Lately I’ve seen a lot of writers on social media asking about queries. What do you put in a query and what do you leave out? How professional should it be? Should you add some humor or personality to spice it up? These are certainly important things to consider, and I want to break down a query step by step to help you create the quintessential query. Once you have the framework down, you can easily save it as a template for future ones you send out. The queries I will be focusing on are queries that pitch book projects to agents. Step 1: The Address What agent are you pitching to? Make sure you do your research beforehand to make sure you’ve found the person who is #1: accepting submissions and #2: looking for the genre you write. It’s important to check both because sometimes agents will close their submissions for a time, or they may be inundated with a certain genre and state they are looking for other genres/topics. Things are always subject to change in the industry, so keep tabs on what agents are seeking. An agency as a whole may accept many genres, but sometimes their site will list individual team members who specialize in certain areas. Honestly, this part of your query might take the longest, but that’s okay. Sending one query to the right agent is better than sending hundreds of queries to the wrong agents. Step 2: The Hook The opening of your query should be attention grabbing. It may be a line from your book, a thought-provoking question, or some other piece of information that will make the agent (or intern) want to read more. Here’s two examples: Example #1: I am sending my manuscript, One More Dance, a romance which follows a man and a woman as they learn what it means to love coming from different backgrounds and experiences. Ugh boring!!! Nothing jumps out to me at all here. What makes this romance different from any other romance out there? Example #2: What if one more dance could save his life? One More Dance is a romance novel of 60,000 words that tells the story of a Russian immigrant dancer who is just getting by in New York when a wealthy, ill man offers her an unusual job: dance for him every day until he dies. Now this is interesting! I’m given specific details about the characters and the main conflict of the story. I also like that it opens with an intriguing question that serves as a tagline for the book. Be specific and show an agent in the first sentence what makes your book different or stand out. Or sometimes, what makes your book stand out is who you are. If you have a high level of authority on your topic or have large platform numbers, that can also be the opening of your query. It depends on your project, but don’t be afraid to get creative with it. Step 3: The Synopsis After you’ve briefly introduced your book, it’s time to give a paragraph or two description of the entire plot hitting on key plot points/conflict, main characters, and the ending of the story. Be careful not to drag this part out. Keep the synopsis tight (no more than a couple of paragraphs unless an agent specifically asks for a longer synopsis). Think of this as what would go on the back cover of a print book, but the agent does want to see how the story will end to make sure you can carry the plot to the finish line. Step 4: The Bio Your bio should include any info relevant to your writing career/platform. Lead with your best numbers whether that’s social media, email subscribers, or borrowed platform from other people. This industry is all about who you know, so if you can name drop someone big or a connection the agent may know, do it. If you’re involved in any writing societies or have previous publications/awards, mention those for sure. While your bio should be professional, this is also the place for you to have a little fun. Many people include fun tidbits at the end of their bios like, “In her free time, so-and-so watches Netflix with her cats and enjoys the occasional Shakespearean insult.” You can make the bio fit with your genre, so a fantasy writer might say, “(Insert name) is a writer by day and dragon slayer by night. He also has a pretty cool dagger collection.” Of course, always balance the professional with the personal. You can have fun with it, but make sure you hit all the necessary info. Step 5: The Closing & Signature Woohoo! You’ve made it this far, and the end is in sight. At this point, all you need to do is tie the fancy bow on the present. The closing is very simple and usually includes something along the lines of, “Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing back from you.” Then, sign your name with some contact info, and you should be good to go. But don’t forget to proofread!!!! Side Note: It’s always a good idea to mention why your book would be a fit for this particular agent or agency. This can come at the end of the opening/hook or in the closing. Just show that you did your basic research and explain why you chose them specifically for your project. A simple sentence like this would work, “I read in one of the blog posts on your site that you’re looking for diversity in children’s picture books, and my book hits on this trend in the market.” I’ll attach a template you can use for your queries but know that each one will be a little different depending on the agent you send to. This is just a general guide for querying, and I know many agencies specify what they want to see in a query. Hopefully this clears a few things up and helps you on your writing journey. If you’re interested in learning more about what Cyle Young Literary Elite is looking for check out the website here! Anything I missed? Have more specific questions? Let me know in the comments—I’m happy to help! Until next time, |
agent_query_template.docx | |
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You've just hit send on your submission, and you heart is pounding. Somewhere, a few miles or a time zone away, an email notification pops up in an agent's inbox. Your submission waits in line with countless others to be reviewed by the gatekeeper. You can't help but wonder who this mythical gatekeeper really is and whether or not there's a real person behind all the form responses you seem to be getting.
Such is the life of a querying writer. One thing I can assure you of is that real people exist behind the looming gate into the publishing industry. I think people often see gatekeepers as people standing in their way--attempting to keep them out of somewhere they'd like to be. However, I think this gives gatekeepers a bad reputation and a negative connotation. What they're trying to do is keep the bad writing out and let the good writing through. Just because you've been rejected though, doesn't mean you're a bad writer they're trying to keep out. There are lots of reasons for rejection, but know that gatekeepers exist in this industry to hold writing to a high standard.
If anyone could write something and get published, why would you spend countless hours pouring your heart and soul into a novel or another work? It's nothing special if everyone does it. I think writing loses its magic and meaning when we lower our standards. All that to say, gatekeepers serve an important role in the publishing industry, and hopefully by meeting a few of them here you'll be able to better understand how to navigate the industry and make good relationships.
Meet the Interns:
Both agents and publishing houses have interns to help them comb through the submissions pile. Submissions never take a break or holiday, and the reality is that it's always piling up. Agents and editors are busy people who have book projects, clients, and contracts to deal with on a daily basis. For how slow the industry may seem, there's certainly never a lack of things to be done.
Most interns are upper high school or college/20 somethings who want to get experience in the publishing world. They're told what to look for and given responses to send to authors. But here's the secret: no matter what guidelines they've been given, interns just want to read a captivating story. If they like what they read or see potential in it, they will pass it on to someone above them. The key is to make their job hard. They want to find gems they can recommend to their superiors. And remember, most interns aren't paid, but they're doing this because they love writing and reading. Show them something worth their unpaid time. Tell a great story, and chances are pretty good you can make it past the first gate.
Meet the Agents:
The second gate is the agents themselves. If an agent has received a submission from an intern, he can be sure the writing is good, the platform is good, or both. Once again, I want to stress how important it is to respect gatekeepers' time. Agents are busy, and most of them have a day job while agenting is their "side hustle." Make sure your submission is ready because first impressions are vital. Gate two goes beyond just your writing abilities. An agent is going to look at your submission from a business standpoint.
Can he sell your book? Do you have a platform and an established audience? Will this be a good investment? I know this seems kind of cold, but it's easy to forget that the book industry is indeed a business that needs to think about making money. Be prepared when you submit to show an agent you mean business. Do your research and spend time reaching out to people online. Build a platform/brand to show people you have something of value to offer them. There are lots of great websites that offer courses on building platform as a writer. Remember, you want to make the agent's job hard. Great writing and great platform make the double-edged sword that gets you through gate two.
Meet the Editors:
This brings us to gate three: editors. After getting an agent, it's pretty easy to get your work in front of editors. Editors and agents build relationships, and this means when an agent submits your manuscript to an editor, it goes right to the editor's inbox rather than the publishing house's slush pile. You may decide to forego the first two gates and submit to editors at publishing houses, but it's becoming harder to submit to traditional houses without an agent.
The thing is, editors want agented submissions because those manuscripts have already been through at least one if not two, three, or four gatekeepers. That means the submissions they receive from agents will be quality work, and editors will keep relationships with agents that regularly send them top notch clients. This industry is all about who you know, and trying to make a go of it on your own without the gatekeeper system is hard. It's possible, but it's a lot of time and money on your part.
I hope this helps you understand the gatekeeping system better, and though it's not perfect, it helps us become better writers by holding us to a higher standard. Gatekeepers remind us that revision is vital to the writing process, and writing is as much about the community as it is about the individual work. Gatekeepers are real, but they don't have to be your enemies. They can be friends, mentors, and colleagues who keep pushing your writing to reach that next level.
What other questions do you have about "gatekeepers"? I'd love to answer them in the comments!
Such is the life of a querying writer. One thing I can assure you of is that real people exist behind the looming gate into the publishing industry. I think people often see gatekeepers as people standing in their way--attempting to keep them out of somewhere they'd like to be. However, I think this gives gatekeepers a bad reputation and a negative connotation. What they're trying to do is keep the bad writing out and let the good writing through. Just because you've been rejected though, doesn't mean you're a bad writer they're trying to keep out. There are lots of reasons for rejection, but know that gatekeepers exist in this industry to hold writing to a high standard.
If anyone could write something and get published, why would you spend countless hours pouring your heart and soul into a novel or another work? It's nothing special if everyone does it. I think writing loses its magic and meaning when we lower our standards. All that to say, gatekeepers serve an important role in the publishing industry, and hopefully by meeting a few of them here you'll be able to better understand how to navigate the industry and make good relationships.
Meet the Interns:
Both agents and publishing houses have interns to help them comb through the submissions pile. Submissions never take a break or holiday, and the reality is that it's always piling up. Agents and editors are busy people who have book projects, clients, and contracts to deal with on a daily basis. For how slow the industry may seem, there's certainly never a lack of things to be done.
Most interns are upper high school or college/20 somethings who want to get experience in the publishing world. They're told what to look for and given responses to send to authors. But here's the secret: no matter what guidelines they've been given, interns just want to read a captivating story. If they like what they read or see potential in it, they will pass it on to someone above them. The key is to make their job hard. They want to find gems they can recommend to their superiors. And remember, most interns aren't paid, but they're doing this because they love writing and reading. Show them something worth their unpaid time. Tell a great story, and chances are pretty good you can make it past the first gate.
Meet the Agents:
The second gate is the agents themselves. If an agent has received a submission from an intern, he can be sure the writing is good, the platform is good, or both. Once again, I want to stress how important it is to respect gatekeepers' time. Agents are busy, and most of them have a day job while agenting is their "side hustle." Make sure your submission is ready because first impressions are vital. Gate two goes beyond just your writing abilities. An agent is going to look at your submission from a business standpoint.
Can he sell your book? Do you have a platform and an established audience? Will this be a good investment? I know this seems kind of cold, but it's easy to forget that the book industry is indeed a business that needs to think about making money. Be prepared when you submit to show an agent you mean business. Do your research and spend time reaching out to people online. Build a platform/brand to show people you have something of value to offer them. There are lots of great websites that offer courses on building platform as a writer. Remember, you want to make the agent's job hard. Great writing and great platform make the double-edged sword that gets you through gate two.
Meet the Editors:
This brings us to gate three: editors. After getting an agent, it's pretty easy to get your work in front of editors. Editors and agents build relationships, and this means when an agent submits your manuscript to an editor, it goes right to the editor's inbox rather than the publishing house's slush pile. You may decide to forego the first two gates and submit to editors at publishing houses, but it's becoming harder to submit to traditional houses without an agent.
The thing is, editors want agented submissions because those manuscripts have already been through at least one if not two, three, or four gatekeepers. That means the submissions they receive from agents will be quality work, and editors will keep relationships with agents that regularly send them top notch clients. This industry is all about who you know, and trying to make a go of it on your own without the gatekeeper system is hard. It's possible, but it's a lot of time and money on your part.
I hope this helps you understand the gatekeeping system better, and though it's not perfect, it helps us become better writers by holding us to a higher standard. Gatekeepers remind us that revision is vital to the writing process, and writing is as much about the community as it is about the individual work. Gatekeepers are real, but they don't have to be your enemies. They can be friends, mentors, and colleagues who keep pushing your writing to reach that next level.
What other questions do you have about "gatekeepers"? I'd love to answer them in the comments!
Author
I'm spilling the ink on all you need to know on the publishing industry. Stay tuned for more posts!
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