The best advice I’ve ever seen on finding a book agent is perfect common sense, once you hear it.

First, imagine the bookshelf of your ideal reader. What do you see there? What’s your reader reading now (because your book isn’t yet published, of course)?

If you don’t know, browse Amazon or Barnes & Noble.com or —while we still can–go to the book store.

The books your reader likes are probably books that you like–but it’s important to think about your reader, too.

You might want to think about authors, or topics, or the writing style or purpose of your book.

Once you’ve found a book that your reader would buy, look at the acknowledgements page. Many authors thank their agents by name. They may not always say “my agent, Gloria Sanctus Deo.” Sometimes they just say, “Gloria.” But if you read through the directories of agents obsessively enough you’ll start recognizing the names.

To find a particular author’s agent, you can also try googling and checking lists like this one.

When you write those agents, immediately congratulate them on their good taste and well-deserved good fortune in representing the author of the book your reader likes. Then say that you think your book will reach the same audience and explain, succinctly, why.

You don’t need to say why your book is better. Remember, this agent represents the other author, who isn’t your rival. Authors of books you like are your friends in sensibility. They lead you to your readers.

If you are taking classes with published authors or know any personally, you can also ask them to recommend you to their agents. Personal connections help in the literary world, as they do elsewhere. But in the end, the agent will have to fall in love with your book. You need to find someone who has already fallen in love with a book that reminds you of yours.

As your editor, I will be thinking about the bookshelf (or nowadays Kindle or Nook library) where your book belongs and help to make it the prettiest girl in your class.

Maybe there is no book like yours ever written. In that case, we will look for the agent that has represented other books that are unlike any book ever written. You get the idea.