On checking out agents before querying them

efreysson · Oct 15, 2007

Yes, 'tis me, with yet another cry for advice. I guess until I get representation, I'll never run out of them.

So far in my query letter writings, I've just tried to make a good letter, search agentquery.com for agents that accept fantasy, and mail a bunch of them the current version of my letter with the proper names filled in. However, on this site I've come across several mentions of a more refined method of finding the right agent: Checking out blogs, joining writers' groups, and looking over a particular agent's career and clients. Problem is, I've never gotten into the internet culture, and have no real idea of how to do this.
Also, is it really the better method, given how many queries an agent receives? Should I invest a lot of investigation time on an agent that will probably give my letter a once-over and then toss it aside anyway? My instincts tell me to fire out a lot of letters in faint hope of beating the odds, rather than place all my bets on a small number of queries. Besides, since I'm constantly being told my letter needs to be short short short, I can hardly fit a lot of "I researched you and think this will interest you because..." into it.

Of course, I've been proven wrong on a whole lot of stuff on this site since I joined. I'd very much appreciate yet more advice.

lkp · Oct 15, 2007

Google their names. Sometimes you have to google "first name family name agent" to get them.
I found my agent on agentquery. But her firm didn't have a website, and I hadn't yet signed up for Publisher's Marketplace (*well* worth the money. if I had to do it over again, I sign up there right away). So I googled her, and enough information turned up that I knew she'd be among the agents I queried first.

DeadlyAccurate · Oct 15, 2007

Also, the Bewares & Background Checks forum here doesn't just discuss bad agents and publishers. Good, even great agents are listed and discussed. Just check the index stickied in that forum.

You aren't really trying to beat the odds, because it's not like they read a hundred queries in a week and say to themselves, "Hm, this is an awesome query, with a great premise, intriguing writing, and it's exactly what I represent. Too bad I already asked for the 5 partials I allot myself each week. He shoulda sent it earlier. <Reject>" Your odds with a good book sent to a good agent who represents what you write are closer to 100% than to zero. Work on those parts you can control (the good book and the right agents).

victoriastrauss · Oct 15, 2007

By contrast, the odds against you if you query an inappropriate agent are exactly 100%. So doing as much research ahead of time as possible is never the wrong strategy.

Another reason to use a variety of research methods: no one source will include every possible agent. A good number of agents suitable for fantasy aren't listed at AgentQuery; ditto for other sources.

- Victoria

Carrie R. · Oct 16, 2007

I think it's always a good idea to do basic research: what the represent, what method of query they prefer, etc. Beyond that, I did a lot of research on my top choices an often a google search for the rest. You just want an idea of whether it would be a good agent for you.

I'm also a big fan of personalizing query letters -- at least mentioning a book they rep or something. I've read from a lot of agent blogs that at least they know you've done some homework.

Nathan Bransford · Oct 16, 2007

I don't know if there's a single better than you can do to increases your chances of a partial/full manuscript request than to personalize a query letter. Google is your friend.

efreysson · Oct 17, 2007

Well, thanks for advice, people. Much appreciated, as always. Really, I probably wouldn't stand a freaking chance if I hadn't discovered this site.
I looked through the fantasy shelf of my local bookstore today, but only got two agents' names out of it. So the library's tomorrow, I guess.

ORION · Oct 17, 2007

OK, I just noticed you're from Iceland.
You really NEED to get conversant with the internet.
I think it's the most useful tool.
Money-wise a great investment for you would be Publishers Weekly and Publisher's Marketplace if you can afford it. You get online membership and get names of a large number of agents - from there it's simply a matter of googling.

J. R. Tomlin · Oct 17, 2007

I don't see that anyone has mentioned it so let me say that query tracker is a great online tool.

And it seems to me that the idea that authors always mention their agents is a myth. I have gone through my rather substantial library and almost none in fact did, and even if they did there is a good chance the information as to whether they are still active, with what agency or what kind of fiction they handle might be out of date.

I have more luck with looking at lists of what various agents have sold recently which you can frequently find on-line. And while personalizing queries can't hurt, I seriously doubt that any agent is going to ask to see a ms because I mentioned a book he sold last year. I mean, I do believe that agents are shallow. But are they really THAT shallow? I'm sceptical.

Alorac · Oct 18, 2007

I did hours of research to find the "perfect" agents for my novel and personalized my letters, but now I feel I burned my bridges with them because my query wasn't quite up to snuff, even though I'd revised it 40 times, had friends review it, etc. I learned from my first run of "no's" and now am getting some requests for partials and fulls, but have I lost all chance with my top picks who declined to look at any part of my ms. based on the short query letter?

ORION · Oct 18, 2007

Alorac-
I wrote another book and another and kept querying...I re-queried an agent twice (for 2 different projects) sometimes new agents are brought on board at big literary agencies- I had never queried the agent who ultimately offered representation before-

DeleyanLee · Oct 18, 2007

Personally, I've always done the "look in the acknowledgements of books like mine" way to see who's repping what I'm writing. Then I have a target when I go looking at blogs since I'm about as skilled at the Internet as a rock is at swimming an ocean.

On checking out agents before querying them

efreysson

Closer than ever

lkp

DeadlyAccurate

Absolutely Fazed

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

Carrie R.

Procrastinating, clearly

Nathan Bransford

Author

efreysson

Closer than ever

ORION

Sailed away years ago

J. R. Tomlin

Alorac

ORION

Sailed away years ago

DeleyanLee

Writing Anarchist