Query now or wait til after Bologna?

I would wait until mid-April. Give the agents some post-Bologna catch-up time so that your query doesn't just get tossed to the side.

Are you sure it would get tossed to the side? I just queried an agent and got an automated response saying she was at bologna (damn I forgot) and that she'd get to her desk in april. Do you really think my query would be disregarded? Should I resend in mid-april or hope for the best?

Roly said:

Are you sure it would get tossed to the side? I just queried an agent and got an automated response saying she was at bologna (damn I forgot) and that she'd get to her desk in april. Do you really think my query would be disregarded? Should I resend in mid-april or hope for the best?

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Conventional wisdom is NOT to requery. It looks unprofessional.

Take your best shot, of course, and if you think that's going to be in April then do it then. However, you can always find SOME reason that it's not a good time. Don't over analyze this. I'm really surprised that many of our query gurus (of which I am not one) have not weighed in on this.

If you're ready now, and you're not going to be any more ready in April, I'd send it now (unless you read the agent's blog and you know for sure he or she will be unavailable). Otherwise there are a zillion reasons not to query--it's the holidays, the weather is getting nice, etc. etc.

If you think you can take the extra couple weeks to work on your manuscript some more, then do that.

I would wait until after Bologna. What can another week hurt?

Well but why on earth should you wait a week? Most people don't read queries THAT DAY, they read them in the order they are received. So why not get in line now, what difference does it make?

Also, plenty of agents aren't at Bologna. *ahem*

If you wait, about a hundred other writers are going to be read ahead of your query. If the agent fills her available slot(s) before getting to your query, you're out of luck.

The only thing waiting ever does is put you at the end of the line.

I agree with James.

Queries go through my agent's assistant first, who is not in Bologna.

JamieFord said:

I agree with James.

Queries go through my agent's assistant first, who is not in Bologna.

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Yeah...just like inquries from my client's go through my assistant first whether I am in the office or not...I say send away!

And no, my legal assistant is not in Bologna either...she may be in Corned Beef though, sometimes I wonder what she is doing out there...

Query now to get in line. Many already there.

There's always something going on somewhere. If we all waited for every major conference, holiday or book fair to be finished, nothing would get done.

Send it now. Really, what difference is it going to make? Chances are, even if the agent was here, it might not get looked at for weeks or months anyway.