Let's Talk Literary Agents

I've spent the last 48 hours really, really embedded in the online world of literary agents. Oh My God! There's so much out there! Here's a quick overview of questions I've had and things I've learned over the last two days.

Does it diminish an agent's credibility if there's a typo on their website homepage? I'm certainly not allowed to have a typo in ANYTHING I send to them. In fact, I'll probably get an automatic rejection if I do. Does this mean the agency gets an automatic rejection from me if they have a typo?

Does it matter if a literary agency doesn't have a webpage or doesn't have a webpage that comes up automatically at the top of search engine results. If I can create a website, myself, for my dog, shouldn't a literary agent have a website? And if you're serious about business like the rest of us, shouldn't it appear at the top of Google's search results? Just saying.

The website P & E provides incredible amounts of feedback on any and every literary agent out there. Folks posting on this site are brutally honest.

What about if the agent has an AOL e-mail address? I'm a normal person, and I haven't had an AOL email address in ten years. Not that anything's wrong with AOL. It's just that most of us have switched to gmail or if you're a business you have an email address that's yourname@yourbusinessname.com. Is an AOL e-mail address a reason to discount an agent?

I have eliminated several agencies from my Master List through my online searching. My Master List was formed from my Writer's Market Guide to Literary Agents. After doing A LOT of online research, I wonder about what it takes to get into the Writer's Market Guide to Literary Agents. Some of the agencies listed in this book look very sketchy online.

This leaves me with the big question: who do I trust with my manuscript? It's SO DIFFICULT to decide who's reputable and who's not. How do you decide? Based in NYC? Has a website? Lists LOTS of publishing credentials in agent bios? In Writer's Market?

My first novel is my baby! I can't trust her with just anyone. Frankly, I would prefer to not waste a lot of time querying sketchy agencies or agencies who are not going to respond or agencies who don't solely represent literary works.

Here's the list of agencies I've vetoed so far. They've been voted out for various reasons, not all of them negative. Take it for what it's worth. I'm just one novice writer trying to publish her first novel.

1. Acacia House Publishing Services
2. Farber Literary Agency
3. Farris Literary Agency
4. Dee Mura Literary
5. The Nashville Agency