Author-Agent Agreement

Literary agents only work with books and their authors. On the other hand, dramatic agents only work with stage plays, television material, musicals, and screenplays. A writer of screenplays or television series pilots might use the services of a dramatic agent. That is especially the case if the writer has had prior success and is now looking for representation.

Finding the right agent to represent you as an author can be challenging. Asking questions regarding the agent’s experience in business is always a good idea. Also, find out how much they know about foreign rights if you may want to translate your work and sell it in other countries. Finally, you may want to inquire about the agent’s direct involvement with your work. Will the agent handle all the details personally or outsource?

This will depend on the provisions in the agreement. If there is a breach of contract, you might have to go to arbitration or another resolution method before you can legally exit the agreement.
You may ask for a short-term agreement at first. You can also specify in the contract that both parties can terminate the contract if certain conditions are fulfilled.

The standard agent commission fee might vary drastically depending on the agency. However, the industry standard is 15% of all earnings represented. This fee can climb up to 20% or 25% if the agent has a co-agent in other areas, such as movie rights.

The short answer to this question is no. You don’t need a literary agent to publish your work, especially if you want to self-publish digitally. However, if you want to be published by a publishing house in the traditional sense, you will have to hire an agent to represent your work.