A little perspective on amount of queries

TheEnd · Apr 13, 2007

Hi All,

I sometimes read questions in regards to how many agents to query for your manuscript and if there is a set number to stop at. From what I've read (here and elsewhere) there is no real set answer. I guess the best answer would be "query until you get an agent!" Well, I thought I would post my numbers to give those about to query, or waiting to hear back some perspective.

I started querying agents on January 7th of this year. So between then and now, April 13th, I have sent out a total of 106 Queries and here's how it breaks down (in parenthesis is how I queried):

Waiting to hear back: 45 Queries (9 snail mail, 36 email)
Rejected: 58 Queries (28 snail mail, 30 email)
Requested partials: 1 Query (email)
Requested fulls: 2 Queries (both email)

Just to give my own personal numbers. Would love to hear what other's did for their manuscript. If you found an agent, how many queries did it take?

For all of you who are starting to feel like writing is a fruitless endeavor with no hope of representation, I say: "Keep querying". I have 58 rejections and each one of them hurt (some more than others). But it is that one time that someone requests to read your stuff that you feel a small sense of vindication that overshadows all those rejections. Keep writing and keep your heads up. The world needs good writing, because God knows, I've read some crap that should have never been published. My two pennies. Have a great weekend.

Robyn · Apr 13, 2007

thank you for this post. I needed that right about now. I've just begun the search once more for an agent. so far about 20 sent out via email, 4 rejections. None were form just stating that they didn't feel as drawn to my work as they'd hoped. (i have a feeling it is due to the high fantasy concept in this peice.)

Anywho... i'll keep trucking away for now though.

WildScribe · Apr 13, 2007

Wow, thank you for the great information and good for you for getting so many out there!

eric11210 · Apr 13, 2007

Well I haven't tried sending out my queries myself yet (still in the final edit and then have to get some beta readers), but here is what Stephen King says on the subject:

If you're not talented, you will not succeed. And if you're not succeeding, you should know when to quit.

When is that? I don't know. It's different for each writer. Not after six rejection slips, certainly, nor after sixty. But after six hundred? Maybe. After six thousand? My friend, after six thousand pinks, it's time you tried painting or possibly computer programming.

So, by that reasoning, you have another 5,942 rejections to rack up before you should definitely take up a paint brush.

Keep your chin up. You'll get there.

Eric

maddythemad · Apr 13, 2007

TheEnd said:
Just to give my own personal numbers. Would love to hear what other's did for their manuscript. If you found an agent, how many queries did it take?

It took me nine queries to find an agent, but then again, I was probably very lucky. I never did find an agent for my first novel (although I gave up much too quickly.) Keep submitting and good luck!

WildScribe · Apr 13, 2007

Maddy, you're my hero.

Chumplet · Apr 13, 2007

I think it took forty or fifty rejections from agents for my first novel before I sold it directly to a small publisher. I'm trying again with the second novel, and after a few nibbles, I'm running out of rope - I think I'm at about fifty. Maybe it's not high concept enough for an agent. I might send it to Harlequin myself and see what happens.

Another word of advice: Spread 'em out. Don't send fifty out all at once. You need to get some rejections back, tweak the query, and then send some more out to see if you get a better response.

Dani Dunn · Apr 13, 2007

I won't even begin to look at how many I sent out total, but I know my early queries were poorly written. Once I posted the queries on here and other boards, I got much better feedback. I still got a lot of rejections, but now they're more personalized.

TheEnd · Apr 13, 2007

I agree, Chumplet. I actually ended up sending the majority of queries towards the end, after it was reformed serveral times. ;-) And thanks all.

Pisarz · Apr 13, 2007

Triple digits. That's all I'm gonna say.

Will Lavender · Apr 13, 2007

Seems like Miss Snark has touched on this. But for the life of me I can't remember what she said. Six months of queries before you stop?

I agree with Stephen King: the writer will know when to stop. I don't think there IS a good number. You go until you're too disgusted to continue, I guess.

Good luck to everyone in this thread.

birdfeeder · Apr 14, 2007

I believe Miss Snark says a hundred queries is a good effort.

Irysangel · Apr 14, 2007

I got 25 rejections on my first novel that I shopped.

My second one got representation within about 2-3 weeks of shopping it (from about the 4th agent I heard from). After a year it still hasn't sold (but it's still out to 2 publishers).

I have a friend that queried 90 agents for her first novel, 102 agents for her second (she kept track of all of them) and got an agent she's extremely happy with. An editor is reading her book exclusively.

I know a gal that sent out 3 queries, and one agent called her within 2 days to offer her representation. He sold her book a week later.

It's not necessarily that your query doesn't resonate, but that the project isn't something that will sell. Just keep writing and as soon as you get a new project, shove it out the door.

Susan B · Apr 14, 2007

Definitely an uphill climb! (Of course, then when you get an agent, it's still an uphill climb, and the stakes feel higher...sigh!)

I think a lot depends on the nature of the rejections. 50 queries and nothing but form rejections suggests something may need to be re-thought. (Maybe just changing the query letter.) But getting requests to see more, as you have--we'll, that offers some hope that you are on the right track.

Have any of the rejections given you useful information?

Good luck!

Susan

zahra · Apr 14, 2007

I sent out eight queries before I got an agent a few years ago, but this time round, when I think I must be a better writer than then (I bloody hope so; oh, don't be silly, of course I am), it's been thirteen so far.

Sometimes other factors than your talent are against you for a while. Things change.

andracill · Apr 14, 2007

I've received well over one hundred rejections in 15 months (and six books); seven partial requests (three turned to fulls) on five of those books; six straight full requests on four books.

Right now I have only one of those fulls still out (might be promising, but we'll see)...and I recently sent out another dozen queries on my latest (number seven).

Persistence is the key!

TheEnd · Apr 14, 2007

I second that. Persistence is the key for sure. Of course a little bit of luck never hurt anyone either.

Pisarz · Apr 14, 2007

I triple that. (Is there such a thing? There is now!). After well over a hundred queries, some of them requeries, and several revisions (of the query and the novel), I'm still alive: I have six partials and two fulls floating around.

So don't stop until ALL your options are exhausted!

Aprylwriter · Apr 14, 2007

I have only sent out ten queries to literary agents, and a top literary agency has already requested my partial; I would rather have them represent my novel, so I'm holding off on sending out more queries.

I guess it just depends on the writer, and how much she or he can handle-if I sent out thirty queries I'd probably would drive myself crazy trying to remember them all LOL.

Apryl

Wallflower · Apr 14, 2007

Re: King's comment

Great thread.

I guess this is a little off-topic, but I don't think the amount of rejection one receives is always in proportion to one's talent! There are plenty of great artists who are not recognized during their lifetimes. I would never tell someone to quit an activity they enjoyed, even if they received 600 rejection letters.

(I'm a jazz musician, and unfortunately, jazz is one of the genres with the smallest audience. But just because there may not be a lot of popular interest, and just because many people might "reject" this genre, doesn't mean people should stop playing it.

)

janetbellinger · Apr 14, 2007

Keep querying until you run out of agents or else go back to your mss and work on it some more. There are still no guarantees, I should know, lol.

Susan B · Apr 22, 2007

Wallflower said:
Great thread.

(I'm a jazz musician, and unfortunately, jazz is one of the genres with the smallest audience. But just because there may not be a lot of popular interest, and just because many people might "reject" this genre, doesn't mean people should stop playing it. )

Very interesting, the music comparison. I'm also a musician, at least part time.

I think about that a lot, the problem of genres with a small audience. I seem to have embraced two of them: the style of ethnic/folk music I play, and the memoir I wrote about this midlife passion that transformed my life.

But there's something of a difference. The music feels inherently satisfying, even if I sometimes wish my band "played out" more regularly, or realize that by being a diehard traditionalist (and never singing in English) we have a narrower audience. But our music is social and rewarding, even if I am just playing with my husband or at our regular jam sessions, or in some funky little bar with a handful of listeners and one or two couples dancing.

The book, on the other hand--well, yes, writing as a process has been wonderful. And I do feel that finishing a book is an accomplishment. And so is getting an agent. But if my agent is not able to find a publisher....then what? I wouldn't self-publish (though I didn't hesitate to self-produce our band's CD; that's pretty usual in my style of music.) I guess because writing is so solitary, it's easier to feel discouraged at the prospect of never finding an audience. It's not about money or material success for me--but being "heard" does matter.

Susan

Wallflower · Apr 22, 2007

Susan B, what genre of music do you play? Nice to see another musician.

Susan B · Apr 22, 2007

I play traditional Louisiana French music (ie, Cajun-Creole: all in French!) There is a pretty serious community of aficionados where I live, but overall, it has about as much mass appeal as....well, jazz

Actually, probably less than that....sigh!

Will Lavender · Apr 22, 2007

Really interesting thread.

What this thread proves, to me, is this fact:

There's a lot of luck involved in getting published.

Am I right?

A little perspective on amount of queries

TheEnd

Robyn

WildScribe

Slave to the Wordcount

eric11210

maddythemad

WildScribe

Slave to the Wordcount

Chumplet

This hat is getting too hot

Dani Dunn

Huh? What?

TheEnd

Pisarz

Will Lavender

Everything is what it seems.

birdfeeder

Irysangel

She of Many Names

Susan B

Accordion Dreams

zahra

Was Zahra; lost profile - REBORN!

andracill

TheEnd

Pisarz

Aprylwriter

i am dragon. roar.

Wallflower

janetbellinger

Susan B

Accordion Dreams

Wallflower

Susan B

Accordion Dreams

Will Lavender

Everything is what it seems.