Querying Agents? Use This Tool
Plus, FAQ about finding a literary agent
The most important thing you need when trying to find a literary agent is probably luck. But the next most important thing is a good old spreadsheet.
Luckily, I have one for you. It’s formatted in a way that will guide your research so that you’ll gather all the information you need to approach agents.
Plus, my spreadsheet features a beautiful tree that grows into a forest as you send out more query letters! (Some of the art is featured above; the rest is a surprise.)
This template is available to paid subscribers. For everyone else, I’m going to dive into some Frequently Asked Questions about querying literary agents.
What’s the best way to write a query letter?
Study query letters that have worked. Make sure you especially study those that share a genre with your own manuscript. A query letter for a romance novel generally spends more time setting up the main character, whereas a query letter for a thriller needs to focus more on plot tension. Find a ton of real examples here.
Try a template. You don’t have a follow a specific template, but you do need to stick to the expected structure for a query letter. Sometimes it’s just easier to work from a template, although I will say that for me, I’ve preferred to go with my gut instead. Here’s a template I’ve shared before.
Keep it short. Over the past few years, query letters have gotten shorter, and I see agents mentioning online that they prefer this shift. Aim for around 300 words for the entire query letter. (But also know that agents aren’t counting the words you use in your query.)
Get a critique. It’s essential to get feedback on your query letter before you send it out. So much rests on this one short letter! You can get a critique from me, or you can try qtCritique, which is a site that allows you to exchange your query letter and manuscript with other writers online for free critiques (I went ahead and tried qtCritique recently, just so I could evaluate it for this article: I found the critiques from other writers varied widely in quality—expect a mix of useful and not-so-useful feedback).
How do I know which agents to query?
Start with QueryTracker. Use their search tools to find agents by genre and age category (YA fantasy, adult mystery, etc.). Then head to the agent’s website to find out more about what she’s looking for.
Also check out Manuscript Wish List. Here you’ll find more specific details (“I’m hoping for novel about ice skaters” or “I’d love a juicy family drama”). This site’s data is sometimes out of date, because agents’ needs might change as their client list grows, so make sure to check an agent’s website or social media for up-to-date wish lists.
Maybe try Publisher’s Marketplace. This site lists deals made by agents, so you can find an agent who has sold books in your genre. Agents don’t always report their deals to PM, though, so don’t consider it a complete picture. Also, this site is subscription only, and their subscriptions are expensive ($25/month)! Consider subscribing for month, getting all the info you need, and moving on to using other tools. (Or just don’t use it at all—it’s up to you!)
How many agents should I query at once?
A lot? It used to be that you could send out several queries, wait to hear feedback, revise your query letter and manuscript as needed, and send out another batch. But now, many agents don’t respond to queries unless they are interested in reading the manuscript, which means you won’t really know what to revise. Therefore, you might as well send out dozens of queries at once.
A few? At the same time, if you send out 5-10 queries at a time, and you get no response, you might try revising query letter just in case. I’ve also heard from writers who say sending out fewer queries at a time feels less daunting.
How do I get a referral to an agent?
You don’t need one. You can query any agent who is open to queries. I signed with my first agent based on a cold query. She was great!
From a conference. Sometimes agents will invite conference participants to query them even if they aren’t otherwise open to queries. I’m not sure how common this is, though, so don’t pay for a conference just in the hopes of querying an agent.
From a friend. If you happen to know a published writer, you don’t need me to tell you that your friend can refer you to his agent. But if you don’t have an actual referral, don’t claim that you have one, because the agent will ask their client and find out that client doesn’t know you.
What do I send along with my query letter?
A synopsis. Some agents want you to send a 1- or 2-page synopsis along with your query letter. Check the guidelines on the agent’s website. Remember that your synopsis needs to be just as artful and snappy as your query letter and opening pages. The tone of a synopsis shouldn’t be dry and factual—it should match the tone of your manuscript. Here’s a quick lesson on synopsis writing from author Susan Dennard.
10-20 pages of your manuscript. This varies by agent—check their guidelines. But remember that no matter how many pages they ask for, you must send your novel’s opening pages, not a selection from somewhere else in your book.
A pitch deck? I’m hearing of writers who create pitch decks for their books and either include a link in the query letter or post it on social media. I have no idea if this is becoming widespread or whether agents even look at these. Not sure whether you should do this or not, to be honest. But here’s an example from an author who recently signed with an agent.
What are some red flags?
When an agent wants you to pay. Agents receive part of your advance from your publisher when they secure a contract for you. You should never give money to an agent otherwise.
When an agent has no track record of sales (unless the agent is mentored by another agent who does have a good sales record). Anyone can call themselves an agent—it’s not as if agents need a license or anything. So you need to make sure you’re working with someone who has a proven record, or a new agent who is being mentored by someone with a proven record (meaning, they work together closely at the same agency).
When the agent is listed on Writer Beware.
How do I know when to quit?
After dozens of queries. Don’t stop before you send out a lot of queries. If you want to pause and revise your work, go for it. But this is a numbers game, and a handful of queries is less likely to help you find an agent than dozens of queries.
When you’re more confident about your next project. The best thing you can do while querying agents is to write another book. If you realize that your skills have gotten much better with your new project, or if your new project is more marketable, you might decide to stop querying your previous project.
Which agent should I sign with?
The agent who shares your vision for your work. A good agent isn’t only someone who can make the sale and negotiate the contract; she can also help you understand how to revise your manuscript so that it’s the best version of what you meant for it to be. (Yes, you’ll most likely need to revise your work before your agent sends it to editors. We writers are constantly honing our stories!)
The agent with happy clients. After an agent offers to represent you, reach out to her clients and find out what they like or don’t like about working with their agent.
The agent with a good sales record. The better your book deal, the more promo your publisher will likely commit to doing for your book once they publish it. So you want an agent who can get you a great deal. But you also want to balance money with vision. I’ve had friends who were miserable working with very flashy agents because their agents wanted them to write only the kinds of books that would make them a lot of money (instead of the books my friends would have preferred to write).
Why might an agent reject my work?
I covered this one at length in another post: Why Agents Are Rejecting Your Work. It’s my most popular post to date!
How do I make querying more organized and efficient?
With a fantastic and beautiful spreadsheet! Grab my Google Sheets template below.
The tree image changes for every several queries you send out, to help you stay motivated.
The status of each query is color-coded to help you keep track of where you are in the process.
The pie chart changes based on the number of queries you’re waiting to hear back from, providing a quick glance at your progress.
Cells are automatically highlighted on the date an agent is open to queries (assuming you’ve previously inputted the date), so you can remember to send out new queries.
A to-do list lets you keep track of where you left off.
Space is provided for multiple versions of your query letter, synopsis, author bio, and comp titles so that you can input each into emails and web forms quickly and easily.
The theme is peaceful and beautiful to keep your nerves steady.
Scroll down to get the spreadsheet template. (You’ll need to be a paid subscriber.)
