Before you get too excited, stop for a second and take stock. Are you ready to find an agent? "Well, I'm on this lens, right? Duh!" No, I'm referring to the submission materials you will need in your solicitation endeavor. If you're a non-fiction author, and you're writing a book, you need a book proposal. An agent wants to know what you're pitching before you write one page of your manuscript. If you don't have a book proposal ready, put one together. They're formed liked business plans. Pick up a how-to guide from your local Barnes & Noble or do your research online. Check out this site for some helpful links.

If you're writing a novel, novelette or short story anthology, you better have a completed, edited, formatted manuscript with a bowtie around it. With the fierce competition these days, I recommend you hire a professional to edit your novel. That's what I did with my latest novel, Pardon the Mess. Other submission materials include a query letter, synopsis and bio. To learn more about putting together the submission materials you need, go to my Tips for Writers lens.

Once you get your submission materials prepped, you're ready to start your search. So let's get cracking.

Finding the right agent is a snap if you know where to look. I recommend a three-step approach: 1) start with a site specializing in literary agents, 2) go the agent's website and 3) verify the agent's standing in the literary community. Here are my recommendations:

• Use an online resource for literary agents. Sign up with the authoritative source: Writer's Market. For a nominal fee, you'll have every agent under the sun available to you and searchable by genre. Writer's Market updates their market listings on a daily basis. That means you get the freshest information. Each listing specifies what the agency and its agents specialize in and what they're currently looking for. Contact information and submission requirements are also posted. If you want a freebie agent search service, check out Agent Query. Writer's Digest magazine picked them as one of the best websites for writers.


• Go to the agent's homepage. Writer's Market gives you a first taste of what an agent is looking for. But you'll want to check out the agent's website for more information. It's a good idea to see which books they've gotten published. If there are any similarities between one of their author's works and your own, use that comparison in your query letter. It will improve your odds in the 30 seconds the agent decides whether to send you a rejection notice or consider asking for your manuscript.


• Check the agent's "street cred." How do other writers such as yourself perceive the agents out there? Is Agent XYZ reputable or notorious for screwing up deals or not being responsive to an author's needs. Predator's and Editors offers an alphabetical listing of agents, and comments posted by writers. Sometimes an agent will offer a rebuttal or clarification if she's getting bad press. Another site is Agent Research & Evaluation. A basic search is free, but if you want the in-depth scoop, you have to pay a fee.