Literary Agents

Employers

Approximately 14,830 agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes are employed in the United States. Literary agents make up a small percentage of this group. Literary agents work for established large or small agencies, although many are self-employed. Los Angeles and New York are the country's leading entertainment centers, and most agents work in either of those two cities. Some agencies have branch offices in other large U.S. cities and affiliate offices overseas, especially in London.

Starting Out

Employment within a publishing house or a media company is a good beginning for agents because it provides an insider's knowledge of agents' target markets. The other optimum approach is to send resumes to any and all agencies and to be willing to start at the bottom, probably as an office worker, then working up to the position of subagent, in order to learn the field. Job listings are also available at the Web sites of career and professional associations. One useful site is BookJobs.com. Some agents enter the field after a career as a published author.