Querying the same agent

GiddyUpGo

WIP: Still choosing the right font
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This is sort of an etiquette question--a little more than two years ago I sent a query to an agent who requested the manuscript and then ultimately rejected it. Since then I have completely rewritten the book--it's the same basic story but it's told from the POV of a different character, so it's not like it was just a minor edit or even an additional draft, it's a completely new book.

I'd like to query her again but I'm unsure how to do it since she did read the first incarnation of the manuscript. Do I just query her as if we've never had any contact before or do I mention that she read the first version of the story and this is a completely rewritten book? Or do I just avoid querying her altogether? It was long enough ago that I feel like the storyline may ring a bell but she won't necessarily remember much about me or my work.

Thanks for any advice.
 

mayqueen

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I've done something similar. I queried a manuscript in 2012 and completely rewrote it and re-queried it last year. I had a few agents who had read partials or fulls the first time. I just tacked that information onto my query.

"Dear [Agent],

In 2012, you read [whatever portion] of my manuscript TITLE1. I really appreciated your feedback about [issue]. Since then, I have significantly revised the manuscript [include two or three brief points about revision; new POV, pacing, plot, whatever]. I hope you will be interested in the revised version.

[Query for TITLE2 goes here as normal]."

I got a few requests from people who'd read it before. The thing is just be professional and be honest about it.
 

Tromboli

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Yup! Absolutely agree with Mayqueen. Mention it politely telling them you significantly revised. I would definitely query those agents because they were interested the first time, likely by the concept. You very well may have changed the things they didnt like (maybe not but it's absolutely worth a shot)
 

Trdriver

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I read this and was thinking, "They need a 'like' button, similar to FaceBook. Then I noticed the blue star, but I'm not sure if that will get be to the coveted fifty posts.