If you’re a writer whose dream is to land a publishing contract with Random House and see your book in stores nationwide, consider creating a strong writing bio first. Building publication credits before querying a literary agent is a strategy that gets your foot in the door, and based on our years of experience preparing submissions, writers who can boast publication of shorter works tend to have an easier time getting an agent’s interest.

Build your publication credits by submitting short stories, poems, or essays to literary journals and magazines. Some folks believe it’s not important to have published any short works before approaching an agent. With a fantastic novel that can stand on its own, you may well be able to find an agent without any publication credentials at all, but there are a number of reasons publishing your shorter work can help you get ahead.