The answer to that question is yes and no. It depends on how you want to publish your book. If you are looking to publish with a large company, such as Simon and Schuster, then yes a literary agent is a must. Some publishing companies will only accept your manuscript if a proposal is written up by a literary agent. There are smaller publishing companies that will accept a manuscript directly from the writer. In my opinion, it is best to start off at a small company before you make a move to a bigger well known company or even self-publish your books.
A smaller publishing company can offer you all the same things a larger company can. When you prove yourself with a smaller publishing company first, then a literary agent and a larger company may be more willing to accept your next manuscript. Sales maybe slow going when you start out with a smaller company, but you need to promote, and promote as much as possible. The more you promote your books, the better the sales will be. When the sales increase, then you can take your next manuscript to a literary agent and have a proven track record. With that, you can be signed onto a larger publishing company’s roster.
Self-publishing is another option for your first manuscript, just be sure to edit your manuscript. If you have read over the manuscript to the point of not being able to see the mistakes, let another person read it before you self-publish it. It can be another writer, or even an editor you hire. After that person is done reading it, then let another person read it over to make sure nothing was missed. Three sets of eyes on it will make sure there are no mistakes and it will be perfect for your readers. There are plenty of sites that you can self-publish your books or pay to have them published. Amazon even offers self publishing for the Kindle and on Createspace. Selling books through Amazon will, most likely, be the best way to go.
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