EIGHT STEPS to getting an Agent Contract

As part of the WordServe Blog tour, I've been asked to share my journey to get a contract with a literary agency. And I am giving away a set of  "A friend in the storm" from Cheryl Ricker. my friend and fellow WordServe client.


First, I took a Novel writing class through a correspondence course offered by Writers Digest Magazine. Next I finished the novel.

I kept reading novel writing instruction books and each time I finished one,  I edited  Birdie's story (The title has changed many, many times.)

Meanwhile I began  writing Evalena's story. (This title keeps changing too, so we will just refer to them by the name of the main character.) Then while I edited Evalena's tale I worked on Rebekahs.

Rebekah is a cousin-in-law to Evalena, and interacts with her in this third story. So even though these are stand-alone books, when something major changed in Evalena's life it sometimes had an effect on Rebekah's also.





STEP ONE: Write and finish a manuscript.


Rather than have husband take pictures of me in some of these poses, I'll fill in the gaps using photos from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

Add caption

STEP TWO: Join a Critique Group online or in person.










STEP THREE: Be willing to take advice so that you can write the very best book possible.

This advice comes from critique partners, and paid critiques of course. But advice also comes from agent/editor meeting at conferences. The trick is to take the advice and still keep your own voice.



STEP FOUR:Prepare your elevator speech, your one sheet and proposal. And attend a writers conference.







STEP FIVE: Expect to Network at writing conferences
When I met Colleen Coble at my first American Christian Fiction Writers conference I did not even know she was important. I only knew that she was friendly, that she was a published author who approached me and said she knew an editor who would like to meet me.

The editor advised me to get an agent.


Another part of networking is keeping in touch with the writers who befriend you.  If you like their books, recommend them to your friends.

How does that help you get an agent? Well, years after the first ACFW meeting Colleen introduced me to her agent.

STEP SIX: When rejections come. Do not give up.

Oh, that's right. Colleen also told me it took 15 years of writing novels before she got her first book contract. A writer needs to be in this for the long haul.

Keep writing and keep submitting your work.

STEP SEVEN: Remember that it is not all about you.

Rejoice with friends who win awards, and get agent contracts, and publishing contracts before you do.

STEP EIGHT: Wait on God's timing.

Fourteen years after attending my first local writing conference, and taking the first Writer's Digest class, I received my agent contract with WordServe Literary.

Leave a comment anytime through August 31, 2012 for a chance to win Cheryl Ricker's mug and book set   "A friend in the storm". 

Click this link to blog tour to find other give-away offers.