When to rewrite a query?

Shutyououtwiser

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Hello!
I'm new to AW as well as publishing. I'm trying to find representation for my first novel and the rejections are slowly trickling in. I was looking for some input. At what point do you decide to scrap a query and rewrite a new one?
Thanks!
Michaela
 

Drachen Jager

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Whenever you think you can improve on it. If you're new to AW I highly recommend you get your 50 posts down and put your query through Query Letter Hell (in the Share Your Work section) before sending any more out. Take the advice you get there as advice only, after all, most of those who hang out there are not agents or even agented authors, and those few who DO have an agent and hang out there are mostly old farts who got their agents in a different era. Their advice is valuable, but ultimately you need to choose what to do with the query to make it your own.
 

AlishaS

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I tend to send my queries out in batches, say 5 or 10. So if my batch comes back with all rejections or close to it, then I sit down and take a look at it, and rework it. Then I send out another batch, if those come back all more mostly rejections, then it's time to rewrite for sure.
You are not going to get a positive response on ever query, not by far, but if you are seeing more rejections and little to no positive, then it's rewrite time, it means your query (or your sample pages, if you've included those) is missing something.
 

Katrina S. Forest

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To the original poster, I would say it depends on the number of rejections you've gotten. If you've only gotten four or five, that's doesn't mean much. If you've gotten more than 15 with no requests, it might be worth a look.

One thing I will suggest is that if you decide to post in QLH, stop sending new queries until you have a new version you're happy with. There's few things worse than deciding you don't quite like the query you had, but you've already sent it to all the top agents on your list.

(I will add a few words of caution: Read the stickies in QLH before you do anything else and if you find you've made the common mistakes listed, adjust your query as needed before posting there.)

those few who DO have an agent and hang out there are mostly old farts who got their agents in a different era.

When I have an agent and I'll still hanging out giving critiques in QLH, I will remember that you said this. :tongue
 
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Shutyououtwiser

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Thanks for everyone's advice. I greatly appreciate it. Also, Drachen, the unicorn poop made me laugh!