The Weekend Writer: A Question For Agents That You May Not Have Considered

The weekend before last, childlit Twitter lit up when a well-known literary agency "parted ways" with an agent and unexpectedly dropped some of her clients. They were notified by an e-mail that went out on a Friday night. 

Hunting for an agent is stressful. Also, it's pretty much a part-time job at some point(s) in a writer's career. Over the years, I've heard many agent stories that indicate finding one who will take you on does not mean you've got it made, by any means. This was a particularly painful tale. 

Why Am I Bringing This Up On Weekend Writer?

Many writers interested in publishing books may want to approach agents for representation. You'll probably read a number of how-tos on how to do so, including what questions to ask agents who show an interest. In response to this blow-up, the Authors Guild released a statement on May 13 that included the following line: 

"The Authors Guild strongly believes that every agent needs to have a succession plan for their authors in case of disabling ill health or death, and we instruct authors to inquire about such a contingency plan."