Evergreen Advice for Entering the Query Trenches

As I begin preparing my own manuscript to (hopefully!) make the query rounds this coming fall, I’ve been scouring the internet for advice on what’s changed since the last time I waded through those muddy query trenches. Looking around, it occurred to me that while some of the particulars have changed––there’s a slightly new list of hot agents and agencies, slightly upgraded tools and slightly tweaked social conventions––most of the common advice on how to approach queries is actually pretty evergreen.

Here’s a roundup of the most common evergreen “Query Tips” for approaching the process:

Be Professional

As writers and creatives, sometimes we may feel the need to distinguish ourselves from the pack and showcase how original and creative we can really be. Query letters are not the time for that. Query letters are a professional interaction in which you let prospective agents know who you are and what your book is about, as well as the fact that you’re seeking representation––that’s it. Your creativity should shine through in the description of your work as well as in the work itself. You don’t want your letter to be tossed aside because a prospective agent is concerned you won’t be a professional partner, so don’t get cute with your fonts or try any gimmicks. Just give them a short introduction to you and your work, and let your sample pages do the rest of the talking.

Follow Instructions

This goes along with being professional and seems pretty obvious, but apparently a surprising number of writers don’t follow instructions when submitting query letters. Most agents have submission guidelines that detail when, how, and how frequently writers should submit their work to them, as well as when they might be able to expect a response. If you’re interested in a particular agent or agency, look at their agency website to see if they have submission guidelines and what they are, then make sure your query is in line with these expectations. While it may seem daunting to have to find out about each individual agent’s preferences, you won’t be doing yourself any favors by ignoring them. If, for example, you email an agent who only accepts queries from a specific website or form, your manuscript may not end up in their read pile, giving you no chance at all.

Send Queries in Batches

There are hundreds of prospective agents and you only need one to say yes––but you should go in with some sort of game plan to give yourself the best chance of success. Often this means meticulously researching the agents you think would be a great fit for your work and reaching out to your top choices first, sending queries in batches of about 8-12 at a time, and waiting a little while between batches. Why send in batches rather than all at once? First, it gives your “first pick” agent a chance to look at your query first, hopefully increasing the chance that you’ll snag their interest and make the deal. Second, it gives you the opportunity to receive and incorporate feedback before sending out your next round of queries, hopefully heightening your chances of a favorable response.

Have a Synopsis Ready

This is important––let’s say an agent has read your submission and fallen in love with your voice as well as the project you’ve described. They have an inbox full of other queries and want to be sure that yours is worth investing more time in––so how can they determine that quickly? They can ask for a synopsis or book summary to help them envision the larger project––and make sure they’re in love with it––before committing to reading all 80,000 words. While it may seem intimidating, it’s actually a great opportunity to sum up your project and make sure they can see its full potential. So make sure you have a polished synopsis ready to send should a prospective agent ask for it!

Harvest All Responses for Gold

Try to remember that, while a Yes response would be great, even a No can be valuable if it comes alongside usable feedback. Sometimes it might be a simple “this isn’t a good fit for me” that sends you looking in the direction of more suited agents, but sometimes you might gain additional insight from a prospective agent’s comments. For example, they may tell you that your main character is brilliant but the supporting characters feel flat or too similar––this gives you something concrete to work on to turn that No into a Yes somewhere else. Another response you might hear beyond the standard Yes or No is Revise and Resubmit. Often this phrase will come alongside a few suggestions of what makes the submission a winner for that particular agent. While it isn’t any sort of guarantee, it’s important to note that a “Revise and Resubmit” is also not a rejection! It means that the agent read your work and saw a glimmer of something exciting or interesting to them and, with a few modifications, they may be willing to take a second look.

If you’re looking for even more information on querying, check out this post with numerous tips, tricks, and philosophical musings on querying and submitting your work. Have some tips of your own you’d like to share? Drop them in the comments!