A few weeks ago, I heard that a client I’d ghostwritten a series of juvenile grade books for had signed with an agent. That’s great news, especially in a market where publishers are trying all kinds of new things to recreate their business models.

To make your work as appealing as possible to agents and publishers, follow these steps.

First, make sure your work is the highest quality possible. Get feedback from readers in your audience, revise and edit each draft until the work shines.

Second, hone your query letter!

Third, write a book proposal. Even fiction authors should take this extra step because at some point, agents and publishers will ask them to put together the information in a standard proposal. Juvenile authors writing for children’s audiences through preteen can use a shorter submissions packet; young adult authors should go with the more detailed standard book proposal.

The next step is to research the agents and publishers who best fit your needs. Check out the posts in this blog under Agents and Submissions for information on select places to send your work.

Finally, be persistent! Passion will take you far in this game. The only people I’ve ever known who have failed as authors are the ones who gave up trying.