Aspiring authors routinely ask me to recommend an agent. This is more difficult than you might think. For starters, we work with numerous agents and enjoy good relationships with all of them.

Second, it’s often just as difficult to find an agent as a publisher. Many agents are not accepting clients. However, if your project is good and you are persistent, you will eventually find one.

Rather than recommend a specific agent, I hoped to be able to point authors to a list of agents on the Internet. However, I couldn’t find a list that represent Christian authors. Bummer. So, with the help of Vicki, my assistant, I compiled one.

This may not be all the agents that could be listed, but these are the forty or so we work with at Thomas Nelson. While all of them represent Christian authors, they themselves may not necessarily be Christians or represent exclusively Christian authors. If you want to check out an agent or get the opinions of other writers, you might visit ChristianWriters.com or The Absolute Writer Water Cooler, two discussion forums for authors.

Also, please note: before you approach any agent, you should prepare a formal proposal. I provide explicit guidance in my two e-books, one for fiction and one for non-fiction. These will enable you to put your best foot forward and answer the questions that most agents ask.

Regardless, this list does not constitute my recommendation. It is your responsibility to check references and ascertain whether or not a specific agent is right for you.

Keep in mind that agents typically charge a 15 percent commission. This is standard in the industry. However, you shouldn’t have to pay them until they actually sell your book to a publisher.

Note: If you are one of the agents listed below and want your information edited or removed, please send me an email. If you want to be added to the list, send me an email with your contact information and the names of at least three of your clients who have been published. (I don’t want to list inexperienced agents.)