By Jennifer Braddock – Editor

You did it. You typed “The End.”
You’ve got a first draft in hand, and now you’re wondering:

“Should I get an agent?”

Short answer? Not yet.
Longer answer? It’s complicated, and it helps to understand where the agent system even came from.

A Quick History of Literary Agents

Before there were agents, writers represented themselves. Including the famous ones. Louisa May Alcott negotiated her own deals and even pushed back on her publisher’s edits to Little Women. She was savvy. Many weren’t.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, publishing became more industrialized. Contracts got more complex. A new type of middleman emerged: the literary agent. Agents originally made their mark by forging relationships with editors. They pitched manuscripts directly. Sometimes they literally walked into newspaper or publisher offices with a carbon copy in hand.

Sounds helpful, right?

Well… yes and no.

Back then, many writers didn’t know how to negotiate for royalties, reprint rights, or foreign editions. Some agents stepped in to protect them.

Others saw opportunity in that vulnerability. They took advantage by pocketing fees. Greedy agents misreported royalties or steered deals that served their own interests.

Watch Elvis (2022) about The King’s relationship with his manipulative agent, Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).

Unlike today, there weren’t many standards or oversight bodies. For many writers, agents were a mysterious and necessary evil.

That legacy still lingers. While most modern agents are ethical professionals, the system remains uneven. Some are career-builders. Some take their cut and are ghosters. A few are still out to take a bite out of a writer’s naivete.

Watch Billy Joel’s recent documentary for his take on an agent who got into his back pocket.

What Does an Agent Do Today?

A reputable agent helps you:

  • Polish your manuscript before submission
  • Pitch to traditional publishers (especially the Big Five)
  • Negotiate advances, royalties, and contract terms
  • Sell subsidiary rights (film, foreign, audio)
  • Guide your long-term writing career

Here’s the kicker: agents don’t work for you until you sign with them. Even then, you’re partners, not boss-and-employee.

They also work on commission (usually 10% to 15%). If an agent asks you for an upfront fee? That’s a scam. The old predatory spirit still shows up in new forms. Be wary of anything that sounds too good to be true. It’ll probably cost you.

Why You Shouldn’t Query After Just One Draft

Back to your beautiful first draft.
It’s not ready yet, and that’s OK.

Agents aren’t looking for ideas, they want execution. They want the third or fourth draft that’s been revised, workshopped, and proofread.

Submitting too soon is like proposing marriage on the first date. It rarely ends well. Agents want to know what you have next, what are your third and fourth books? They don’t want one-hit wonders, they want sustainability.

Before you query, you should:

  • Revise until you’re sick of revising.
  • Get feedback from critique partners or beta readers.
  • Hire a freelance editor, but be picky. Some are wolves in invoice form.

Do You Even Need an Agent?

Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on your goals.

If you want to publish with one of the Big Five or a major imprint? Yes, you’ll probably need an agent, inless you know an insider or meet the Editor in Chief at a writing conference.

Agents have forged a role and are the gatekeepers. If you’re looking at small presses, hybrid publishing, or self-publishing, probably not.

Publishing is no longer one path. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure. Agents are great allies, but they’re not the only ones who can open doors. You are your story’s best advocate

Keep Writing While You Wait

Querying can take months, and waiting to hear back can be even longer. While you’re waiting and revising, start your next project. Agents love seeing that you’re committed to writing, not just pinning all your hopes on one book.

Your Call to Action

The agent system was born from writers’ need for business help, but came with strings attached. Not all of these strings were good. These days, you can protect yourself by being informed, strategic, and patient.

The more you understand the business side of writing, the less likely you are to get played.

Don’t be in a rush. Hone your book. Do your research. And remember: you are the CEO of your writing career. An agent is a partner, not a savior.

Are you revising? Researching agents? Deciding whether to go indie or traditional? Share your journey in the comments or start a convo with Besty Bot. If this post gave you clarity, pass it on to a fellow writer who’s standing at the same crossroads.

Do you have questions or comments? Ask Besty Bot about the writing craft and how to publish your book with Best Chance Media!

Copy and Share This Post on Your Social Media:

📚Just finished your first draft and wondering if it’s time to get a literary agent? Not so fast.✋ Before you query, know the history behind agents, how they used to work the system, and what new writers still need to watch out for today. Louisa May Alcott represented herself. Should you? Read this before you sign anything. #WritingTips #AmWriting #WriterBeware #LiteraryAgents #FirstDraftDone #PublishingAdvice #WritingCommunity #LouisaMayAlcott #KnowYourWorth #WritersLife #IndieAuthors #QueryTips https://bestchancemedia.org/2025/09/11/when-is-it-time-to-query-a-literary-agent/

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Published by Alan O’Hashi, Whole Brain Thinker

I’ve been involved with community journalism since 1968 when I wrote for my junior school paper, the "Tumbleweed," through high school and college and then wrote for the "Wyoming State Journal." I put aside my newspaper pen and began Boulder Community Media in 2005. There wasn’t much community journalism opportunity, so I resurrected my writing career as a screenwriter. My first short screenplay, “Stardust”, won an award in the 2005 Denver Screenwriting Center contest. I've made a number of movies over the years. Filmmaking is time-consuming, labor and equipment intensive. I recently changed my workflow to first write a book and make a movie based on that content. - Electric Vehicle Anxiety and Advice - This is a memoir travelogue of three trips covering 2,600 EV miles around Wyoming (2022) - Beyond Heart Mountain - Winter Goose Publishers released my memoir in February (2022) - The Zen of Writing with Confidence and Imperfection - This is a book recounting how luck planed into my signing a book deal after a 15-minute pitch meeting. (2020) - True Stories of an Aging Baby Boomer - War stories about living in a cohousing and lessons others can learn when starting their communities (2021) - Beyond Sand Creek - About Arapaho tribal efforts to repatriate land in Colorado (PBS - TBA) - Beyond Heart Mountain - Based on my memoir about my childhood in Cheyenne facing overt and subtle racism toward the Japanese following World War II (PBS - 2021) - New Deal Artist Public Art Legacy - About artists who created work in Wyoming during the Great Depression (PBS - 2018) - Mahjong and the West - SAG indie feature which premiered at the semi-important Woodstock Film Festival (2014) Over the years, I’ve produced directed, filmed and/or edited several short movies, “Running Horses” (Runner Up – Wyoming Short Film Contest), “On the Trail: Jack Kerouac in Cheyenne” (Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Festival, Top 10 Wyoming Short Film Contest), “Gold Digger” (Boulder Asian Film Festival), “Adobo” (Boulder International Film Festival), “A Little Bit of Discipline” (Rosebud Film Series), and two feature length documentaries “Your Neighbor’s Child” (Wyoming PBS and Rocky Mountain PBS), and “Serotonin Rising” (American Film Market, Vail Film Festival). He also directed and produced the award winning stage play “Webster Street Blues” by my childhood friend Warren Kubota. Boulder Community Media is a non-profit production company dedicated to democratzing media in all their forms - large and small screens, printed page and stage by providing sustainable and community-based content. I mostly work with community-based media producers, organizations, and socially-responsible businesses to develop their content via – the written word, electronic and new media, the visual and performing arts in a culturally competent manner – I’m what’s commonly called a niche TV and movie producer. Along with all this is plying my forte’ – fund development through grant writing, sponsorship nurturing and event planning.

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