FAQ

Why do I need an agent?

Agents are advocates for authors and illustrators at all stages of the publishing process. We make smart deals and negotiate the best contracts on behalf of our clients. In addition we provide editorial assistance, navigate complex professional relationships, and break down royalty statements. We actively pursue the sale of foreign rights, audio, film, and more. A good agent is your trusted representative with established ties to the industry who can open doors for you as well as function as your accountant, coach and editor, and support system. A good agent will help you build a long lasting and rewarding writing career.

What sets Prospect Agency apart?

What sets us apart our is our smart, experienced and hard working agents who have strong relationships with editors and publishers who can buy your work. It is also our dedication to providing comprehensive services to our clients by following through on all the details of nurturing a writing career while always keeping the big picture in mind. It's our motto — "We see the Forest and the Trees."

What is Prospect Agency looking for?

Prospect Agency values literature that surprises, breaks conventions, transports the reader to a new world, but never forgets the basics of storytelling: strong characters and a gripping narrative. Check each agent’s bio for what they are looking for.

I am interested in foreign rights for one of Prospect Agency's titles. Whom do I contact?

Please reach out to Prospect Agency's Tina Shen and she'll be glad to help you out.

I am interested in film rights for one of your titles. What should I do?

Please contact the Prospect agent representing the title in question and she will let you know if the work is currently being represented by a film agent.

Do you have an agency agreement?

Yes, our clients sign an at-will agreement with our agency that defines the terms of our working relationship. Our agency takes a standard 15% commission on domestic book sales. There are no fees. We are a member in good standing with the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR).

Do you have a motto?

Why yes we do! Our motto is "We see the Forest and the Trees," and it's even painted on one of our office walls. It is our commitment to provide comprehensive service to our clients every day by following through on all the details of running a writing career while always keeping the big picture in mind.

How do I submit?

Prospect Agency strives to be as green as possible. To this end, we only accept submissions online. Please do not send submissions via email or mail.

Illustrators and author-illustrators should refer to the guidelines and submit via the PROSPECT PORTFOLIOwebsite.

Once you upload your query/sample materials through the submissions form, you will receive an automatic reply confirming receipt. After that, you can expect to hear back from us within three months if an agent is interested in reading more of your work. Due to the large number of submissions we receive, we must limit our responses to requests only.

If your full manuscript or additional material is requested by one of our agents, please email your work to the requesting agent in Word, RTF, or PDF format. Please note that the response time to full manuscripts varies and that time frame is set individually by the requesting agent. All correspondence will be conducted via email or phone.

All correspondence will be conducted via email or phone.

In addition to recycling, Prospect Agency uses acid-free paper with 100% recycled content for in-house printing needs and subscribes to clean renewable electricity

I've submitted my manuscript -- when can I expect a response?

Currently, we do not send out rejection letters for the submissions we receive. You'll hear from an agent only if they would like to read the entire work.

Can I submit more than one manuscript?

Please submit only one manuscript at a time. We keep centralized records of submissions so please refrain from simultaneous submissions to this agency. If a manuscript is declined, unless a revision is requested, please do not re-submit the same manuscript or a manuscript that is substantially the same (to any agent). Simultaneous submissions to this agency or repeat submissions will not be read and receive no response.

What if I don't receive a response to my submission?

While we aim to respond to every requested submission within the time frame stated above, there may be rare occasions when you do not receive a response. We apologize. If an agent has requested your work and you have not heard back in over six months, but are still interested in representation, please follow up with the specific agent. Please do not re-submit work to several agents as this is against our guidelines.