Part of me feels it's crass to be querying a project given the times, and my more pragmatic side even wonders if there's a point. Would agents view a query at this time as thoughtless? Or are they just as unable to do their jobs as many other industries? (Unable to network/meet with publishing reps or go to conferences. I've heard some agents network online, even during games of Overwatch, but I don't imagine that's the norm).
I was wondering what other AW's thoughts are on this. I should note, this project doesn't involve an epidemic or any themes relevant to the crisis. Except, perhaps, government incompetence.
(emphasis mine) Here are my thoughts:
Surely agents are as individual as we are?
There are horrific epidemics almost yearly. 2019 saw the worst Dengue epidemic
in recorded history. Zika was in 2016, and that one
caused brain damage in fetuses. Talk about horrific. Ebola (!!) and measles, that was 2014.
Yes, this one is different,
but they're all different, and any agent who would want epidemic type literature to begin with should be up-to-date on all of these ongoing crises.
There will be another epidemic, and another pandemic. I mean, come on. These won't stop. Why would they?
There may well be
war before long. Certainly environmental destruction is ongoing. I queried my environmental project anyway, despite each year being warmer, with less ice and higher seas and more carbon in the air. Some agents want to do the responsible thing and promote eco literature. Some agents solicit climate books. Some AWers rightly encouraged me to query despite the climate crisis we witness.
This pandemic doesn't hold a match to what's in store, baby. Go ahead and query.
Those are my thoughts.