Checklist for Interviewing Agents

When you are trying to find an agent, you have every right to question and interview them. Unfortunately, most writers don't interview agents and simply sign with whoever agrees to represent them. While agents are qualifying you as a prospective client, qualify them as potential agents. The questions that you should ask prospective agents will vary project to project. However, the following basic questions are appropriate in most situations:

1. Do you specialize in a particular genre of books?
2. What have you recently sold that you are most excited about?
3. I noticed that you sold X; how did that author get your attention?
4. May I have a list of your current and past clients?
5. May I contact your clients?
6. May I have a list of the books you sold in the past year?
7. What books that are similar to mine have you sold?
8. Are you a member of AAR?
9. Will you adhere to the AAR Canon of Ethics? If not, please explain.
10. How much should I expect my book to sell for to a publisher?
11. Who will lead my account? What is his/her experience?
12. How much time will he/she spend on my account?
13. Who else will work on my account and in what capacity? What is his/her experience?
14. How much time will he/she devote to my account?
15. Who will supervise the work on my account? What is his/her experience?
16. How much time will he/she put in on my account?
17. What is your plan for selling my book?
18. How long do you expect it to take?
19. What more can I do to increase my book's chances of selling?
20. How much input will I have in my campaign?
21. How often will I receive communications/updates about my account?
22. In addition to selling my book, what services will I receive?
23. In what time frame will I receive each of these services?
24. What can I do if I don't receive the results promised?
25. Can I fire you? If so, when?
26. Will you still be entitled to fee payments? ]If so, for what and how much?
27. What are your strong points, your advantages over other agencies?
28. What is the best way and best time for me to contact you?
29. How long should I expect to wait before hearing from you?
30. Do you have a protocol for how we will work together? If so, what is it?
31. Do you have an author/agent agreement? If so, may I see it?

An excerpt from the National Bestseller Author 101: Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents by Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman with Mark Steisel http://www.author101.com

Reprinted from "Rick Frishman's Author 101 Newsletter" Subscribe at http://www.author101.com and receive Rick's "Million Dollar Rolodex"