<p>Hi John,</p>
<p>I have four books published without an agent -- two under contract and two self-published at CreateSpace. My advice is if you're not going to use an agent but want a contract, create the best book proposal you can, and send it to specific publishers (tailored to individual publishers). It should be very visual, since you are publishing visual books, it should be expertly written and brief (no more than about six pages), and since you are doing a visual proposal you should have excellent design skills or hire that job out. If the proposal isn't noticed, you're not going to get a contract.</p>
<p>The publisher might want to see a query letter before you send a formal proposal. Use Google or the publisher's website to learn what information goes in the query letter and what goes in the proposal. The stronger your proposal and presentation skills, the better your chance of getting a contract. An agent will represent you only if he or she determines that a lot of books can be sold. </p>
<p>Please see my website at <a href="http://www.willdaniel.com">www.willdaniel.com</a> for more information about my books. Best of luck to you.</p>