When compiling agents do you look only in country or out?

I mainly look at agents within the USA because that's where I live and where many agents live and it's just easier. If I lived in a different country, I'd probably still query agents in the US. There's just so many here.

I look specifically in my own country until I come across an agent that I like that is in a different one, as you did. It's already stressful enough getting your book out there, I try not to make more rules then necessary. I say go for it (I know that wasn't the question in your post, but just in case).

Ah, UNLESS they only want subs from their own country. Then don't.

When I was still trying to go the trade route, I looked both in my country (US) and out. Granted, I wanted to see that the agent had success getting the book to publishers that could reach the US market, but I was more interested in whether or not they would be a good fit for the story and as a business partner, and had connections to recommended publishers. Ended up going the self-publishing route instead, but if I were to look for agents again, I wouldn't rule out other countries (especially if the book might do better with a different audience).

I'm in the US, so I only look in the US. Any agent worth having can sell international rights or work with partner agencies in other countries. I have approached publishers directly in other countries, but it's non-fiction technical so it's also a different ball game.

Jeff

I'm in Canada, and I've queried mostly American agents. There aren't many Canadian literary agents.