Check out a book called The Writer's Guide to Book Editors,
Publishers, and Literary Agents by a man named Jeff Herman. You can get
it for around $35 on Amazon. It lists, as you might guess, hundreds of
agents around the country. It tells what each agent is looking for
(fiction versus nonfiction, for instance), what they've sold lately,
how to contact them, address, etc. Most agents in the book are
legitimate, but you occasionally run across someone who is not. NEVER
send anybody any money. Some agents make a living from charging
"reading fees" instead of selling books. You can tell if an agent is
successful by carefully reviewing which manuscripts they've sold and
who they've sold them to. At this point, the easiest thing to do would
probably be to stick with prospective agents who are members of the
Association of Authors Representatives (AAR). Any member of the AAR is
legitimate, without a doubt, and at least fairly successful.
The book named above will also provide step-by-step instructions
on how to contact these potential agents. In every case, you'll start
by sending out "query letters." These letters basically state who you
are, what you've written (a short synopsis), and ask for permission to
send part or all of your manuscript. A query letter should be only one
page long.
Any question you might have about query letters, synopses,
finding an agent, etc., will be answered in the book mentioned above.
It is definitely worth the money. I could spend hours detailing all
this information for you, but I still wouldn't do as good a job as the
book does.
Here's what to expect....
Once you've written a brilliant query letter (and it does need
to be very compelling), you'll send it out to a handful of agents,
maybe ten or so.
In a month or two, you'll receive replies from the agents. Most
will be form letters that say "thanks but no thanks." Then, you either
send out more query letters, or if you're very lucky, an agent or two
will ask to see part or all of your manuscript.
This process could take months or years. I myself contacted
roughly 100 agents over a year and a half before I found my agent.
After that, she found a publisher for me in about six weeks.
So, clean up your manuscript as best you can, buy the book, follow its instructions VERY carefully...and cross your fingers!
Article
Source
Ten Steps to Finding an Agent
Ten Basic Steps to Findin.htm
Tips on Verbal Pitches and Preparing to meet the Agents
http://www.jakonrath.com/tips8.html
5 Things to Never do (or how to make an Agent dislike you)
5 things to never do.htm
The Perfect Pitch
The Perfect Pitch.htm
Maximize your Meeting w/ Editor or Agent
Maximize An Editor or Age.htm
How I found my Agent
How I Found My Agent.htm
Tips on Pitching to an Editor/Agent at a Conference
Tips on pitching at a con.htm
How to Land the Right Agent - Q&A with Elizabeth Pomada
How To Land the Right Agent.htm
7 Essential Points on finding/meeting an Agent
Seven essential points.htm
8 Questions to ask an Interested Agent
8 Questions to ask Agent.htm
Finding an Agent
ARTICLE Finding an Agent.htm
An Insider Look at how Agents choose Manuscripts, what happens once you submit your query.
Insider Look How Agent.htm
Web del Sol's page where Michael Neff interviews various agents. Syl found Erin Reel here. It's a good resource because he asks lots of questions about literary vs. genre, new vs. experienced novelists, etc.
http://webdelsol.com/Algonkian/Classes/agent-interviews.htm