With my experience in dealing with the literary world I have seen many people employ 'agents'. In truth, I really don't see what makes them such a necessity. For the most part, the work they do seems minimal to say the least. Authors and their publishers are usually the ones that put together a marketing plan, get book signings put together, radio and television interviews and so on. Perhaps they are nothing more than a expensive status symbol or prop, which is funny because the authors that I have seen employ them were anything but wealthy. I personally feel that if you are willing to do the work that is required to get your material to the public, then you do not need them.
I know many of them will never admit to this fact. According to them, you won't get to point 'B' without their help. But, chances are, with their help you will worse off than you were without it, with their expensive fees and lack of productive results. From what I've heard, the majority of them are chock full of excuses when things don't go well for their clientele. Well, excuses don't get anybody anywhere. And then there is the 'connections' argument. That they know so-and-so and could get you a up-close and personal arrangement for them to see your work. It's probable that so-and-so considers them just as annoying as I do (if they even know them) so that is usually nothing more than a blow-hard statement, one they all make by the way. My point is, you don't necessarily need anyone that doesn't contribute 100% to what your doing and yet expects to reap the benefits. With enough mettle and perseverance, you'll do just fine without them!
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