Tag-Archive for » queries «
Agent Kristin participated in a bit of a game last month for Miss Snark’s First Victim blog where she decided whether it was a read on or pass for queries submitted to the website. You can check out the starter post here and then scroll through the February archives to see what works and what doesn’t, not only for Agent Kristin but for other secret agents as well.
While there is no tried and true way to write a query letter, no single method that’ll guarantee your emergence out of the slush pile, it always helps to wade through things like this to try and find some sort of pattern as to what agents like and what they don’t. But don’t blow a gasket trying to find one. Most of the time it’s simply just the conciseness of the words combined with the plot itself that’ll grab the agent, which is what really matters.
From all the query-to-agent spots like this I’ve looked through, the one common denominator I’ve come across is that agents want to see you nail your book in that short hook paragraph in the voice of your story. If you can do that, and if the story interests the agent, you’ll probably be saved from the slush pile. At least initially. They still have to love your entire story to sign you, of course.
So all you have to do is summarize your 70,000 word novel into about 100 that nails the voice and tone of your story using words that’ll be sure to grab the agent you’re querying. Easy, right? O_o
Be sure to keep the Rogaine on stand-by.
A little while back (maybe sometime at the beginning of NaNo, I can’t remember, it’s all a little fuzzy) I posted about Agent Kristin’s high school intern and the insightful things she’s learned while working at the agency. Remember? If a seventeen-year-old can follow directions, why can’t an adult? Well, Julie made another post and it’s something I’ve seen reiterated over numerous agent blogs. Aside from follow the directions, don’t send things unless they’re asked for.
You know, there’s a reason why certain agents only accept email submissions. Don’t question this. Don’t take it upon yourself to make them see the error of their ways and send them something by snail mail. At the Nelson Literary Agency, it’ll meet it’s fate in the paper shredder. Don’t ignore “email only.” It’s for your own good.
I just don’t know why someone would send money if it wasn’t asked for. Even more, I don’t know why someone would send any agent money but there you go. Save your checks. And your cash. If you’re sending money to an agent to read your work, you’ve been had. I can tell you that without any doubt in my mind.
And no one wants to read your full manuscript if you couldn’t be bothered to send a query first. Especially if you didn’t understand the concept of “email only” and send it by post. Repeat after me–query, partial, full. That’s usually the submission process for an agent. First you query, following their submission guidelines precisely. You don’t want a mark against you before the agent even reads your query, right? If the agent is intrigued enough by your query and specifically requests a partial, then and only then do you send it via the means specified. If you’re lucky enough to graduate to a full requested manuscript, THEN AND ONLY THEN do you send it. Not before. No one wants to work in the red. I hope.
