This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Caroline Hogg has worked in publishing for almost ten years. She is Senior Commissioning Editor for Commercial Women's Fiction at Pan Macmillan.
This week a Novelicious reader asks:
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Do I really need to have an agent? Do you ever take on unagented books?
Caroline says:
I would always advise writers to get an agent, absolutely. If you’re really serious about getting your writing noticed above all the others, an agent is the best person to help you do this. They have great market knowledge, great contacts and are very often great editors too, helping you to shape your book before it goes out on submission. As a commissioning editor, you tend to take agented submissions more seriously because they have been carefully vetted and prepared by an agent beforehand. I understand it’s not easy or quick to get an agent, but it is very worthwhile.
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