Start queries with dream agent or not?

I had the same question

I think it depends on how experienced you are. Because if you haven't sold anything, it's highly likely you have room for improvement in your synopsis, your query, and your novel.

I know I sent out a couple of queries in January to "disposable" agents just to get my feet wet. Then I realized just how precious the few agents out there are. You really can't afford to miss a single opportunity, because there's no going back.

So, I'm thinking a new author so send out a few mid tier queries to test the water, see what happens, get your mind in the right state. And have a prepared list of agents ready just in case you start getting serious bites.

Yes.

Always start at the top. Start with the agent you really want, and the publisher you really want.

It doesn't matter if you've sold or not, honestly. What matters is your query and your story.

You've spent time in Query Letter Hell, right?

RIGHT?

First, I would suggest you discard the notion of "dream agent" in regards to it being a specific agent. When that "dream agent" rejects you, it's a horrible, horrible blow (said from personal experience). Instead make a list of qualities you want your "dream agent" to have and find a number of them who fit those qualities.

What I did was mix up my batches of queries to include agents from my "A" list and "B" list.

Hm. Well, if your certain your project is amazing enough to get signed on the first query, then I'd say query your dream agent first. If not, I wouldn't. Chances are something will be off in the beginning, and it'll get better as you go. So I would query agents you really like first, moving down the list, but save a holdout or two.

I queried my whole list without query my "dream agent." I got down to the last two, one of them being him, and I signed a few months later. Funny thing is I got the request via his assistant, who was also accepting clients and had turned me down months earlier. I'm certain he would have too if my query hadn't evolved more.

Overall, only query agents you would like to have represent you, not agents you think might be easier. And, keep working on the query.

That's just my 2 cents.

I worry when someone saves their most wanted agents for later.

What if you get a request from an agent early, and it turns into an offer fast? You may not have time to effectively query those most wanted agents.

You really can't query them and say in the query "Hey, I have an offer, but I was saving you for later, will you read fast?"

And if you try querying them and then writing within a day or two to say you got an offer (ie, pretending the offer came after the query), they may or may not have time to read. I've seen several in demand agents say they just could not drop everything to consider a query or manuscript and so had to pass - their existing clients come first.

So, I'd suggest not querying until you feel confident the query and book are ready. And then query in small batches so you have room to make corrections if need be, and maybe query a few more established and a few newer agents for the first batch.

But starting with the bottom of the list makes little sense if you really have put in the effort to draft a strong query, etc.

~suki

If your query and manuscript are good to go, and if they've been beta-ed, there's no reason why you don't start with your dream agent. I wouldn't query if I didn't feel confident everything was ready. Good luck!

I agree with the idea of not having just one dream agent, but rather looking for qualities you want in a range of agents. It's hard to know just from online research what a person will be like to work with and whether it would be a good match.

I also agree with the thought that you may tweak things as you go, so I think it's good to go in batches of 5 and watch for the response and to query a lot of agents but always ones you would want to work with, so that in this sense any one of them could turn out to be a dream agent.

Write a fabulous book and be an agent's "dream writer."

If it's the most brilliant thing you've ever produced, sure, go for your top choice. Personally, I know I tend to query a little early, and I always kick myself later when I realize that what I've got six months later is much better than what I sent to those I queried first.

Is it fantastic? Have you had lots of feedback from a critique partner or group? If you've slashed it and smashed it into its most perfect unputdownable form, go for it.

Always start at the top and work your way down.

What will you do if someone who you don't really want says "I want to represent you" before you've even asked the agent you really want?

Say, "No"? Say, "Hold that thought" and write to the other guy? Accept and go through life wondering if you could have gotten the one you wanted?

Start at the top and work down.

And when you have a new manuscript, if you haven't found representation by then, start at the top all over again.

I think the moral of the story is make sure your manuscript and query is good and ready before sending it off.

(I'm not the patient type... I need to devise a way to prevent me from sending my query too early... maybe have my wife change my email password or something...)

When I first started querying, three novels ago, I was still new. Sure my query had gone through hell, and what not but, I didn't feel confident enough to start with the best first. So what I did was send out a batch and gauge how well the my query work. I got lots of response so I went a head and queried my top next.
With my second novel, I did the same, sent out a batch, and got nothing but rejections. I sent my query back to hell, and SYW, then sent out another small batch. When I got requests I went a head and queried my top choice agents.

So, in my experience, a great query is the most important thing, so I see no problem testing the waters, with a few agents before you go for the big dogs. If your query isn't getting any response there is probably something wrong with it, and I would hate to send out a slightly imperfect query to my top choice first and chance a rejection.

Just my thoughts anyways

I like that idea Alisha, but would you be burning bridges with the "middle" agents if you turn them all down left and right if the query is a winner? And perhaps you might be stuck in a situation where you shoot for the stars after getting positive responses from the middle (but turn them down) but the top agents are out of reach?

I agree with just about everyone above-- even though some are conflicting.

I think it depends on how confident you are. If you really believe that your novel is ready, like really ready, for the big guys, then send it. If not and you want to test the waters with some great agents that might not be the most prestigious then go for it. But never send to someone you wouldn't be happy signing with right then. Like others said above, if you are offered rep from one of your "mid list" agents but still want to try for the big guys you will only hurt yourself. If you won't be able to live without knowing whether the big fish would have wanted you then send to them first. No point in burning bridges. But if you would be just as happy with the others than you can send to them and if you happen get some feedback with a rejection then heed their advice (if you agree of course) then send to your dream agent

I agree, dispel the idea of a dream agent. Doesn't exist. The concept only sets you up for heartbreak.

Have you ever noticed that no one ever asks how to define the "top" agents? In my experience, it isn't as simple as it might appear at first. I think it depends on the genre and the book you are trying to get represented. The best agents are the ones who have some experience in selling a book like yours. Usually. But not always. Agents can be older, younger, or mid-career. They can work at large, power agencies or small boutiques. Maybe they were editors, publicists, writers or lawyers in a previous career. Some don't take email queries (even if that feels antiquated and annoying), some blog and post a gazillion tweets a day and others have almost no online presence. The metric for determining a "top" agent isn't so straightforward because there might be one person in any of those categories that is PERFECT for your book. Maybe yours will be there breakthrough sale for the inexperienced agent. You never know. Or maybe you will find a home with an agent that just left a big agency and struck out on their own.

All that being said, with my 2nd book that I'm querying now I've approached it differently than I did with my 1st novel. I thought then that the "top" agents were the ones with the big online persona and who worked at those top 5 mega agencies or had brokered a "big" deal. But I've reconsidered this opinion. Now, I query a along the spectrum of the kinds of agents I've mentioned. I define "top" agents as the ones who request my manuscript and are currently reading it. Because they are interested and they might know the editor that wants to buy it. That is "top" in my book.

I like your thinking alias octavia! That makes perfect sense to me. I think you hit the nail on the head and really might have just changed my whole perspective!

Dream agent should be in the third batch of queries. If you get great responses to the first batch, maybe--MAYBE--the second batch can include the dream agent. That is if the first batch of say 5 or 10 is getting partial/full requests.

You will have time to send a query to dream agent in the event that your book is hot before anyone offers representation. If you think it's really hot from the response, send the query to dream agent the day you send the requested materials out to the first round agent(s). It goes without saying that the first round agents should include only agents you would likely like to represent you also.

(If you're really worried about getting a shotgun offer, here's an alternate strategy: query only agents you DON'T want first, and if one offers, ignore him or her while querying top of your list agents. Consider offer a year and a half later if all other agents ultimately pass, and cite spam filter/postal service for losing e-mail/mail.)

But if you query the dream agent first, and in a month or two decide the query or sample chapters need further revision, you will wish you had waited.

Really your dream agent is the one who loves you, not necessarily the one you love from name recognition alone. You can't always tell who that will be until/unless it happens.

Exception: If it's not your first book and you have rapport with dream agent who rejected prior work with kind personal reply.

Good luck!