Literary Agent

Literary Agent follows protocols and provides hands-on help, illustrated by 21 standard tasks you can try. These show the rhythm of a shift, typical tools like Microsoft Outlook, and what success looks like. Each one shows where we found it, and comes with an AI prompt you can copy and use straight away.

21evidenced tasks
21ready prompts
6tools of the trade
13-1011.00O*NET-SOC code
12,620hold this job (US, BLS 2025)
$82,890median pay/yr (US)
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What it pays

Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.

Half of all Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes in the U.S. earn more than $82,890 a year — the middle 80% land between $48,010 and $284,570. About 12,620 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$82,890typical pay / year
12,620people in this work
$284,570+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
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The work, task by task

These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.

Convincing4

Negotiate contracts for artists and performers

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Negotiate a short-term performance contract for singer Maya Patel: confirm fee, exclusive dates,…
Negotiate a short-term performance contract for singer Maya Patel: confirm fee, exclusive dates, merchandising split and termination clause, get a signed deal by Friday and copy the client with the final contract.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia

Advise clients on career decisions

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Advise comedian Jonah on whether to accept a national tour offer: compare projected earnings, calendar…
Advise comedian Jonah on whether to accept a national tour offer: compare projected earnings, calendar conflicts, career impact and future agent options, then send a recommended plan and negotiation points by Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia

Prepare clients for public appearances

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Brief each client on the event format, expected audience, five talking points tailored to their book, two…
Brief each client on the event format, expected audience, five talking points tailored to their book, two media questions to avoid, and send a one‑page briefing and travel checklist to each client and their publicist three days before the appearance.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsWikipedia

Manage schedules and bookings

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Consolidate all client availability, confirmed bookings, and travel times into a single calendar, flag…
Consolidate all client availability, confirmed bookings, and travel times into a single calendar, flag double‑books and gaps, propose three resolution options for each conflict, and circulate the revised schedule to clients and venues by Monday evening.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsWikipedia
Keeping the record2
START

Build and maintain client relationships

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Draft personalised quarterly check‑ins for each author summarising sales, publicity opportunities, and two…
Draft personalised quarterly check‑ins for each author summarising sales, publicity opportunities, and two suggested next steps, then email the three top‑priority clients to propose a 30‑minute catch‑up this month with suggested times.
The tools that do the workSalesforceMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsWikipedia

Find job opportunities for clients in entertainment or sports

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Search current entertainment and sports casting and placement notices for roles or tie‑ins matching each…
Search current entertainment and sports casting and placement notices for roles or tie‑ins matching each client’s profile, shortlist five suitable opportunities per client with application deadlines and contact names, and send pitch templates to clients by Thursday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookO*NETWikipedia
The daily work15

Coordinate with employers, producers, or event organizers

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Reach out to the producer at Sunset Pictures and the events director at the Hay Festival to agree final…
Reach out to the producer at Sunset Pictures and the events director at the Hay Festival to agree final dates, technical rider, and fee split for the London panel on June 12, confirm travel budget and insurance coverage, then lock contracts.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookWikipedia

Ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations

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Review the proposed US subsidiary contract for foreign rights sales, check termination, indemnity, and data…
Review the proposed US subsidiary contract for foreign rights sales, check termination, indemnity, and data clauses against UK export and privacy rules, flag any noncompliant language for the lawyer and request revised wording before signing.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordWikipedia

Monitor industry trends

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Scan last six months of trade reports, bestseller lists, and acquisition notices, flag emerging genres and…
Scan last six months of trade reports, bestseller lists, and acquisition notices, flag emerging genres and repeat buyers, score each opportunity by advance size and rights demand, and send a two-page memo to Hannah and Marcus by Thursday morning.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET

Identify new business opportunities

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Map literary scouts, small presses, and film producers who bought similar books in the past year, shortlist…
Map literary scouts, small presses, and film producers who bought similar books in the past year, shortlist ten highest-fit prospects, draft tailored outreach messages with proposed terms, and email those to the chosen buyers by end of Tuesday.
The tools that do the workSalesforceMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsWikipedia

Collect fees, commissions, or other payments, according to contract terms.

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Run the client ledger against recent royalty statements, calculate commissions and outstanding balances,…
Run the client ledger against recent royalty statements, calculate commissions and outstanding balances, prepare payment requests with invoice numbers, and send the billing packets to Finance and to author Sara Kline with a due date of 30 days.
The tools that do the workFinancial accountingMicrosoft OutlookO*NET

Hire trainers or coaches to advise clients on performance matters, such as training techniques or performance presentations.

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Compile trainer briefs and CVs, request three proposals with fees and availability for on-camera coaching,…
Compile trainer briefs and CVs, request three proposals with fees and availability for on-camera coaching, compare them against the client's schedule and budget, and book the selected coach for two sessions next month, copying the client and legal on the contract.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordO*NET

Prepare periodic accounting statements for clients.

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Pull contract clauses that require accounting statements, reconcile the client ledger to publisher…
Pull contract clauses that require accounting statements, reconcile the client ledger to publisher remittances for the quarter, create the itemised statement with deductions explained, and send the PDF statement and payment schedule to author Ben Ortiz by Friday.
The tools that do the workFinancial accountingMicrosoft WordO*NET

Obtain information about or inspect performance facilities, equipment, and accommodations to ensure that they meet specifications.

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Inspect the proposed reading venue's seating plan, soundcheck notes, and dressing-room photos, confirm…
Inspect the proposed reading venue's seating plan, soundcheck notes, and dressing-room photos, confirm technical rider compliance for microphone and lighting, negotiate any missing items with the promoter, and email confirmed specs to the production manager two weeks before the event.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordO*NET

Coordinate promotional activities

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Schedule a two-week coordinated promo push for Mira Patel’s debut novel: confirm bookstore reading in…
Schedule a two-week coordinated promo push for Mira Patel’s debut novel: confirm bookstore reading in Brooklyn on June 12, secure the podcast interview with Bookmarked for June 15, roster two regional reviewers, and send the calendar to Mira and the publicist by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Handle public relations and media inquiries

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Respond to the New York Times reporter about Jon Reyes’s essay collection: provide a short author bio, two…
Respond to the New York Times reporter about Jon Reyes’s essay collection: provide a short author bio, two high-res author photos, seven review quotes, and offer a phone interview next Tuesday at 11am — copy the publisher’s PR lead and clear any legal lines before sending.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptions

Develop marketing strategies

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Draft a six-month marketing plan for Sasha Lee’s backlist thriller: outline target readers, three paid ad…
Draft a six-month marketing plan for Sasha Lee’s backlist thriller: outline target readers, three paid ad bursts, a library outreach program, ten influencer pitches, and a £4,500 budget; circulate to Sasha, the sales director and the publicity team for sign-off by next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Draft and review legal documents

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Prepare the revised agency contract for Claire Donovan’s translation rights: incorporate the negotiated 15%…
Prepare the revised agency contract for Claire Donovan’s translation rights: incorporate the negotiated 15% foreign subagent fee, the two-year option clause, and GDPR consent language; send to Claire and the agency lawyer for review and request redlines within five business days.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions

Manage social media presence

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Create this month’s social calendar for the agency: schedule three author takeovers, daily feed posts…
Create this month’s social calendar for the agency: schedule three author takeovers, daily feed posts highlighting new releases, a biweekly newsletter signup drive, and a metrics row for engagement and follower growth; share with authors and the marketing team by Monday.
The tools that do the workFacebookMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Handle financial transactions and payments

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Reconcile royalties and pay the advance recoupment for Omar Aziz: total sales for Q2, apply the 12%…
Reconcile royalties and pay the advance recoupment for Omar Aziz: total sales for Q2, apply the 12% commission, deduct previously paid advances of £8,000, generate the payment instruction to the publisher and schedule the transfer to Omar’s account by the 28th of this month after legal clearance.
The tools that do the workFinancial accountingjob descriptions

Financial accounting

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Gather royalty statements, agent commissions and author advances, enter them into the agency's monthly…
Gather royalty statements, agent commissions and author advances, enter them into the agency's monthly spreadsheet, update the financial accounting tab titled June Royalties, mark overdue payments, and email the statement to Claire, the principal, by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET

Says who?

These are the pages we read to build this. Open any of them and check us.

The logs, files & records this job keeps

Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.

Related careers

Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.

The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.

The rest of the map

Same library, five ways in.

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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses