Do you know the three techniques for approaching an agent? Do you know which ones work best?

Here are the main three ways: 

• Be introduced by a current client
• Meet at a conference or event
• Query letter

So how did you get your first agent?

There was a fellow named Mark Iverson in my Naval Reserve unit who’d written a technothriller manuscript and gotten an agent by the name of George Wieser via a cold query letter. At one time, GW represented Dale Brown, Steve Martini and a number of other big thriller writers.

Mark read my manuscript, offered some pointed comments, then told me I should query GW and mention his name. I did and GW took me on immediately.

Now, note that there were two components in play: I was recommended by one of his current clients and I wrote a query letter. Odds are, you’re going to have to write a query letter at some point.

This is the single most critical skill you can have.

Easier said than done. How do I get introduced by a current client?

Shoot, it’s easier than ever with the Internet. Strike up correspondence with some writers. Read their works, write to them, visit their websites, email if invited. Mention that you write but talk primarily about their works.

NEVER, EVER ask for an introduction to their agents. If they like you and how you sound, they’ll eventually offer to introduce you.

NEVER write to an agent or editor and tell him or her that a current client said to contact them. Never even imply it.

This has happened to me. A writer I knew, one who I liked personally but who didn’t write that well, wrote to my editor at St. Martins. She said she felt like she knew him because of all I’d said about him. And she had a manuscript she thought he’d like and here were the first ten pages.

Guess what that editor did? Called me to ask why I was sending him crappy writers. You think that writer and I remained friends after that?

Which brings us to another point—all business is personal. All of it. From the first stages of networking and meeting other writers to working with editors, publishers and PR folks. It’s all personal. If you’re a jerk, you better be brilliant (that trump card again, you know.)

You can also meet writers and agents at conferences and other events.

Frankly, I’ve know people for whom this panned out, but it never did for me. I attended my first writing conference after I’d already had six books published, so perhaps it just wasn’t my way. Most of my students, many of whom have expended thousands attending writing conferences, tell me that they didn’t make the connections they’d hoped for at those events.

Now, the next thing you need to know is how to write a query letter. Check it out -- I average an 85% request for manuscript when I use my query letter template!