Where Agents Find Talent

Writers always ask: where do agents find their clients? In recent podcast interviews, Lucinda confirmed that referrals play the most crucial role in the operations of most literary agencies. But surprisingly, when she did a back-of-the-envelope calculation, only half of these referrals came from clients, while the other half originated from ghostwriters, book collaborators, lecture agents, and book publicists in Lucinda Literary’s network.

What this reveals is that the book partners writers collaborate with, whether in an editorial or media capacity, can be their secret weapon in building connections with agents.

Furthermore, she averaged that about 20% of referrals come from scouting efforts, where writers are actively sought out based on their online presence. This highlights the importance of engaging in activities such as podcast interviews, article writing for prominent publications, and growing one’s social media presence. Lucinda delves deeper into this topic in her book, Get Signed.

Only about 10% of represented projects originated from the agency’s slushpile, where cold queries are received. However, don’t neglect this approach even as you take a more proactive one. Attending virtual events over Zoom, no matter how far from New York you live – can provide writers with a strong advantage due to name recognition and the ability to get real-time feedback on their projects. The combination of crafting a compelling pitch and showcasing strong credentials using Lucinda’s 6-Step Get Signed Method can significantly enhance a writer’s chances. “Rest assured”, she says, your queries are indeed read, and the agency is actively on the lookout for the next great talent.

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