Do You Really Need An Agent?

Do you really need an agent?

Here are some notes from a previous Life the Universe and Everything writing symposium that I attended. I found this information useful I hope you do as well.

It’s recommended that you sell your short stories and first novels on your own. Then you’re in a position to negotiate for an agent.
An Agents purpose is to handle all the legal affairs that go along with writing and selling.
Be wary of agents who require you to sign a contract. Read it closely and negotiate it if you choose to go to an agent. Many agents will gladly work with a verbal agreement.
Make sure any contract includes clauses in your favor: reporting times, and at times, etc.
Many beginning writers should focus on the quality of their writing.
Agents can do three things for you: they can make connections (they go to the cons, they know the editors, etc.); they can get your manuscripts to the front of the line instead of the slush pile. They can negotiate contracts for you.
As a rule, avoid agencies happily review unpublished authors for price.
Literary marketplace: Choose an agent who knows your genre and marketplace. Choose a list of agents and send a mass meeting, getting a background, experience, etc. Reply to the responses one at a time.
Agents listed in literary marketplace must meet certain requirements.
Read your contracts very carefully. If you sell a book (not a short story) and get a contract that is questionable, go ahead and approach an agent. Tell them you have sold the book and they will likely be glad to do it. They will take a cut or fee. For short story contracts, you have to talk to another writer.
Be cautious of agency that edit or make editorial recommendations about, you stories.
Make sure agent keep you informed on the status of your stories.
Networking can be important to finding a good agent.
Contract things to keep: serial rights (you get to sale first two chapters as the short story); and a plus to keep the publisher postponing publication; audio rights; motion pictures; comic book rights;; for the sunset clause on electronic rights; electronic rights include video games; publisher should pay costs of getting copyright for your book; royalty rights on promotional packages (books sent free to sellers, publishers, etc.; Always ask for more personal copies than the publisher offers (by two or three times); watch for you having to pay for corrections after galley stage