Query Woes

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Elektra

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I'm starting a new query list; but it seems that with 75% of the agents at agentquery, it's impossible to find their submission guidelines.

I've tried calling the agencies in the past, with mixed results.

Is there some secret guideline-place that lists this information?
 

aadams73

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Agent's websites, maybe? When I made up my list I found most of the guidelines from the agent's own website. You might also try publisher's marketplace(it has a $20 per month membership fee, but it's well worth the cost)
 

rugcat

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If they have a website, they'll have submission guidelines. If not, try Writer's Market. (book or online) If still no luck, write a simple one page query letter asking if they would be interested in seeing your ms or sample chapters. If they have interest, they'll reply and tell you exactly what they want.
 

Elektra

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I do a google search just to make sure they don't have a website or a Publisher's Marketplace listing; however, a very great deal of them don't. Rugcat, thank you for the suggestion--that's probably the safest (and cheapest!) way to go.
 

Soccer Mom

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Writer's Market is the best thing I've found next to their own websites.
 

ORION

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Elektra,
What worked for me was a kick *** query letter and the first five pages. I emailed it with the pages starting right after the query letter. For those agents who did not not want emails I mailed them the very same thing and included an SASE.
Although the agent who signed me preferred snail mail, she responded right away to my email requesting the full to be emailed. My point is that if they do not specify - you will never be wrong if you do the query letter 5 pages route. (Like our Godess Miss Snark says).
What agents rave about are those who send 50 pages or the whole manuscript without querying first and having it requested. Any of the agents I have talked to at conferences all say they have no problem seeing five pages with a query even if they say query only.
I hope this helps
 

roach

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You might also want to look in the Literary Market Place. If your library has the Writer's Market they'll have the LMP.
 
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