Getting an agent is as hard as finding a publisher and you stand practically no chance of getting a publisher without an agent. My infamous 1st novel 'Mangoes'; - some of it's up on LJ - went through 3 agents altogether; that's how I know it wasn't total crap (though it reads that way to me now, I must admit) - that I could get as many as THREE O:! agents interested!

None of them could get me a publisher though.

I had the same problem in comedy. I've been a BBC Talent finalist no less than TWICE- can I get my scripts on air? Can I ****!