Today, we're going to discuss the importance of knowing how to properly approach either an agent or publishing company if you intend to traditionally publish. Understanding how this process works is crucial to finding the right agent and gaining the representation you seek.
Many authors when they first start out writing believe there is nothing more to the process than writing a book and taking it to a publisher. Unfortunately, this is how so many end up on the slush pile or as the victim of a Vanity Press who charges them for their services. The steps to finding an agent or approaching a publisher who accepts unsolicited submissions are important, because your average agent and publisher receives thousands of submissions daily. So if you want to maximize your chances of actually getting your foot in the door and past the gatekeepers, pay attention.
In this episode, Part 1 of Seeking Representation, we're going to focus specifically on agents. I know. It can be the most intimidating part of the process. But learning how to talk to them is crucial to understanding how they work and what they look for. There are several common mistakes that new authors make, and these always end with a rejection letter or worse, hearing nothing back at all. Now, following these steps does not guarantee publication, but it certainly maximizes your chances of getting recognized and accepted. So let's name those mistakes, and then discuss the proper approach to each:
1) Cold-querying an agent - This is a huge no-no. No agent represents every genre, and some only represent certain sub-genres within a genre, depending on the market needs and their particular specializations. So, when you are preparing to query, you must do your research on each and every agent you want to query before you ever send that first letter. First, you need to find out if they are open to accepting submissions, because if they are closed to submissions at that time, anything else you find out is worthless either way. No agent is open to submissions 24-7. They can only work with so many clients at a time, and when their client list gets full, they will close to submissions until they have completed the process with the ones they have accepted. Then they will open to accepting submissions again.
Once you have confirmed they are open to submissions, you need to read their information to see if they represent your specific genre. Please remember that if you have not accurately identified your genre and have mislabeled it, your query will be turned away with a rejection letter. If you do not accurately identify the agents you are querying as representing your specific genre, you will also be rejected, because the material is not the right fit for them. You need to be sure that the agent you are querying is in fact the right fit for your work. It isn't about whether or not you want that particular agent because you like them. It's about fitting the agent to the material, just as you fit your clothes to your size. One size never fits all, and no one agent can represent everything they receive. So do your homework on each agent you would like to try to query. There are thousands out there to choose from.
2) Bragging about your work in the letter - absolutely do not do this! I cannot stress this enough! The biggest mistake you can make is to open your query letter with the "I have the next best seller for you!" routine, because even though your work may be a fantastic work of art, they don't know anything about you, have not yet seen it, and this is a huge turn off to them. They are professionals and expect a well-written letter presented with the proper qualifications, credentials and information. Anything less than a polished query will be rejected without them ever having asked for your first ten pages. If approached in this fashion, most will not even bother to send you a rejection letter. They will simply delete your letter and move on.
3) Having an unpolished blurb - this one is a real problem, because most authors do not really understand the full context of just how important that blurb is. The blurb is the selling point for your novel at every level of the industry - from agent to publisher, from publisher to distributor, from distributor to customer, this is the cornerstone of your pitch. If it rambles on, is broken with incomplete sentences, or is poorly written, you will get no further and that door will close. The blurb, for that reason, is even more important than the manuscript itself, because it is the first sample of your writing the professionals ever see. If it is a mess, then you don't stand any chance of catching their notice. The same can be said if you leave it that way and self-publish. The customers will shy away from a blurb that is poorly written, because they view it as a sample of what is inside that book.
4) Having an unpolished query in general - this is also a real problem for authors. Many don't understand that these agents and publishers represent some of the best authors in the industry, and they expect quality in everything they see. Throwing the kind of letter together that you would send to your grandma is just not good enough. It has to be clean, with perfectly edited full, unbroken sentences and proper grammar - the same quality expected in a finished manuscript on it's way to the printer. The difference is, because it is so short a writing, they expect no mistakes, because a one page letter can be edited to perfection easily. They know if an author is unwilling to hone that query letter to perfection, their work won't be up to par with industry standards either. So be sure your letter is finely polished and finished before sending it.
5) Too lengthy a letter - this is also a problem for many authors. The changeover from snail mail or post office use to email brought with it another already existing problem in new greater proportions that has given rise to another epic scale of rejection letters: lengthy query letters. The standard letter is between six to eight paragraphs long (about the length of a standard 8.5 x 11 sized page) and no longer. And in that six to eight paragraphs, you have to present your blurb, your qualifications, a little explanation about what inspired you (more about that in my query letter article), and the reason you chose that agent. That may seem like a lot to pack into such a small letter, but it showcases your skills on being able to tighten up and remove the unnecessary fluff from your letter. Understand that you are showcasing your skills in this letter... in every inch of it! Bad letter = no interest.
6) Not submitting what they ask for - this is another regular and serious problem. Not every agent asks for a query letter. Some agents ask for a ten page submission, others for a synopsis of what your book is about, still others for their own combination of the above. Rarely if ever, does an agent want to find an entire manuscript they haven't specifically asked for in their inbox. That is the quickest way to get them to hit the delete button. Always make sure to read their submission guidelines before you approach them. Most agents will not give you a second chance to submit again, so if you completely botch the first attempt, then you have to start your search all over again.
As you can see, this list is a long one, and sadly it does not end there. There are little details and nuances within writing a query letter itself that makes a difference in the way an agent looks at you. But we'll cover that in the article on how to write a query letter.