Free Resources (these will keep you PLENTY busy):
· Basic Querytracker
· YA Whispers on Twitter
· Victoria Strauss
· Authors in your lane that you admire (who aren’t bestsellers)
· MSWL (in moderation)
Re$ources (these cost a little extra)
· Publishers Marketplace for top selling agents in a specific genre (you can share one account, but IP address can be recorded & access limited)
· Querytracker Premium (only while querying, but for $25/year I found it useful both times)
Things to avoid (unless you want to go down an endless rabbit hole of research):
· Blogs and personal experiences (everyone has different preferences & experiences; there is no one true authority but YOU)
Bad Agents
It’s absolutely TRUE that no rep is better than bad rep. While it’s better to avoid querying a bad agent, the worst that could happen is you query the wrong agent AND they offer rep. Even in this instance, you can say no.
If you’re on the fence about an agent and don’t feel up to doing more research on them, the safer bet is just to skip and not query them. Trust your gut and avoid going down too many rabbit holes or you’ll go crazy.
I have a small list of bad agents/agencies that I can share with you, but if you want the full, unabridged LIST, follow & reach out to Sami (on Twitter @themoosesf).
Later, if you get an offer and want specific agent dirt, you can DM YA Whispers (on Twitter @yawhispers). And of course, ask for and contact the offering agent’s references (at least 2 author references). EVEN BETTER if you can contact an author who was previously agented by them.
Query Strategy:
The key to querying is to pack in as much as you can into your 10-page sample and let the query letter be nice complement to your manuscript’s voice. When each response comes in, tweak accordingly. When the requests start to come in steadily, then your query is good. Move on to polishing those pages! I barely changed anything to my last 2/3 of ms. A ton more energy needs to go into your first 10, then 50, then 100, then full.
The query letter IS the first thing the agent will read. A lot of how they judge that letter is subjective, but there are things that will help:
· What makes this book stand out in a crowded field and even tougher market?
· What makes you qualified to write it?**
· How does this letter exemplify you AND your book’s voice?
**Sidenote on this question in relation to diversity in publishing: Absolutely highlight your diverse voice (BIPOC, DIS/ND, or LGBTQIA+); if you are white/cis, then you are at a slight disadvantage here but still need to highlight your qualifications while simultaneously acknowledging how you are not taking up space that a diverse voice would fill. This is tricky business that must be addressed/considered in some way.
In terms of query strategy, rank ALL the agents on your list as numbers (1 best, 40 not) AND in three categories (A=Dream, B=Good, C=Maybe). There should be NO MORE than 40 agents that you plan to query (20-30 that are absolute musts or you’ll regret it, the rest would be nice but not it the must category).
Query 5-10 to start (#16-20/25 on your ranked list). One in, one out. If you get steady partial/full requests move up your list (#15 to #1). If you get mixed bag responses, move down your list (#21/26 to #40). If you start stacking up Rs or CNRs (like about 5-10 R/CNRs in a row), it's time to reevaluate.
At 50 agents, your ms is basically dead in the water & you’re wading into desperate territory.
Similar info on query strategies in my blog post here: https://yveyun.wixsite.com/author/post/how-to-put-in-the-work-now
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