Email Queries. The Death of the Query Letter?

Paul · Mar 28, 2012

Jamesaritchie said:
Reading a query isn't what takes time, though if you're reading them as you should, it's going to take a heck of a lot longer than you seem to believe. Evaluating a query is what takes time. Sometimes this is easy and fast, sometimes tough and slow.

I can't read through fifty queries in an hour. Twenty-five is a more manageable number. And a single query can sometimes take twenty minutes to read and evaluate.

I can, however, reply personally to a hundred queries per week. This isn't difficult at all. A personal reply does not mean a three page critique letter, it just means a couple of sentences, and that's easy.

so your saying realistically speaking an agency isn't going to give eight hours a day to reading (by which of course i mean evaluate - why else engage with a query text?) e-queries? (200 queries / 25 = 8 hours.) So perhaps it is true to say they're not giving the attention required. i dunno, perhaps.

Now, as re the 100 personal replies - that was in reference to the good ol days of snail mail (far as i can make out) which would take, hmmm, being snail mail, em, 5mins a query? (ie, to read and mention a specific element of the query by letter, then place in envelope) so 5 mins X 100 = 500mins / 60 = 8 hours a week. Ouch. Fair play.

I'm beginning to think the agent reply quoted should have started at the line "I'm sorry for the impersonal response..." and delete the preceding bit.

anyway, can't see a reversal of the email query thingy, so when all is said and done...

Calla Lily · Mar 28, 2012

Maybe the agency is spending a good amount of its time getting book deals for their current clients. Maybe they have a set amount of time budgeted for evaluating queries (otherwise they'd never get any new clients), and maybe they're trying to do the best they can and still earn money to eat and pay the rent, which they do by getting book deals for their current clients.

Paul · Mar 28, 2012

callalily61 said:
Maybe the agency is spending a good amount of its time getting book deals for their current clients. Maybe they have a set amount of time budgeted for evaluating queries (otherwise they'd never get any new clients), and maybe they're trying to do the best they can and still earn money to eat and pay the rent, which they do by getting book deals for their current clients.

yes, i certainly hope so.

ahem to reiterate, this is a 'how effective are e-query letters thread' (well it was).

not a 'aren't agents terrible and shouldn't they be shot on sight thread'

Jamesaritchie · Mar 28, 2012

An agency that can devote eight hours per day for reading is an agency I wouldn't want to have anything to do with. For any good agency, reading queries is so far down on the priority list that you have to flip through several pages to find it.

An agent does need to find new writers, but the first priority, and the second, third, fourth, fifth, etc., is dealing with and for the clients you already have. For a good agency, doing this is an extremely time-consuming business.

You read queries when you can, and sometimes you simply can't. But it's usually a few minutes here, a few minutes there, and half an hour next Friday. If you get eight hours reading in a full week, you're very, very fortunate. I know several agents who almost never get in more than half this, unless they want to work at home. Those with families usually do not.

This is one reason why I believe new writers should keep their eyes open, and queries ready, for that best of all possible agents, which is the one with a good reputation, that did work for a lareg agency, but just went out on her own.

She may take a few clients with her, but she's going to be hungry, she needs new clients, and she can, and does, devote much more time to finding those new clients than an established agency can manage.

Paul · Mar 28, 2012

yes, bit frightening to think that. (the priority list etc)

and i think the e-query has added to the problem. but to what extent, its hard to say.

stormie · Mar 28, 2012

I know this wasn't originally in the R&D forum, but I'll answer your title, Paul: "Email Queries. The Death of the Query Letter?"

No. The query isn't dead. Agents will naturally pay more attention if the query is well-written and the storyline hooks them, whether snail mail or email.

Just keep on keeping on.

Email Queries. The Death of the Query Letter?

Paul

Calla Lily

On hiatus

Paul

Jamesaritchie

Paul

stormie

storm central