What do literary agents and publishers look for in a writer?

First and foremost, they’re both looking for a book they can easily sell. And if you, the author, already have a promising mailing list of potential readers and buyers, then you’ve just made the package so much more appealing.

Litopia Editorial, with Peter CoxUpdated November 3, 2026

After that, they look for a clear sense of who the book is for: certain genres are in considerable demand, while others struggle.

Publishers often say that they’d prefer to find a new author rather than just a new manuscript, and this is true; if your online presence suggests that you’re an author at the beginning of a long and productive career, then that adds to the allure, too.

Must a novelist have a following before querying?

No. A début novelist is mostly taken on for the manuscript, and a strong one can find an agent with no following at all. A little groundwork helps, though, particularly if you’re writing in a genre that’s not currently thought of as being very commercial.

What helps a lot

A fabulous, finished manuscript helps most. Then comes a query that positions the book clearly: its genre, length and potential readership, and two or three recent comparative titles it sits beside.

What helps a little

A simple home page, a small mailing list, published stories or articles, and a placing in a respected contest all count in your favor. None will rescue a weak manuscript, but any can tip a close decision.

What’s usually wasted effort

Chasing follower numbers: a large audience built on content unrelated to your book does little for a novel’s chances.
Posting the whole book online: it can complicate or kill a sale.
Joining every network at once: time spread thin across many sites is time taken from the book.

Why does platform matter so much for nonfiction?

It matters because nonfiction is usually sold on a proposal before the book is written, so a publisher backs you as much as the idea. They want to know why you’re the right person to write it, and how you’ll reach the people who need it.

Credibility answers the first question. It’s your expertise, experience, qualifications or access. Reach answers the second. It’s the audiences you already speak to, and the ways you can put the book in front of them.

Writing the platform section of a proposal

This part of the proposal sets out, with evidence, who already listens to you and how you’ll tell them about the book.

Lead with your strongest match: the audience closest to the book’s readers comes first, even if another is larger.
Give real, current figures: subscribers, regular readers, listeners, students or clients, with a note of how recent each number is.
Show engagement as well as size: replies, repeat attendance, events that fill up.
Name specific outlets: publications you write for, conferences where you speak, and people with audiences who’ve agreed to help.
Commit to a plan you can deliver: what you’ll do around publication, in concrete terms.

Be specific and modest. A publisher would rather believe a small, precise claim than doubt a large, vague one. If the section looks thin, it may be worth spending some months building reach before you submit.

What happens when an agent looks you up?

An agent who likes your submission will often search for your name to see who you are beyond the cover letter. They’re checking that you’re real, that you match what you’ve told them, and that you’d be good to work with.

What reassures them

A clear home page: your name, what you write, a recent photo and a way to get in touch.
Consistency: the same name, genre and biography they read in your query.
A record of work: publications, events, or a steady history of writing in public.
A generous tone: courtesy toward other writers, readers and the business.

What worries them

A mismatch: claims in the query that a quick search doesn’t support.
Public complaints about the industry: posts attacking agents, editors or reviewers, or a running tally of rejections.
Silence, for nonfiction: an empty search undercuts any proposal that rests on reach.

What should a query letter say about you?

Your bio belongs in one short paragraph of two to four sentences. Include only what makes an agent more confident in this book and in you as its author.

Worth mentioning:

Relevant publications and prizes: work in recognized outlets, contest wins, and any previous books with their publishers.
Expertise that bears on the book: professional experience, research or a personal connection that gives you authority.
Strong, relevant numbers: a mailing list, a podcast audience or a regular column. For nonfiction, give the headline here and the detail in the proposal.
Self-published sales, if they’re strong: mention them only when the figures are good and recent, and be ready to back them up.

Best left out:

Praise from friends and family: an agent can’t weigh it.
How long you’ve dreamed of writing: commitment shows in the work itself.
Apologies: a first novel needs no excuse.

For example, a fictional retired paramedic writing a crime novel set on night shifts would lead with those years on the road. Then they’d add a story placed in a respected magazine, and stop there.

What are the red flags?

Anything that suggests you’ll be hard to trust or hard to work with is a red flag. Most of them are easy to avoid.

Inflated claims: numbers a quick search contradicts, or comparisons to the decade’s biggest bestsellers.
Bought or hollow followers: a large count with little sign of real readers looks worse than a small, genuine audience.
Public feuds: arguments with reviewers, other writers or agents, especially about rejection.
Ignoring submission guidelines: the wrong genre for the agent, missing materials, or a letter plainly sent to everyone at once.
Pressure: chasing a reply within days, or answering a rejection angrily (that’s unprofessional!).
A hidden history: a book already self-published or posted free online, mentioned late or not at all.

Be accurate, be courteous in public, and let the work speak first.