how do you find an agent?

[MuchLessTiredNow]

have googled - seems to be wheat and chaff thing.

Do agents really help?

any website recommendations? Or tips generally?

[Litchick]

Yes, agents are worth their weight.

• they will be much more likely to secure a deal for you than going it alone
• they will be able to advise on any contracts and check you're not being ripped
• they can play bad cop to your good cop during the editing process so that you retain a good relaitionship with your publisher

-they can editorial input themselves.

What sort of stuff are you writing? What agency you should approach depends on that.

[BlaDeBla]

The Writers and Artists Yearbook is a mine of useful information.

[MuchLessTiredNow]

Thanks guys - I am halfway through a novel about a happily married woman who gets pregnant after her husband has a vasectomy - sort of chick lit ish, but not too frothy. (you'll probably tell me it's already been done!) do agents see the whole manuscript first, or do they want to see just a synopsis etc?

[Litchick]

You send an agent a covering letter including genre, wordcount, two line outline and details of what makes you special .
A two page ish synopsis and 50 pages ish.
An agent called Carol Blake has written a fab book about securing an Agent called From Pitch To Publication. I really recommend.

[MuchLessTiredNow]

thank you so much!