If you want your book to get published on a traditional publishing house, take note that you need a literary agent to represent you and your book. However, getting accepted by a traditional publisher is as hard as getting a good literary agent. Someone that will truly be interested in you and your book and won’t just be looking into the money that’s in your pocket.

In order to get to know your agent really well, you need to ask him few questions. Questions that you consider very important when it matters to this business. In case a literary agent has a website, try visiting his website and read some details provided on his website. Some information that you wanted to know about them are sometimes available on their website particularly in the “About” page.

Here are few important questions that you have to ask to a literary agent.

How much experience you have as a literary agent?

First of all, you need to know how much experience they have as a literary agent. That will include the years and their specialties. Just like an author, literary agent also have their very own specialties when it comes to book genres that they can handle very well. See to it that he is the right agent for your book. Established agents usually have more connections and will be able to find a good place to introduce your book.

Do you work in an agency or you work independently?

Before you commit to an agent, make sure you know who is going to handle your book. Some agents, especially those that are working with big agencies will let an assistant handle the work rather than doing it themselves. However, if you work with an independent agent, he’ll be able work on your book personally.

Are you a member of Association of Authors’ Representatives (AAR)?

It’s good to know if the literary agent you plan to work with is member of certain Association like AAR, a nonprofit organization for professional literary agents. If an agent is a member of AAR, he must follow it’s requirements and adhere to its bylaws and ethics. Therefore, he is a very ideal agent to have.