What fields are on your agent tracking speadsheet?

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GirlWithPoisonPen

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I'm starting to research agents that might be interested in my novel.

I wanted to set up a spreadsheet to keep track of their details, requirements, when I sent the query, etc.

I'm sure that some of you have done this.

Right now, I have the following fields?:

Agent Name
Firm
Address
Email
Website
Type of query accepted
Query requirements
Query sent date
Requested materials

(I'm being optimistic with the last field)

Am I missing any?
 

Maryn

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I don't use a spreadsheet, but my 'fields' include enclosures wanted with the query (some want a bio or x number of pages), the date agent says they'll reply by (based on how many weeks or months they say their turn-around is), the real date by which I expect a reply (twice the wait they anticipate--such wishful thinkers, those agents!), the date on which I received a reply, the date by which my requested materials mailing should receive a response, whether they seek an exclusive read on requested materials, and a 'remarks' field where I note anything unusual about either my submission or their response.

It's a lot of stuff, but you never know ahead of time which aspect will assume enormous importance.

Edit: Oh, and I forgot another thing I list, my reasons for querying this particular agent, which I use to personalize query letters. I note recent sales to publishers in my genre, repping authors something like me, them seeking my genre, or seeking to expand their client list in general.

Maryn, occasionally helpful
 
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Prawn

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I tracked
Who/ Agency/When Sent/How Sent/Email address/What did I send them?/Response/Whom to query next at that agency.

The first person I queried was Nathan Brown. His entry looked like this

Nathan Bransford/Curtis Brown/9.29.2008/e-mail/[email protected]/query only/9.30.2008/request for first 30 pages/Laura Blake Peterson ([email protected])

So he requested my partial. When he later rejected me, I colored that square red, put the date, and then send a request to Laura Blake, the next person at that agency I was interested in.

What I found was that often I did research on an agency instead of an agent, and it was useful to prioritize a list of people I should query there.

You might also have a column for whether they accept queries. I am a bastard. If I liked the agent, I queried them even if they were closed to queries. I figured I had little to lose.

PM me your e-mail and I'll send you my template.

Prawn
 
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lkp

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I also had a field where I put little tidbits that either explained why I thought they'd be a good agent for me and/or that I could use to personalize my queries. Eg. I noted if someone had a PhD in history, if they'd been to school somewhere I'd studied or taught, what authors they represented, what other genres they represented ("HF, women's, family sagas, non-fiction history" seemed more likely for me than "HF, suspence, SciFi") and any other details, like the fact that the person who became my agent had a recent agenting career in the UK.

I didn't put down notes like this for every agent. But I did find that I had more luck with agents when I could see a reason why they in particular might like my book.
 

stormie

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My agent spreadsheets are really simple (as opposed to my spreadsheets for editors of magazines):

I copy and paste the info on each agent from agentquery.com onto Word, then print the whole thing out. I like working with a hardcopy. Then I make notes in the margin--date sent, query + 5 pp. or whatever, date declined or the date of request for partial or full.
 

darkchild

fields? am i the only one who allows QUERY TRACKER to do the work for me?
 

Sage

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Cheering you all on!
Sadly, my agent tracking worksheet is lost on a broken flashdrive, but I believe it had

Agency
Agent
What they rep (of interest to my novels)
When I queried (columns for each novel)
What type of query (e-mail, snail, website form)
Individual Novels:
-reject date
-partial sent date
-full sent date
-other
-acceptance(?)
 
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