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Are you or someone you know looking for an agent? Let me share with you what I've learned in the process. I'm
aiming at fiction novelists. If you write short stories, or non-fiction or
anything other than novel length fiction this isn't really for you.
There are a few things you will
need to start the process--a manuscript, a query letter, a synopsis, and a list
of agents.
First and foremost you need a
finished manuscript. You can prep the other stuff, but before you send the
first thing to a potential agent you need to have your MS completed, reviewed
by alphas and betas, and edited as well as possible. It should be polished to a
fine sheen, because this is the thing that will cement the deal. Even if you
write a great query and a great synopsis, if your manuscript is subpar the
agent is going to pass. Make all the arguments you want about story trumping
writing or vice versa, but it will still come down to making that agent fall in
love with your novel. Work hard on getting the first part of your story to
really grab attention and showcase your voice, because it is the first thing
the agent will read. Well, duh, but really, it needs to shine, because they
always want the first pages--anywhere from ten to thirty or maybe the first
three chapters. I'm just going to assume you did this part and move on. Don't
make me regret it.
We've toiled on our manuscript
for months or years and it's ready to be seen, so the next step is to work on
your query letter. The query letter usually includes an introduction, a pitch,
and a short bio. It should be double-spaced 12 font, and don't get fancy with
the font. My preference is Times New Roman for this stuff. Ideally, it will be
all on one page.
The concept for the query is
to pique the interest of the prospective agent. Because of this, you need to
personalize each one for every agent you query. So, while working on your
pitch, you need to start developing a list of agents. Agent Query is a great
resource to start (www.agentquery.com/)
or you can just Google "your genre" and "agent" to see what
comes up. Chuck Sambuchino has a great list at Writer's Digest (www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents)
and he updates it with new agents as they emerge. Preditors and Editors (pred-ed.com/) provides a wide-ranging database
for lots of stuff, including which agents to avoid, whether or not they charge
to review your work, legal services, and convention lists, just to name a few
things. Agents that charge reading fees are warned against, as reputable agents
do not charge a reading fee. Absolute Write Water Cooler is another good
resource for reviews of agents. (www.absolutewrite.com/forums/)
Take the time to do some
research on the agent you select. If you have a connection mention it. If you
met them at a con remind them. He or she will usually want your word count and
genre listed in this introduction section. If they don't care about such things
the agency listing should say. Or if you find an interview online they might
mention specific likes or dislikes in a query. Some have done video blogs or
live chats where these kinds of things are discussed.
Their agency website will have
information about the submission process and their agents, especially their
genre preferences, and usually a little bit of personal stuff, like favorite
writers. Also take a look at their client list to see if you're a fan of one of
their authors,or even if they have any yet. If the client list isn't mentioned
on the agency page you can find out on Query Tracker. (querytracker.net/) It's also a
great resource for finding agents. The agency website will also have the
submission guidelines. Follow them. Every agency is different. Some will have a
simple submission worksheet that will be very limited, asking for contact info,
a short bio, and a pitch. Others will take 30 pages and a query letter. More
will want a full synopsis and first ten pages of your manuscript with the query
letter. From my experience, most will want a query, a short synopsis (1-2
pages) and the first ten to fifteen pages of your MS. Pay attention to the
details; they're usually quite specific. They will often have one email address
to sent your query to, and might share within the agency if the particular
agent you targeted thinks you might be a better fit with someone else. Some
will have you contact the individual agent directly.
These days most prefer an
email with everything including in the body of the email. There will usually be
a clear note not to use attachments. Your email will get deleted without being
read if you don't pay attention to this. There are still a few holdouts that
will only take snail-mail packages.
The meat of the query letter
is the pitch, and it needs to have a hook. The sole purpose is to get the agent
to ask for your manuscript. This is the part you are going to spend the most
time on. You want a one to two paragraph lure for your story, including the
stakes and the thing that sets your story apart. I recommend sticking to the
protagonist, and maybe the antagonist, and provide the agent with something
enticing. There are lots of good places on the web to get help with these. I
started with Query Shark (queryshark.blogspot.com/,)
which a lot of my friends used as well. Jane Friedman also has a good page for
these. (janefriedman.com/2014/04/11/query-letters/) Writer's Digest has a nice Dos and Don'ts
page. (www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-10-dos-and-donts-of-writing-a-query-letter)
Once you've created that
pitch, you can test it out at several blogs. These two will post on their blog
and publically critique: Writer Writer Pants on Fire (writerwriterpantsonfire.blogspot.com/p/query-critiques.html)
and Kyra Nelson. (kyramnelson.com/query-critiques/)
At Agent Query, it's more like a club. (agentqueryconnect.com/index.php?/forum/2-aq-connect-query-critiques/) There are sites popping up and
folding pretty regularly, and at the time I posted this all of these were still
active. There are contests all the time, so don't be afraid to do some searches
on the web when you've drafted your pitch.
For your bio, keep it short,
but include any other work you've had published or any experience you have that
is germane to your story, like you're an attorney and you write court dramas,
that sort of thing. School history is a good thing to include, especially if it
pertains to writing, for example an MFA. These things aren't required and if
you are a fledgling writer with no writing credits just keep it simple. That
won't stop them from reading your work. A great pitch will overcome a lot.
The next thing on the list is
the synopsis. The synopsis is a full summary of your story with all the
spoilers and secrets revealed, including the ending. There are resources online
for how to do this, but essentially it is a scene summary of the conflict in
your story. Carly Watters has a nice "how to" on her blog (carlywatters.com/2013/11/04/how-to-write-a-book-synopsis/).
Jane Friedman also has a great helper (janefriedman.com/2011/10/25/novel-synopsis/.)
I would make several of these of varying lengths--a one page, a two page and a
full, which could be up to ten pages. These are usually single-spaced, and
nobody has told me different. What they are looking for here is can you tell a
complete story. Do your best to keep some of your narrative voice in these.
Lastly, I created a
spreadsheet in Excel to track who I sent to and when, what they asked for, and
a place for responses and comments. I used a default rejection if I didn't hear
anything back after two months. You could always resubmit if this happens. Most
advice I've seen is wait at least 30 days for any follow-up. Some agencies
welcome trying other agents in their house after a month, and some will tell
you not to bother.
You want to keep your
manuscript on sub until you have success. My goal was to always have it out to
at least four all the time. If someone asks you for an exclusive there needs to
be a reasonable timeframe included, 30 to 60 days is normal. Don't let someone
lock it up perpetually.
I actually have my MS with an
agent right now, waiting to see if he will want to represent me. If he says
yes, then the next step of the process starts, seeing how well you work
together. Just because you get an offer of representation doesn't mean you have
to take it either. Read the fine print on the contract. Obviously, the more
reputable the agency the less you have to worry about this, but you still need
to read the contract carefully.
Keep your chin up. There will
be lots of rejection. Some of it will be nice, some will be generic, and some
will seem to simply ignore you. Stay professional, and in the meantime, work on
the next project. I wish you all the luck in the world.
Clear Ether!
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