Also briefly tell us about your goals for your writing career. Attach a SASE and expect a response within 3-4 weeks. If it looks like a fit, we'll request a complete proposal. It's available in the reference section of most libraries. Pitch your book idea in writing via a query letter.
Agents sell their clients based on how they come across the page.
In most cases, a phone query pegs an author as an amateur unfamiliar with the standard protocol. Many agents will not respond if it's not enclosed. If you know one of the agent's clients or if you have read some of the books he represents, mention that at the top of your query letter. Make sure your query letter is long enough to capture the flavor of your book. If you're too brief, agents might request more information only to quickly realize it's not a match .