Is this a bad time to query agents?

If you wait until it's a good time, you'll never query. As long as I can remember, people have been groaning about how hard things have gotten in publishing. Query away! Editors will always want good books, so agents will always want good books. Hold on to whatever optimism makes you want to write a book in the first place (and it seems to me that only the optimistic actually sit down and write books).

OTOH, at this point, I myself would wait until mid to latish January, to avoid the whole holiday and post-holiday rush. But I'd advise that any year.

I would keep querying. I just read on several agent blogs that they were still taking new submissions - that it was business as usual.

I actually accepted an offer of representation on "Black Wednesday", and my agent is still planning on submitting my work to editors.

Good luck!

It's probably a bad time for agents to submit manuscripts to editors, but it's going to take a while to find the right agent, so you might as well get started with the queries.

I had an experience like Trickywoo with a magazine acceptance some years back. I believe I received the call during Thanksgiving weekend. When offices are closed, people often catch up on paper work/ phone calls/ email. I wouldn't wait until January to query an agent, actually. I think that's when they'd be really busy getting stuff submitted or dealing with whatever happens when publishers open up for business again after the holidays.

Palmfrond said:

It's probably a bad time for agents to submit manuscripts to editors, but it's going to take a while to find the right agent, so you might as well get started with the queries.

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Re the above, I agree with Palmfrond and would even go a step further. Let's be frank, it is a bad time in the publishing industry. People are getting fired, people are moving all around, publishers are cutting back in all sorts of way, etc., etc. Literary agencies are aware of and feel the pinches even before we do. In time, things will settle down, although the publishing industry model may change dramatically.

Normally I would suggest that you start to query at once (after January 1), but for now I'm going to be more conservative. Right now I fear that your queries might get ignored or shuttled aside by too many agents. I think many want to see where the dust settles before they renew or change their method of doing business. Since this isn't a great time to be querying anyhow, you might want to consider waiting until aounf February 1. By then agents should have a better feel of what going on and once again be anxious to receive great queries and manuscripts.

Just something for you to consider.

Good luck.

Our very dear and hardworking Guest Agent, Jennifer Laughran answered a similar question to this in her thread (stickied at the top of this forum).

The questions was: does it make sense to hold off on querying agents about my .... novel until the economy, and hopefully the publishing industry, recovers a little? If publishing houses are pulling back on acquisitions, I assume agencies doing the same?

And Jennifer's answer was: As far as the economy goes, it is business as usual for us, and honestly, for most publishers. We still have to take on new projects so that there will be books in the future, and publishers still have to buy them. Of course, everyone is cautious and being very picky about what they take on - but that is nothing new.

Plus there was also a few questions about subbing in the holiday season.

One question was: should I sit tight until January-ish, after the holiday season is over? Or, should I go ahead and start sending out more queries?

And Jennifer's answer was (I shortened it a bit): Oh goodness me. PLEASE start sending out other queries!

Another question was: I have a quick question for you about queries for December -- do they slow down for you now? Do most agents go silent for the holidays? I'm just starting to query and I'm wondering with the holidays and all the terrible publishing news out there, if it would be better to wait until January.

And Jennifer's answer was: I am pretty much not sending any more projects out myself until January (except things that are already in the pipeline) -- but I spend most of December clearing off my desk, getting rid of old things, catching up on reading, etc. In other words, I am still working. I think that most agents are this way - we may not be actively SELLING, but we are still working. Somewhere in there - probably the weeks between Dec 18 or so and Jan 3 or so - lots of agents will take vacation. But so what, you can still query, they'll just respond upon their return.

I'd wait until January, but only because of the holiday stuff.

As far as the economy is concerned, yes, publishing is not great, but it doesn't cost an agent anything to find a great new client. And they're always looking.

But I'd make sure your query and manuscript are as perfect and compelling as you can get it.

It's true, that books agents sell now are not going to be published until a year or so after they are bought, and by then... By then the economy will hopefully be in an upswing. It's all cyclical - it's just a matter of time.

Think of this: If publishers don't buy books now, what happens in a year or so when people finally have money to spend???? You bet those publishers are thinking ahead, and preparing to meet the demand when it comes. So to that end, I think they're buying.

Also, I think it depends on what you are writing. An agent told me recently that certain children's markets, for example, are not effected. I believe this is because some books depend less on bookstore sales, and more on libraries and schools, but I am not sure. My husband tells me that surprising things are happening -- like sales in fancy toys like those iphone things are remaining steady. So I'm back to what I said before. Ignore the current state of the economy. If they tell you no, you can always blame the economy, wait six months or a year, change the title and shuffle the paragraphs in your query and try again. I took a sales training once, and one point was that some people are so afraid of rejection they basically reject themselves before they start. Don't look for excuses. If you think the query and book is ready, give it a try!

P.S. I may be feeling optimistic because, as I posted elsewhere, last week three agents offered to rep my new book. That was in December, in a downward economy. But as I said, one agent said that children's books are not affected (for some reason) so who knows?

The holidays are typically a slow time because a lot of people take the last two weeks of the year off. With everything slse going on right now, editors might be a little distracted on top of that.

However...

Jennifer Jackson just posted this week how it's business as usual for her and she's taking queries like any other day. And she sold a book just the week. So that bodes well for querying.

I'd probably wait until after the holidays since most folks are away, but if the book is ready send the query. If you have any final tweaks you think it might need but are on the fence over, taking that extra time while things settle down a bit couldn't hurt. Publishers might be feeling more secure after the holiday sales come in.

Some agents and editors use the slow holiday season to play catch-up, so you might actually be better off querying or submitting now, when things are slow. Also, presuming your work is great, then odds are people will pay more attention, now that things are getting tighter and more competitive.

Teriann said:

Also, I think it depends on what you are writing. An agent told me recently that certain children's markets, for example, are not effected. I believe this is because some books depend less on bookstore sales, and more on libraries and schools, but I am not sure.

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My good friend is an illustrator for children's books and magazines (S&S, HarperCollins, Highlights, Ladybug....) and her agent sends out emails about once a month to her clients. Ever since this past summer, the children's book and magazine industry hasn't been doing as good as it used to be. And as a result, less work for the illustrators and writers. This agent has been around for awhile so she's not new and has seen it all.

That said, I will now say just go for it. Submit your query when you feel it's ready. There is no good time or bad time to send it in. The economy could get better or tank. Agents could be on vacation in the middle of February or working through the holidays coming up. Your book might just be the one they're looking for.

Six of one, half-dozen of the other.