If you are a self-publishing author who is breaking even and beyond, and you enjoy marketing and selling your work directly to your readers, then a literary agent may not be the proper route for you.

But if you seek to publish your books via the traditional tract—meaning a publisher that will equip you with editors, public relations, book designers, marketing, distribution, and hopefully a generous advance against royalties, then most likely you will have to be represented by an agent to open that seemingly insurmountable gateway of a publishing house.

It’s well known that most editors refuse to look at your queries or sample chapters without an agent soliciting on your behalf. I was very lucky—naively so—when my first novel passed through the slush pile without an agent and was picked up by one of the most prestigious publishers, but the odds were akin to winning the lottery.

Because of the success of my first novel, an agent solicited me for my second book. I was flattered and yes, again naïve, when I signed on to her agency. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a terrible mismatch. I fell into a legal wrangle that imprisoned my book with them as eternal overseers, hindered future book sales, and poisoned our agent-author relationship.

Afterwards, I tried self-publishing. Alas, that proved to be far more work beyond the writing since I had to do it all including soliciting reviews. It was a disappointing venture because I was publishing literary fiction—a genre not very viable or lucrative for most indie authors.

I gave that publishing angle up and decided to return to traditional publishing. But first I had to find a new agent.

My initial searches began with the annual bible, Writers Market, and the occasional listings in magazines like Poets and Writers and The Writer, and certainly online publications like FundsforWriters. I sent queries to many agents, and despite my publications, I was met with rejections or worse—silence.

Next, I decided to be more proactive and turned to paid listing services because they provided frequently updated information about agents, and I recommend them if you are willing to pay the fees.

Here are the ones I tried:

Literary Agent Alert sends you weekly email agent listings and at $10 per month is a good bargain for the information. They also spotlight agents, especially newer agents eager to build their client lists.

Jericho Writers is more costly and based in the U.K. but has many additional services for writers beyond agent listings including workshops and editorial services. They also sponsor consultations with several live agents (both in the U.K. and the U.S.) who will directly discuss your book projects with you. The membership fees can be hefty, but it could be an opportunity to connect with an agent who may take on your book although there are no guarantees.

My favorite agent listing is Querytracker. This service narrows down your searches via geographical locations and genres. There is a free version but I highly recommend the annual $25 subscription fee which unlocks other benefits such as the agents’ response time, demographics on sales, and other information giving you far more data for targeting the best agents for your book. I also preferred their website spreadsheet format that easily allows you to track your queries and responses.

And I can happily report that Querytracker became where I found my wonderful new agent who signed me on and is currently submitting my books to publishers.

Finding a good, reliable agent like anything in publishing, takes persistence and patience. Keep searching and researching until you find the one who will honestly represent and champion your book, and most importantly, become your best ally.

BIO:   Ukrainian-American writer, Irene Zabytko focuses on writing fiction based on Ukrainian themes. Her first novel, The Sky Unwashed, is about the Chornobyl nuclear accident. Other books include When Luba Leaves Home,Stories (based on her Chicago Ukrainian community), and The Days of Miracle and Wonder (post-Soviet stories). In 2016, she was awarded a Fulbright to Ukraine for researching her next book, a novel about the 19th century Ukrainian writer, Nikolai Gogol. She teaches online fiction and creative writing courses at Gotham Writers’ Workshop. You can reach her at http://irenezabytko.ag-sites.net/index.htm