is an agent necessary?

**Marty Wingate m*@earthlink.net**

Ellen and all,
I have two books out without using an agent.  I have a small 
book-producing company for which agents are not necessary.  But still, 
when I search publishers' Web sites, I see that a brick wall is thrown 
up immediately when the subject of submissions comes up.  I realize 
that smaller publishers that specialize in garden and horticultural 
topics are easy to contact, but it still is irritating that the bigger 
names want nothing to do with an author and will only talk with an 
agent.

Our local garden writers group often discusses this topic, and I find I 
always want to know more.  Have authors been published by large 
publishing houses without having an agent?  How?  For writers who do 
have an agent, how has that affected their ability to get books 
published, how much of an advance they receive and their royalty rate.

Marty Wingate
Seattle Post-Intelligencer @home, 
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/nwgardens
Author:
The Big Book of Northwest Perennials
(Sasquatch Books, 2005)
Big Ideas for Northwest Small Gardens
(Sasquatch Books, 2003)

Visit the gardens of Scotland in 2006
www.martywingate.com

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