Dream Agent First or Wait?

If you're 100% certain that your manuscript is polished to perfection, then query your dream agent. However, I honestly feel it's wise to begin the process by sending out queries to agents that are a little further down on your list, and here's why: You might get valuable feedback that you'll want to incorporate into your manuscript, and if you've already been rejected by your dream agent, you'll kick yourself.

Best of luck!

I would query all the agents that you feel stand the best chance at selling the type of novel you have, the ones that fit your style and have recently sold (within the last year) what you write.

I'd be hesitant about sending queries to the "lower agents" first, because if they bite, then you have no queries out at the agents you really want. While it's perfectly acceptable to contact agents currently reading your work when you get an offer, it's a bit unprofessinal to send out a new round of queries after you find out your query "works." Make sure the query works before you send any out.

I worked from my top choices down. I had about 8 agents on my A-list that I researched and felt I was a good fit for. I queried all of them. I ended up signing with one, but had I not, I had another round of 8 or so on the B-list, and then my C-list.

One thing to remember about queries...
A fresh idea, strong voice and proof that you can write will get you requests for pages. It isn't about the right format or the perfect combination of things. If you have a great idea agents haven't seen a million times, your query proives you have command of the English language, and you come across as a professional, then you have a good shot.

Having a query that is sloppy, unprofessional and badly written will sink you every time, even if the idea is good. You'd be shocked at how accurately you can tell what a novel will be like from the query.

Good luck!

This is a conundrum indeed. In my experience, my query and manuscript changed drastically during the query process, and the agents that I queried later in the process were more interested than the first ones, because I had a more polished product. So, if you are absolutely confident that your stuff is top notch, go ahead and query your top choices. But if you anticipate making revision based on agent feedback, then save your top choices for later. Not necessarily for last, just for later. Besides, if you get an offer from an agent, you can always ask for some time to decide while you pursue your top choices.

I think Danthia makes good points. I'd add that the concept of "dream agent" is a little iffy anyway. You're presumably querying only agents who represent your kind of work, have sold stuff, and are reputable. Beyond that, it's hard to know what any agent is like to work with. On paper some of them might look like a "dream," but then you hear stuff about decisions they've made or how they are to work with that make you realize they're all human. Just like us.

dawinsor said:

I think Danthia makes good points. I'd add that the concept of "dream agent" is a little iffy anyway. You're presumably querying only agents who represent your kind of work, have sold stuff, and are reputable. Beyond that, it's hard to know what any agent is like to work with. On paper some of them might look like a "dream," but then you hear stuff about decisions they've made or how they are to work with that make you realize they're all human. Just like us.

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Dawinsor makes some excellent points, and I agree wholeheartedly with her and Danthia. I made my list of favorite agents based only on what I'd heard about them. I'd had no personal dealings with any of them. They were the ones who blogged, the ones who made the rounds being interviewed by every writer-blogger on the internet, who took pitches at all the big-name writers conferences, the ones who posted their deals in Publishers Marketplace. But you know what? High profile doesn't necessarily mean "great agent." Some of the best agents in the business don't blog or report their deals or attend conferences. They're too busy working for their clients getting them publishing deals. I was lucky to snag one of them and it's the best choice I've ever made. She's my dream agent, and I didn't even know it before I found her.

Start from the top down (in terms of your carefully-researched wish list, not in terms of agent prestige.) I made the mistake of starting from the middle, and ended up having to say no to an offer from an agent... there was nothing wrong with her, but I just knew I could do better. It all worked out OK in the end. I love my agent and am very glad I held out for the best. But if I had STARTED by QUERYING the best, I wouldn't previously have had to go through that agonizing week of omg-if-I-reject-this-offer-will-I-be-throwing-away-my-future?

So learn from my mistakes, and if your ms really is good to go, send it to the agents you REALLY WANT!

You could always try the three-tier approach. First, only query people you would actually sign with if they offered representation. But go through your list and rank them, 1 being the agents you feel are the absolute best match, 2 being the agents who are a good match, and 3 being the agents you like and would sign with, but not necessarily if you got an offer from agents in the 1 and 2 categories first.

Then send your queries in batches of 10. Do 3 or 4 1-level agents, 3 2-level agents and 3 or 4 3-level agents. That way you've always got a good mix going.

I hope that made sense. I'm not at my most coherent at 3 AM!

I'm on my first WIP, and I probably won't query the top agents first. I am expecting to get many rejections (and hopefully partial requests), but I would first want to alter the MS according to any feedback that the agents give, before querying the 'top' ones.

Yes but don't you see the logical fallacy here. If you send out queries with the intent of being rejected and further improving your MS you are technically not ready to send out queries. You should be sending out queries in the hopes of gaining an agent, not in the hopes of being rejected. Yes you will likely be rejected, but what happens if you are not? What happens if you start with your least favourite agents and then one asks to represent you? What do you say then: "Um could wait a bit while I query the agent I actually wanted now?"

I know we don't want to risk being rejected by our top choices, but in not submitting to them when we decide to query, that in and of itself is a sign your MS isn't ready.