Short answer:
No, not always. Whether you need a literary agent depends entirely on which publishing path you choose and for Christian authors specifically, there’s more than one good path.
If you’re picturing the classic route landing an agent, then a big-name publisher picking up your book that’s only one way this works. A lot of Christian authors get their book into readers’ hands every year without an agent ever entering the picture. Here’s how to know which camp you fall into.
What a Literary Agent Actually Does
A literary agent is someone who represents you to publishers. They pitch your manuscript to editors, negotiate your contract and advance, handle the fine print on rights, and generally act as your advocate in a business that runs on relationships. In exchange, they take a commission on what your book earns usually around 15%.
Agents earn their keep at the big publishing houses because those houses don’t deal directly with individual authors. That’s really the whole story: you need an agent when you want a publisher to acquire you. If nobody needs to acquire your book from you, an agent has nothing to do.
When You Do Need One
If your goal is a deal with one of the large Christian publishing houses think Zondervan, Tyndale, Thomas Nelson, Baker Publishing Group, Bethany House, or WaterBrook you’ll almost certainly need an agent first. These houses get more manuscripts than their editors could ever read, so most of them simply don’t accept submissions straight from authors anymore. An agent is your way in the door.
This path can absolutely work, and it’s the right one if you want to see your book on a shelf under one of those names. Just know it’s a long game: querying agents, waiting on responses, and then querying editors can take a year or more before a book deal even happens, and that’s before you’ve turned your manuscript into a finished, printed copy.
When You Don’t Need One
Plenty of respected Christian publishers, especially small and mid-sized ones, review manuscripts sent directly by authors. No agent required, no gatekeeper in between.
And if you go the self-publishing or full-service publishing route which is where companies like Faith Bridge Publishers come in an agent isn’t part of the process at all, by design. No one is acquiring you. You’re the one hiring the editor, the cover designer, and the publishing team, and you keep control of your rights, your timeline, and your royalties the whole way through. There’s simply no acquisition happening for an agent to negotiate.
This is usually the faster route too. Instead of spending a year waiting for someone to pick you, you can edit, design, and publish your book on Amazon in a matter of months.
Agent vs. No Agent: A Quick Comparison
| With an Agent | Without an Agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Landing a deal with a major Christian publisher | Self-publishing or working with a full-service Christian publisher |
| Who’s in control | The publisher owns and decides on your book | You keep control of your book and your rights |
| Typical timeline | 1–2+ years before your book is in print | A few months, start to finish |
| Cost | Agent takes a commission from your royalties | You pay for services up front; you keep the royalties |
| Who reviews your manuscript | Acquisition editors at the publishing house | Your publishing team works with you directly |
So, Which Path Is Right for You?
Ask yourself a few honest questions. Do you want your name on a big traditional imprint specifically, even if it takes years? Or do you mainly want your message your testimony, your devotional, your sermon series turned into a book in front of readers, church members, or your ministry as soon as possible? Are you writing this to build a platform and a business around it, where keeping your rights and royalties matters to you? And realistically, how much time do you have to spend querying agents versus writing?
There’s no wrong answer here. Plenty of pastors and ministry leaders choose the traditional route because that specific credibility matters to their calling. Just as many choose self-publishing because they’d rather spend their energy finishing the book and getting it into people’s hands than spending a year hoping an agent says yes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Smaller and mid-sized Christian publishers often accept direct submissions, and self-publishing or full-service publishing never requires an agent at all, since you’re not being acquired by anyone.
Legitimate agents don’t charge upfront fees. They work on commission, usually taking around 15% of what your book earns once it’s sold to a publisher.
No. When you work with a publishing team directly, like at Faith Bridge Publishers, you’re the client, not someone being pitched to editors. You hire the services you need and keep your rights and royalties.
It varies widely, but querying agents and then editors commonly takes a year or longer before a book deal is signed. That’s separate from the time it then takes to write, edit, and print the book itself.
Faith Bridge Publishers helps authors, pastors, and ministry leaders bring their books to life without the wait for an agent or a publisher’s approval from editing and cover design to formatting, printing, and marketing. If you’d rather spend the next few months finishing your book than the next year querying agents, [reach out to our team] to talk through your options.