How do you avoid sending a 'form query'?

I don't consider a little sentence showing you've done your research superfluous at all. Just after I say ' I am hoping you might consider my manuscript for representation' I add 'as I understand that you... are actively seeking fun, fast paced mid-grade manuscripts.. or ..are seeking to represent mid-grade manuscripts that appeal to male readers.'
I might add that I wasn't personalizing enough and only got a couple of requests from fifteen queries. My last batch is 8/8 for requests using a more personal touch. (Yet to see if the ms holds up(g)
Not exactly firm statistics but it's worked for me so far.
I might add that I wouldn't ' fish' for something to say here and I wouldn't compare myself too closely to a current client or a mega-famous author. Instant rejection I hear.

Usually my queries have a tailored opening and first paragraph - the 'I found your name at...' or 'So and so says you're looking for...' or 'You've sold books like mine' stuff. It lets the agent or publisher know you're not scattershotting them, that you've done your homework. They like that.

The part about the book I leave the same, because, well, your book hasn't changed. That, for me, is usually the hardest part to get right, and you put a lot of time into making it right, so use it!

I leave the large majority of the query the same, but I'll change the second to last paragraph for "personal info" such as how I found the agent's name, why I sent them the ms, and maybe some books they've repped that could have a similar readership to mine, etc. I'd say that they like this a lot because it shows you've done some research and know you're sending to them specifically and not just mass emailing.

The easiest way to do this, I find, is to write your general query with [possibly personalized paragraph] placed somewhere at the end. Then, each time you find an agent, save the document under "Query - [agent]" and then add in the personal paragraph. That way you keep everything clear for yourself and don't run the risk of sending the wrong query to the wrong agent. And you also always have your original sans personal paragraph.

Make it personal!!!

I started with form queries (not knowing any better) Didn't get a bite. Then I tried to find something in an agents website or elsewhere that sounded somewhat personal. I began to lead off my queries with a quick reference to what ever I found (usually humorously) tying it into the pitch for my book. I also made it a point to mention the agents name again in the closing paragraph. I keep the body of the query the same in each case.

Since doing this, about 6 weeks, I have a partial request and a full manuscript out. Plus over half of my rejections have been personalized. It's a bit of work, takes me about 2 hours per query but WOW what a difference it has made, at least for me...

I'd be interested to see what British writers have to say on the subject, whether or not over here you need to personalise queries to get a bite...

It's good to show that you did some research and have a good reason for contacting this particular agent. This way they know you didn't just pull their name out of a hat. But, that said, if I can't find a really good reason, then I just leave that whole section out of my letter. I don't want to say something like, "I see that you represented an author whose name starts with a K, and my name also starts with a K, so I thought you might like my work, too."

justpat said:

"I see that you represented an author whose name starts with a K, and my name also starts with a K, so I thought you might like my work, too."

Click to expand...

That would probably make the agent laugh -- in a bad way.