Representative who sells manuscripts to publishers for a commission.

Representative who sells manuscripts to publishers for a commission. Publishing terms describe market-facing documents (queries, comps, and formats), not manuscript interior craft.

As an industry term, it describes professional practice outside the manuscript text.

Why it matters

Literary agent is industry vocabulary for pitching and publication, distinct from on-page craft.

Common pitfalls

Confusing this industry term with an on-page craft move.
Using jargon with collaborators who define the term differently.

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Literary agent

BeginnerPublishing & industryReference