Getting traditionally published is difficult, but it’s much more likely to happen with a literary agent. In fact, it’s almost impossible to be traditionally published by a large house nowadays without an agent. Finding an agent is difficult, but keeping an agent is also hard work. Authors need to make sure that their goals align with those of their agents, both before and during the publishing process. Getting an agent to take you on is rarely the end of the pitching process. Elle E. Ire, author and educator, explains her own process for finding and working with multiple agents. Ire has had four agents in her writing career. She had 132 rejections before she found her first agent, but found her second agent relatively quickly. She explains the dynamics of working with an agent and what a healthy author-agent relationship ought to look like. Because she’s worked with different people, she has a well-rounded perspective on how to align goals, develop trust, and even part well. Listen to the clip below to learn what to expect when an author and an agent find one another.