E--if you're book is ready to be published, then you have to ask yourself if you are. Why? Because regardless of whether or not you get an agent, a traditional publisher, or self-pub, you become the marketing manager. YOU will be doing 95% of the marketing for your book. Even traditional publishers will tell you this. They may list it on a Web site, put it on Amazon, or B&N..but it ends there; for the most part.

You have to wear many hats. Marketing will become a full time job until your name is known in some circles. You will need to get interviews, features on blogs and in newsletters, set up book signings (which is another subject entirely by iteself and a nightmare), and so forth and so on.

The work is just beginning. I'm not trying to discourage you. Not at all. I'm just giving you info that I wish someone would have given me in the beginning. I thought the publisher would do all the work; after all, I wrote the book(s). Bwwwwhahahah. What a joke.

I've had a traditional, and I'm have a self-pub. It's the same on both sides of the house. YOU are the marketing agent. PERIOD.

Having said that, an agent CAN get your book into the hands of different book companies. Finding a good agent can also be a full time job but I would suggest talking to people who already have one, get feedback, and get MORE THAN ONE OPINION about ANY agent.

Scams are alive and thriving in the book biz...know your budget for ALL THINGS MARKETING...and be ready to make adjustments.