How to find out if your agent is an idiot-part trois

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If you see "should any manuscript peak your interest" you know your agent is doing a couple things wrong:

1. confusing peak and pique -- which makes editors cringe;

2. submitting multiple manuscript ideas in a newsletter -- in other words, spamming editors.


When editors send me these examples and ask me if I can spot ALL the mistakes in the first paragraph, it's pretty much a sign they don't take the agent, or the proposed projects, seriously.

Of course I surfed to the agent's website. Four immediate red flags:

1. no sales;
2. no authors;
3. no agent bio indicating his/her experience in publishing;
4. Clunky writing misusing industry terms.


Make sure you know how your agent is pitching your work.
Ask for the pitch letter; you're entitled.

Ask for the newsletter; you're entitled.

Your agent represents YOUR work; you're absolutely entitled to see how it's positioned.