Back then, The Winds of Winter seemed just over the horizon. George R. R. Martin had already begun writing it. Some readers expected it within a few years. Many still believed that the books would finish before the show caught up.
That never happened. HBO's Game of Thrones finished almost six years ago, and Martin has now been working on The Winds of Winter for well over a decade.
The truth is, the odds are tough. Fewer than 10% of all fiction writers ever secure representation. Yes. You read that correctly. That's how hard it is to find a literary agent.
It is such a wonderful book, and told in just 150 pages. It has the feel of a much longer novel because it packs so much in. Such a worthy Booker Prize winner.
It’s tempting to say yes immediately, and many do, but not every agent is the right fit. I've been there a couple of times, and for whatever reason, it did not pan out. Here’s how to assess whether they’re not only excited about your book but also aligned with your long-term creative goals.
For many writers, it’s thrilling and surreal. It can also be nerve-racking. You should enjoy the moment, and congratulate yourself on the hard work. You have achieved something very few writers do. I certainly did, as it is so hard to get a literary agent, and I think it is getting harder.
Query letters walk a tightrope. Too humble and you undersell the work. Too bold and you risk sounding like you’ve written the next Ulysses.
The trick is to find a voice that reflects your book’s tone while presenting yourself as a professional, not a hopeful.
There’s nothing wrong with loving a popular book. The best ones resonate for a reason. But in all the noise, it can be hard to hear the quieter voices. The books that didn’t land on a major award shortlist or trend on BookTok, but still left something behind in you.
Finding a literary agent can feel like trying to catch the attention of a stranger in a crowded room, while whispering. There’s mystique, gatekeeping, and a mountain of mixed advice. But the process isn’t as impenetrable as it seems. Here’s a grounded guide to finding a literary agen t in five real steps.
Not immediately, of course. Often, we need time. Months. Years. Distance to recover from the ache they left behind. But they are on our minds, and the pull is there. Like gravity drawing us back to earth.