How much do agents charge?
This varies from agent to agent. Typically, agents receive a 15 percent commission on the books they sell and everything relating to that book, such as excerpted magazine articles, audio tapes and films (but not speeches and personal appearances). Agents usually receive 20 percent for overseas sales. But there are variations on that theme. A small number of agents charge a reading fee just for looking at your work. Many literary agencies charge for long distance phone calls, photocopying, messenger services and other incidental expenses made on the author’s behalf. These are costs you should ask about before you work with an agent. Sometime agents bill authors directly for these expenses; sometimes these charges are deducted from the authors’ payments. Still other agents don’t always charge a commission; instead they review and market your proposal on a hourly fee basis, earning a fee regardless of whether they sell your proposal or not. Most literary agencies also receive a 20 percent
