The Guide to Literary Agents 2017 is a writer's best resource for finding a literary agent who can represent their work to publishing houses, big and small. The days when a writer could deal directly with a large publisher are over. Literary agents represent writers and shepherd manuscripts to the right editor; and a good representative is the difference between a published book and a manuscript that never gets read. In addition, agents have now taken on a new role for writers, in response to the changing landscape of publishing. Agents now act as editors, advocates, promoters, digital rights managers, and much more. GLA provides names and specialties for more than 750 individual agents around the United States and the world. GLA includes more than 90 pages of original articles on finding the best agent to represent your work and how to seal the deal. From identifying your genre to writing query letters to avoiding agent pet peeves and mastering contracts in the digital era, GLA helps writers deal with agents every step of the way.