How do I get a literary agent?
BY Anna Davis
15th Oct 2026
When you’ve written a novel, and have worked with the complete draft to hone it and make it the best possible version of itself, it’s time to consider how you’re going to bring it to market. If you’ve decided to pursue a traditional route to publication, this will mean preparing your pitch package and approaching literary agents. Here’s my advice on how to do this:
THE PITCH PACKAGE
The pitch package has three components: a concise pitch letter, a one-page synopsis and, most importantly, your opening, which should be as strong and polished as possible.
The opening
Literary agents will ask for a set word count, usually your first 10,000 words. You should always send your opening, not your favourite bit from later in the novel (and if you have a prologue, this should be included). You’re seeking to open the door to your story and entice the agent in. Make sure you really get your story going in your opening pages – if you start to suspect that doesn’t happen until, say, chapter 5, do some rethinking and begin at that point.
Read my full guide to writing a strong opening page here.
Although you’re only sending in your first chapter(s), you should have the whole novel ready before you start querying – this means that if an agent asks for the full manuscript, you’ll be ready to send it in.
What’s more, make sure your full manuscript is in the best possible shape. It’s not easy to hook an agent, and you want to maximise your chances of success. If you’d like some tips on how to go about editing and rewriting your novel, here’s my guide to working on the big picture.
The pitch letter
When you write your query letter, tailor it to the individual. Yes, this means you'll have to rethink your pitch letter for each agent you address it to. Don’t write to 'Dear Curtis Brown' or 'Dear Sir' or 'The Submissions Department' etc. Always write to a person.
A good pitch letter only needs three paragraphs and should be considerably shorter than a page. One paragraph pitches the book, one is focused on why you’re targeting this agent, and one says a bit about you.
Your first paragraph introduces your novel. You’ll want to give the genre (if you’re working in an established genre), and a strong pitch – by which I mean a couple of short sentences to say what the novel is about. If your novel has a strong hook, or if it poses a question that the reader wants to know the answer to, this should be front and centre of your pitch. Tell us what is at the heart of your novel and do so in a lively, compelling way. There’s no need to give your whole plot here because you have the synopsis to do that for you. You’re just looking to whet the agent’s appetite. This is also the place for your relevant and up to date comp titles. Read more in-depth advice on the ‘elevator pitch’ here.
The paragraph on why you’re addressing this particular agent should say something specific to that person. Perhaps they represent an author whose work you love or maybe they specialise in your genre. If you’ve seen them speaking on a panel at festival, mention that and perhaps highlight something interesting they said. Be honest though – if you’re overly flattering you can come across as insincere.
Your third paragraph should say something about you. Keep it focused on the things that are most relevant to your book. For example, if you're writing a medical thriller and you're a doctor, then that's something to include. This is also the place to mention earlier publications and any reputable writing courses you've done that are well known (with selective application) as well as any competitions you’ve won or been shortlisted for. But don’t worry if you haven’t got a track record to talk about – the pitch and writing itself are the most important elements.
You can vary the order of these paragraphs, but you certainly don't need any more of them.
Read my full guide to the pitch letter here.
The synopsis
Your synopsis is a lively, readable overview of the full arc of your story. I firmly believe a good synopsis should never be more than a page, which is plenty of space to give the spine of your novel, but without all the intricate vertebrae.
State your title, genre and a one-sentence pitch line at the top (making this line slightly different to the one you use in your letter, as the two will be looked at together). Then go on to give the broad strokes of your story. Keep it pithy and readable: You don't need to go into subplots. You don't need to list your full cast of characters or what happens in every chapter.
It’s very common to struggle with writing a synopsis, but don’t be tempted to skip this element of your pitch package. If you find you’re trying to cram as many words and as much detail as you can into your one page, take a deep breath and start again.
Read my full guide to the synopsis here.
FIND THE RIGHT LITERARY AGENT
With your pitch package ready, it’s time to strategise your submission. Do plenty of research before you start sending out your queries. There are helpful directories where you can find out the names of agencies and individual agents such as the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook – as well as other online directories. You can also look at the acknowledgements sections in books by authors you like and who are writing in your genre, as writers often thank their agents. This is just the starting point for your research though: It’s important to look at agency websites, agents’ social media, interviews, etc. to find out more about them. You can check out their client lists, find out what they’re looking for and whether they’re open for submission at the current time. Investigate the agency as well as the agent you’re thinking of querying – are they reputable and do they present a way of working that you’re drawn to? Listen to your own instincts as well as to what you can find out, as the author-agent relationship is a very personal one.
Bring the results of your research together into a list of the agents you’re interested in, putting your ‘dream agents’ at the top. You may wish to include young agents who are actively building their client lists as well as more senior agents who have industry clout. There are pros and cons to being represented by a major agency or a smaller, more ‘boutique’ agency – you may want a mix of these in your list.
I suggest sending your pitch package to around four or five agents at a time, following any specific instructions given as to precisely how much material to send. If you haven’t heard back after about 8 weeks, you can send one polite follow-up. If you’ve heard nothing by about 12 weeks, I would suggest moving on to the next agent(s) on your list. Sadly many agents don’t respond to submissions unless they are interested in requesting the full manuscript – but fortunately there are hundreds of agents out there, so keep your chin up and keep moving onward.
You may receive some ‘standard’ rejection letters, which are short and impersonal. This is hard, but again, keep going. If you’ve received a cluster of rejections, you may want to pause to consider doing some rewriting – perhaps taking in any feedback given. If you haven’t had feedback, don’t ask the agent to give some – they won’t want to do so. Instead go to trusted readers or perhaps to us. Keep in mind also that writing is a long game – the majority of writers get rejected at various times in their careers, and many of our best-known authors have novels in their ‘bottom drawer.’ Remember – writing is a long game, and nothing is wasted. Every writing project teaches us something new and helps us to become better writers.
On a more positive note, if you get requests for full manuscripts, you can let all the agents considering your work know this has happened. And if an agent invites you for a meeting, you should definitely notify the others to maximise your options. This is where the fun really starts!
Best of luck with your querying!
Interested in hearing more from Anna? Watch this video interview to hear her sharing some of her advice for writers about to query literary agents.
If you want guidance and feedback on any element of your pitch package, we have a range of courses designed to help you improve your editing skills, learn what literary agents are looking for and how to submit to them with confidence. Explore all our editing and pitching focused courses here.
If you want feedback from a professional before you start sending out your work, our submission report will provide you with detailed feedback on your 10,000-word opening, agent letter and synopsis.