cj Sez: So you’re finally
ready to query an agent.
Then it’s time to put on your rhino hide, because only about
4% of queries get accepted, according to one article I read. Pick up a copy of Writer's Market, and
you’ll find an agent’s acceptance rate
in the listing. Any one of several reasons could send your query straight to
the trashcan. You’ll have a better chance of being one of the accepted few if
you pre-emptively resolve some of those reasons for rejection.
Just about the first reason for a rejection is failing to follow the submission guidelines. Guidelines are out there because they define
the format the agent recognizes and wants to see. Pay attention to them, every
detail, if you want to make it at least as far as the slush pile. If an agent asks
for five pages, do not send more, even if your writing buddy did. Does s/he want
eMail or snail mail? If the guidelines spell out Times New Roman or Courier 12
point font, don’t send Ariel or Georgia because that’s what you normally
use. Change the document to fit the requirements. Remember that every agent
has different requirements, so be sure to research the guidelines for each. And
for heaven’s sake, if the agent is one of several in an agency, pick the one
that works with your genre (I’ll touch on that next) and put the person’s name
on the address line. “Dear Agent” will receive exactly the attention it
deserves.
Make sure the agent you’re querying wants the genre you're writing.
You don’t want to send a query for a memoir to an agent who handles only
paranormal romance. That’s an extreme example, I know, but not researching what
genre the agent is accepting is a sure way to get rejected.
Again, you can Google your research or start with Writer's Market (available
at many libraries) or AgentQuery.com
and search for agents who represent your specific genre. Visit agents' websites.
Since information provided by outside sources may be outdated, always defer to
the instructions on the agent's website
Another reason for rejection could be that your query letter needs help, maybe a
lot of help. Many writers I know hate writing query letters (me included)
almost as much as creating synopses and that can come through in the letter.
I won’t go into detail, but here’s a quick overview on what
to include: The opening paragraph is similar to an elevator pitch, those 25 words that need to do more than
pique the agent’s interest. You want the agent to fall in love with the premise
of your story. The second paragraph should be a brief (NOT detailed) synopsis
of the story itself, the protagonist’s obstacles and what s/he does to overcome
them. The third paragraph is briefly about you … include writing credentials,
awards, electronic presence (i.e., Facebook, blog, Twitter) if you have them, and
any special platform. By platform, I mean if you are or were a cop, you have an
exceptional platform from which to write police procedurals. You can also
mention that you read on the website that the agent is interested in “such and
such kind of stories’ and that your manuscript fits into that category. Always
close the letter with a call to action; i.e., “I’d be happy to send you the
full manuscript and look forward to hearing from you.” Be sure to include your
contact info; i.e., name, address, phone, eMail address,
Do a Google search for query letters, and you’ll find a slew
of examples, including some from established agents who are trying to improve
the process of getting your book published.
In addition to the format of the letter, you must pay attention to spelling and grammar. Have
as many eyes as possible read over your query letter. I can guarantee each one
will find something to challenge, some of it valid, some of it not. Put it
aside for a couple of days, then print it off in a smaller or larger print and
read it out loud. Hire an editor if you must. The query letter is your first
contact with a possible agent, and it needs to be perfect.
I can’t talk with any first-hand knowledge about non-fiction
because that’s not my forté.
What I do know about non-fiction is that you will need a book proposal, a few
sample chapters, and a cover letter. The book proposal requires specific
components and will run ten or more pages. A Google search for examples can get
you started in the right direction. If you know a published non-fiction writer,
you might ask her/him about the process.
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| Don't be afraid to fail |
Lastly, persistence is de rigueur. If you get rejected by an
agent, keep on sending out the queries. Many now-famous authors had their share
of rejections. *
Margaret Mitchell received 38 rejections of Gone With the Wind.
J. K. Rowling submitted Harry
Potter to 12 publishing houses, all of which rejected it.
Gertrude Stein submitted poems for 22 years before having
one accepted.
John Grisham’s A Time
to Kill was rejected by 16 publishers before he found an agent who
eventually rejected him as well.
Louisa May Alcott was told to stick to teaching.
William Saroyan received an astonishing 7,000 rejection
slips before selling his first short story.
Are you up to the challenge of rejections? I hope so.
Okay, time to quit this tome. You-all guys keep on keeping
on, and I’ll try to do the same.
cj
cjpetterson@gmail.com
(PS: The toons are from my Facebook page, and by the way, Choosing Carter didn’t win the Author Shout Cover
Wars, but the design received a lot of compliments. That’s as good as a
win for me. If you voted for it, thanks for taking the time to zip on over there.
I appreciate it.)
