https://publishinghouse.org/tags/literary-agents/ Recent content in literary agents on Publishing House Hugo -- gohugo.io en-us Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://publishinghouse.org/how-to-write-a-query-letter-that-gets-read/ Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://publishinghouse.org/how-to-write-a-query-letter-that-gets-read/ A query letter is a one-page business pitch. Its only job is to make a literary agent request your manuscript. Nothing else. Writers routinely overthink it. The good news: the structure is simple and consistent across genres. The four-part formula 1. The hook (one to two sentences) Lead with your book’s core premise — the character, the situation, the stakes. Think back-cover copy, not synopsis. If you can name a compelling comp title and explain how yours differs, even better. https://publishinghouse.org/what-a-literary-agent-actually-does-and-how-to-find-one/ Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://publishinghouse.org/what-a-literary-agent-actually-does-and-how-to-find-one/ Many writers treat finding an agent as the finish line. It’s actually the starting gun. A literary agent is your advocate, negotiator, and long-term business partner in the publishing industry. Understanding what they do — and don’t do — changes how you approach the relationship. What agents actually do Agents submit your manuscript to acquiring editors at publishing houses. They have relationships writers don’t: they know which editors are actively looking, what imprints are acquiring in your genre, and how to position your book to get the best read.