Not long ago, I gave some tried and true tips on how to find a top agent (See Finding That Top Agent, Part I). I hope that in the interim you've done some research and now have a sizeable list of some quality agents you'd like to approach. Now for part II. Call it what you will — the spiel, the pitch, whatever . . . now is the time to send your beloved manuscript to an agent and pray that magic happens.

Ours is a competitive business, perhaps one of the most competitive in the world. Agents...