Well, here we are again. Once more, I’m at the starting line for a query letter. Definitely a lot of emotions coming up around this experience, but I know I need to do it. I wanted to talk a little bit about the agent hunting process of trying to find someone who you think will be a good fit for your work.
If the act of writing is pure creation, then the process of finding an agent is like an endless job hunt. The tried and true method is the query letter that you’ll send to agents before sending them a full manuscript. The point of a query letter is similar to a cover letter or resume. It tells the agent a bit about who you are, what your project is about, and why they should read your story. It helps to include books that are like yours, but I always have to rattle my brain to remember any books I’ve read.
It’s daunting in some ways, but like anything, it gets easier with practice and time. I’ve learned to develop a kind of ‘It Is What It Is” mentality when getting rejections from agents, but it’s never a fun thing. Due to the sheer volume, form letters are pretty common responses and they’re never very detailed. Still, I try to approach submitting like a gamble that improves your odds with more entries. The more queries you send out the more likely someone will take an interest in your project. It’s a numbers game and no one really likes those games. Still, there’s always that magical one.
Query writing could easily be an entire semester’s worth of college courses and there’s no formula to do it. Even if there was a formula, agents would no doubt hate the formula after reading seventeen a day. Trying to make yourself stand out isn’t easy, but it’s a worthwhile endeavor in the end. I try to think of it as writing it for a friend and that lessens the pressure a bit. Still, it’s intimidating to feel like you’re presenting yourself to a gatekeeper towards publication. All that can be done is write, rinse, and repeat.
What’s your experience with query letters? Is it something you ever learned how to do or wanted to do?
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