If you get rejected by an agent, it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to be a writer.

Words Count | Kathryn Mockler on Agents

Oct 26, 2024

Agents

Everyone wants an agent, but an agent can’t do a lot for you until you have a project they can sell.

Rather that worrying about signing with an agent, focus on writing a good script or book. While agents can be helpful, you don’t necessarily need one to pursue your writing goals—especially if you are working on self-funded film projects or are writing for the small press market.

While I have a screenwriting agent, I don’t have literary agent for fiction. My film agent reviews my book contracts (as a favour), and because I’m operating in the small press world, I don’t see a need for an agent right now. If I didn’t have a film agent review my contracts, then I would hire a lawyer or use the contract negotiating service provide by the Writers Union of Canada.

So far I’ve had five books of poetry published, a short story collection, and I co-edited a climate anthology. All of that happened without an agent.

My next book is more genre-focused, and I might consider trying to getting a literary agent for that, but I just want to make it clear that it is possible to have a writing career without an agent. If you get rejected by an agent, it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to be a writer or have a writing career.

The Catch-22

You want to approach an agent when you have a solid project and have some buzz around you in the form of a recent grant, contest win, festival run, publications, or a book deal offer or a script option offer.

If you are a screenwriter, make some short films and send them to festivals and apply to professional development programs, contests, or labs. I got my first agent after doing the Praxis Screenwriting Program and my second agent after doing the film program at the Canadian Film Centre. These kind of professional development opportunities can help network you into the system.

If you are a novelist or fiction writer, send your writing out for publication, apply for grants, residencies, labs. If you write nonfiction, pitch to major outlets to help get some excitement around your writing and the topic of your book.

No matter the genre, generally the time you need an agent is after buzz has been generated around you. But how do you get those opportunities without an agent? It's a Catch-22.

If you are making small independent self-funded films or are writing for small presses, you don’t need an agent.

However in film and TV, you can’t get to the gatekeepers without an agent and they help negotiate contracts.

In fiction writing you can’t get to the big publishers without an agent because many will not accept unagented submissions.

In recent years, in Canada, I have noticed that some publishers are opening up submissions to writers without representation and major networks are visiting film festivals across the country and taking pitches.

It’s a good idea to follow and support film or literary festivals to see what professional development opportunities are available and to follow publishers on social media and sign up for their newsletters, so you don’t miss out on potential opportunities.

How to Find an Agent

When you are ready to look for an agent, you can find a list of Canadian screenwriting agents on the Writers Guild of Canada website, and fiction and nonfiction agents at The Writers Union of Canada.

There are only about 15-20 agents in Canada, so don’t send out your work until it’s ready. Once they reject you, you can’t resubmit until you have a new project to sell.

If you are interested in American agents, then I suggest checking out your favourite writers to see who their agents are. In the US, agents often require personal recommendations in order to read work, but some still do take unsolicited submissions.

Research their websites and ask writers you know about their experiences.

Never pay an agent to submit your work to them. That is a scam.

Sometimes you will be asked to sign a waiver which is pretty common (especially for film agents).

Here are two Subtacks I recommend for those seeking fiction or nonfiction representation:

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