Literary agent

You would connect writers and publishers. You’d help authors get their work published as a book and you’d help companies find good books to publish and sell.

You would read through manuscripts sent to you by authors. You’d select the best pieces of work - the ones that you think could be successful - and take on the author as one of your clients.

Using your knowledge of the publishing industry, you would identify the companies that you think might be interested in the book. You’d represent the author and try to persuade the company to publish it.

It would be important to negotiate with the publishers to try and get the best deal or contract for your client. You would receive a percentage of the sale of the book as your commission.

Each book has lots of different rights to be negotiated and sold, including:

• UK publication

• Publication in other countries

• Producing an e-book version

• The option to adapt the book into a TV series or film.

You could represent novelists, poets, screenwriters or non-fiction writers. You’d probably specialise in certain types or genres such as children’s books, crime novels, or history books.

You’d need to be able to make contacts with people in publishing companies and remain on good terms with them even when negotiating hard to get the best deal for your author.You could work for a literary agency or be self-employed.

• Publishing Scotland - the network for trade, training and development

• Association of Authors' Agents - Voluntary trade association whose members are all UK-based literary agencies