Another month has passed. And not a month goes by that I don’t receive a phone call, email, or a query on my online free sessions—via the Meetup/AuthorYOUSalons or Ask Judith on the third Friday of the month—that the agent question bubbles up.

“Do I need an agent,” “How do I get an agent?” or “Should I get an agent?”

My response question now to the asker is: Is your goal to be published by a major traditional publisher?

If the answer is YES … then my response is: You need an agent.

And, as of today, the five majors are: Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin

Random House, and Simon & Schuster. None will look at an unsolicited manuscript. Agents are the liaison to open the door.

Of the two million plus books published last year, the majority did not come from the traditional publishers. Ones that were published by independent and university presses are open to direct communications from authors and submissions. No agent required.

The real questions that should be asked are:

• What input do you want to be able to make to your book’s creation and final publication?
• What is your timeframe? Is your book topical/trending … meaning, the sooner the better?
• Is it important to be published by a traditional publisher? Think here … is this your ego talking?
• Have you decided—or know—what kind of writer you want to be?
  

I was represented by a major agent. I crossed the bridge from being traditionally published to creating my own independent press when I dove in and learned the dollars and sense/cents of publishing. That was after 18 books with published the traditional route. Now I’m 30 books more.

You can easily get on the agent merry-go-round loop. Years can squeak by waiting for the big chance. Might your time be better spent learning to write, by writing and getting better at it? And understanding how publishing works? And how to market your words to readers?

I think so.

There are many BEST-SELLING books that have been picked up by agents and traditional publishers after authors have published on their own. It happens.

Dr. Judith Briles started writing notes to her classmates in first grade … and got into “disruptive trouble” from her teachers. She’s now the author of 48 books and counting, still being a disrupter. Her books have won over 55 book awards and been Amazon bestsellers. You can follow her professional side at www.TheBookShepherd.com where she works with writers to become published authors. Listen in to her weekly podcast: AuthorU: Your Guide to Book Publishing at https://bit.ly/AuthorUPodcast

©2025 Judith Briles – The Book Shepherd™ All Rights Reserved.