Stressed about Querying Agents

CBrothers · Sep 2, 2011

I'm so stressed out trying to perfect my query letter. I know everyone does, but I feel like it's even more of a big deal in such a specific genre (inspirational/Christian women's fiction), since there are far less agents in the pool than if I were writing, say, secular women's fiction.

I know I need to get over it. Take the plunge. I've completely rewritten my query no less than twelve times and that isn't counting revisions... I know that without a great query, my book won't even get a chance so it's totally freaking me out!

I know, put my big girl panties on, it's a tough gig. Putting myself out there, even though I'm new here and hoping to find some understanding here

Calla Lily · Sep 2, 2011

CBrothers, since you've passed the 50-post threshold, I recommend putting your query up in Query Letter Hell.

A couple of caveats: If you like, you can preface your post by requesting gentle handling. The peeps in QLH will give you honest reactions. Sometimes honest is difficult to hear. However, I put all 3 of my queries into QLH because I wanted to hear what didn't work before I racked up a stack of Rs and burned through my agent list.

Maryn · Sep 2, 2011

I identified six agents who seek what I write. You've got more wiggle-room than some of us. I've already burned through a third!

Meanwhile, Lily's advice is excellent. As usual. And if you want gentle-yet-truthful and say so, that's exactly what you'll get. People are good about that, really they are.

Maryn, able to be kind

CBrothers · Sep 2, 2011

I forgot. to mention that i did post it on qlh..got some very helpful feedback, and nothing too harsh...mainly just too vague, which is why its great to have outside eyes who don't know the story.

Katrina S. Forest · Sep 3, 2011

I know how you feel. It took me a while before I finally wrote a query I was happy with. Don't stress about it -- keep working and re-working the thing until you're totally happy with it. You can always post new revisions in qlh. I would recommend that you try to leave "gentle" out of your critique request if you can. You might turn away what would've been helpful feedback. If anyone gets nasty or abusive, you can ask a mod to step in and put them straight. (I almost never see this happen though, even when writers say, "Be as harsh as you can.")

A query's goal is just to get an agent to read your manuscript. After that, the manuscript is what makes an agent offer representation, not the query.

Best of luck!

CBrothers · Sep 3, 2011

Katrina, i did not ask for gentle feedback, but no one has been harsh.

Katrina S. Forest · Sep 3, 2011

Ah, okay. I didn't see your qlh post, I was just responding to callalily61's suggestion.

tricon7 · Oct 14, 2011

callalily61 said:
CBrothers, since you've passed the 50-post threshold, I recommend putting your query up in Query Letter Hell.

I can't find this section. Could someone provide the link?

Parametric · Oct 14, 2011

tricon7 said:
I can't find this section. Could someone provide the link?

Query Letter Hell SYW. Home to many squirrels.

The password is "vista", should you need it, and you can't start your own thread (although you can critique) until you've reached 50 posts.

Undercover · Oct 14, 2011

Another thing I thought maybe when you're ready you could send out in small batches, testing out the query. I wouldn't send it to your whole list of agents. And you're right, there not a whole lot out there for Christian and whatever particular genre. I have a YA that could very well be (Christian) Spiritual-like so I looked too. Another place to look, if you haven't done so already is the newest version of the Christian Writer's Market Guide by: Sally E. Stuart. That's helped me. I have the 2009 one so I'm assuming the 2012 one is out there and hopefully more updated. There's a list on agent in that too.

Good Luck to you!

Dancre · Oct 23, 2011

Have you checked out shark query: http://queryshark.blogspot.com/ It's a blog that shows the good and bad of the query letter and how to write one.

CBrothers said:
I'm so stressed out trying to perfect my query letter. I know everyone does, but I feel like it's even more of a big deal in such a specific genre (inspirational/Christian women's fiction), since there are far less agents in the pool than if I were writing, say, secular women's fiction.

I know I need to get over it. Take the plunge. I've completely rewritten my query no less than twelve times and that isn't counting revisions... I know that without a great query, my book won't even get a chance so it's totally freaking me out!

I know, put my big girl panties on, it's a tough gig. Putting myself out there, even though I'm new here and hoping to find some understanding here

ronbwrriting · Mar 6, 2012

I am finding the query letter submission for NF writing is like plucking nose and ear hairs, one at a time. Every single one gives specific, but different instructions on spacing, font, heading, indenting, the number of chapters, etc. etc. So if you are sending a query letter to more than one agent, the entire format has to be reworked. Not really complaining, but sure would be nice if there were an industry standard.

Calla Lily · Mar 7, 2012

Yeah. Sorry, ron. It's the nature of the beast. Fiction isn't quite as crazed about the formatting, but it's causes the same reaction: :gaah

Deb Kinnard · Mar 7, 2012

What on earth--? I hate to disagree with Calla, but your query format should be your choice, within limits. To tweak the font size and blocking query-by-query just sounds over the top to me.

Remember, in soliciting an agent we're also vetting them. If you enter into agency agreement, they work for you, not the other way around. Do you really want to become partners with an agency that is so anal they can't read a proposal in the "wrong" font?

Calla Lily · Mar 7, 2012

Deb, I was thinking back to when I was trying to snag a CBA agent. I remember creating 3-4 different proposals (and this was for fiction!). I don't recall changing font, but I did take the same 4-5 pages, each with a specific element, and shuffling them around per the agent's specs.

At that time, I assumed that such hoop-jumping was the norm.

When I switched to a mainstream agent hunt, I think only 4-5 of the 185 I queried wanted something out of the norm (50 pages attached vs. one chapter, a website form to fill out rather than a plain old query + chapter).

Have things changed since 2006-2007? That's the last time I was interested in the CBA market.

ronbwrriting · Mar 7, 2012

Query Quandries

I spent the better part of a week meeting the requirements of one agent and, for example, one requirement was to attach two sample chapters, non-consecutive. Then on to query another agent, and they required three consecutive chapters.

Since I am submitting to agents which handle NF Christian projects, most of them want sample chapters, but the majority of the actual writing happens after you get a contract. In fact, they stress that you not send a completed manuscript.

So, another week to get query and proposal ready for that agent, and already finding the continuing agent search will necessitate total reworking of the proposal just to meet their requirements. At this rate, it seems the entire book will be completed before I find an agent. That might not be a bad thing, but I wanted to hear something positive from an agent before I am faced with a total rewrite of the book.

Still new at this and learning the ropes. Forgive me if I am making an issue out of something that is the expected norm.

Thanks, ladies for the input you have both provided.

Deb Kinnard · Mar 7, 2012

I'm not sure what the norm is. It seems to me it changes day by day. Heaven knows every time I think I "understand" our sector of the market, something morphs out of all recognition. So yesterday's normal may not be today's. I wish the AAR or some other reputable body would come together and say, "Look, agent-peeps: this is what a standard proposal looks like. Do not ask your potential clients to do anything different."

Yeah. If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, what a great party we'd have.

Ron B, to begin with, I'd strongly advise against subbing any proposal to an agent until your (fiction?) book is done. What will you do if your dream agent wants a full manuscript? It's ever so awkward to tell him you're not finished writing it yet. Most agents want to know before they even nibble, that you're a writer capable of writing "the end" on a project.

Now, none of that holds for nonfic. Nonfic is a whole different baby that must be shown in different ways.

My take on the fic side, and I've heard this cited many, many other places.

Gravity · Mar 8, 2012

Yep, Ron, I agree with Deb. Nonfiction is usually sold on a proposal, with the understanding that the completed manuscript will be available to the house for editing by X date. A lot of times this is done so an author can incorporate the latest charts, stats, graphs, or what have you, to make the work as current as possible.

But as Deb said, fiction is totally different. In the best of worlds, you'd query an agent with the first couple chapters of your masterpiece, they'd get get hooked, and then tell you, "I like this; send me the rest."

I've heard stories of authors getting such a request, and then going into full-blown panic, because those chapters they'd sent were the sum total, and nothing more had yet been written. Bad, bad mistake.

ronbwrriting · Mar 8, 2012

My book is non-fic

Hey all....thanks for taking on my questions and irritations. My book is non-fic, which I thought I had made clear earlier, however, among those agents that work for the non-fic author, every one has a different idea on what a query letter and proposal should look like. All those differences, ranging from font, font size, indenting paragraphs, spacing, use of italics, etc. All of those thing must meet the agent's criteria or the whole project will be tossed in the can. I know there is nothing that can change that.....it just makes me wonder how much good work goes into the can where it's lost and forgotten.
When I get rich and famous and influential, I am going to demand an industry standard. LOL

Deb Kinnard · Mar 11, 2012

Sorry, RonB. The original poster's question dealt with fic, so I erroneously assumed yours did also.

Stressed about Querying Agents

CBrothers

Calla Lily

On hiatus

Maryn

I Tried

CBrothers

Katrina S. Forest

CBrothers

Katrina S. Forest

tricon7

Adventure writer

Parametric

Undercover

I got it covered

Dancre

Just have fun.

ronbwrriting

I'm new......be gentle

Calla Lily

On hiatus

Deb Kinnard

Calla Lily

On hiatus

ronbwrriting

I'm new......be gentle

Deb Kinnard

Gravity

Seen 'em come, seen 'em go

ronbwrriting

I'm new......be gentle

Deb Kinnard