Agent Advice from working literary agents

The Agent Advice Hub is a free, searchable library of publishing advice from working literary agents: query letters, comp titles, loglines, MFAs, rejection, and getting an agent.

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Topics

Query Letters: How to write a query letter that gets a literary agent: what the letter is for, how long it should be, the three-paragraph structure, and the mistakes that get queries rejected.
Comparable Titles: Comparable titles, or comps, are the published books you name to show an agent where your manuscript sits. How many to use, how to choose them, and how to weave them into a query.
Getting a Literary Agent: What it takes to land representation: whether you need an MFA, how to read your rejections, when to revise, and how to find agents who are a genuine fit.
Synopses: How to write a synopsis for your query: how it differs from a blurb, what tense and person to use, whether to spoil the ending, and how long it should be.
Nonfiction Book Proposals: How to write a sellable nonfiction book proposal: what it is, the sections it needs, how platform and marketing affect your advance, and querying etiquette for nonfiction.

Agents

Donovan Levine, Associate Literary Agent, Neighborhood Literary
Ismita Hussain, Senior Literary Agent, Great Dog Literary
Kelly Bergh, Literary Agent, Lucinda Literary

Questions

Why does your query letter matter?, Ismita Hussain
How do you query agents without spamming them?, Ismita Hussain
How long should a query letter be?, Ismita Hussain
What goes in the first paragraph of a query letter?, Ismita Hussain
What is a logline and how do you write one?, Ismita Hussain
What should the second paragraph of a query letter contain?, Ismita Hussain
What goes in the bio paragraph of a query letter?, Ismita Hussain
Do you need an MFA to get a literary agent?, Ismita Hussain
Why do AI-written query letters get rejected?, Ismita Hussain
How many comp titles should you use in a query letter?, Ismita Hussain
When should you revise a query letter or submission package?, Ismita Hussain
Should you query with a pen name or your real name?, Ismita Hussain
Can you use a nonfiction book as a comp for your fiction?, Ismita Hussain
What is a synopsis and how is it different from a blurb or jacket copy?, Donovan Levine
How do you actually write a synopsis (tense, person, and structure)?, Donovan Levine
Should you spoil the ending in your synopsis?, Donovan Levine
How long should a synopsis be?, Donovan Levine
What is a comp title and what is it for?, Donovan Levine
How do you balance originality against fitting the market in your comps?, Donovan Levine
How specific should a comp title be?, Donovan Levine
How recent do comp titles need to be, and should you chase trends?, Donovan Levine
Can you comp to movies or TV instead of books?, Donovan Levine
How well should you know a comp title, and where can you research comps?, Donovan Levine
How do synopses and comps differ for nonfiction versus fiction?, Donovan Levine
What is a nonfiction book proposal, and why don't you need to have written the whole book?, Kelly Bergh
What three things does every sellable book proposal need?, Kelly Bergh
What counts as an author platform in a nonfiction book proposal?, Kelly Bergh
What sections go into a nonfiction book proposal?, Kelly Bergh
What goes in the overview section, and how long should it be?, Kelly Bergh
What goes in the About the Author and About the Book sections?, Kelly Bergh
What belongs in a nonfiction proposal’s marketing section?, Kelly Bergh
How do you choose comp titles for a nonfiction proposal?, Kelly Bergh
What goes in the book's table of contents, chapter summaries, and sample chapter?, Kelly Bergh
When should you query agents with a nonfiction book proposal?, Kelly Bergh
Should you use Canva or design elements in a nonfiction book proposal?, Kelly Bergh
How should memoir writers think about platform and audience?, Kelly Bergh
Should you use AI to help write your book proposal?, Kelly Bergh