What would I pay my agent?
Most literary agents receive a commission of about 15% on your actual earnings. Artist reps make a little more money – in the 20-35% range. Agents usually take their cut out of your check they receive from the publishers and they pass the rest on to you. The agent earns their cut for the life of the book. If at any time you should leave an agent, they will continue to receive royalty payments on your behalf for the books they handled, and pass the rest on to you.
Many times there are other minor fees due to the agent, however reputable agents have those spelled out in their contracts. Be sure you know what expenses will be passed through to you at the time of signing the agreement.
What doesn’t an agent do?
Agents are not crystal ball readers, they do not work directly for you, and they will not completely manage your career. They will present your work to publishers and represent you when a publisher makes an offer. You are not the only person they represent, so they will have a limited time to talk with you. You might only hear from them now and then.
They gain access to editors that you might have only dreamed about, but that means they have invested a great amount of time in maintaining good relationships this those editors. You must stay involved in the process, let them know if you have issues with the contract of publishers. It is their job to go to bat for you!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment