as they can negotiate contracts and understand the mechanics of the industry better than you could, but not all small presses are closed to unagented submissions.

In fact, a lot of small presses are open to unagented submissions.

So, do your research, look up the specific small presses you'd like to consider publishing with, and check their submission requirements. Each small press is different!

You'll definitely need a query, though, as every submission process requires one.

Do I Need an Agent to Self-Publish My Book?

This one is simple: no, you don't need an agent to self-publish. This is why self-publishing is often deemed more accessible than traditional publishing.

However, while you don't need an agent to publish your book, it's often a lot of money, time, and effort as you try to get you book through everything from professional edits to a nice cover, and most self-published books don't sell very many copies.

Self-publishing is a lot of hard work and effort, so make sure you look into it carefully before deciding it's best for your journey as an author. It's definitely not an easy back-up plan.

Bottom Line

So, do you need an agent? It really depends on the route you want to take regarding your journey as an author. Before you choose whether you want to pursue being an agented author, decide which path is best for you and go from there!