If you're a writer, published or
still aspiring, come on in. Kick off your shoes, pour yourself a
cup of coffee (this month's special: Ethiopia Horse Harrar) and
browse around. There are several articles about writing and
publishing to peruse, based on my years as a literary agent,
editor, and writer. Email me with questions and suggestions for
additional riffs; topics can range from technicalities of the
craft to the business of writing. I'm always happy to share what
I've learned during my checkered career.
Writers in search of a publisher need to start by seeking a
literary agent. In this lounge, you'll find three pages that
could be useful to you: Query Letters that Work;
Finding an
Agent,, and
Resources for
Writers, which includes not only places to seek out
additional information, but also my desert-island list of
favorite authors. For much more information about publishing,
visit my blog.
QUERY LETTERS THAT WORK
Let's say you've written a novel, edited it to the best of your
ability, and are now ready to send it out. Most novels in the
U.S. are sold through literary agents, so your first task will be
to find an agent to represent you. I'll be posting another
article on just how to go about that little task, so check back
soon. Meanwhile, buy one of the guides to literary agents
available in the writing sections of large bookstores. It's a
worthwhile investment, since this book will be your agent-search
Bible. Look for one that lists not only agents' names and
addresses but also their preferences in genre and methods of
querying. I like Writers Digest Press's GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS,
updated yearly.
It's well known that agents reject a large proportion of the
material offered them, but the good news is that the great
majority of submissions they receive are non-starters. If you
submit a good query letter and a professional-looking manuscript
that's as polished and perfect as you can make it, you'll put
yourself in the much smaller pool of contenders. One of my former
students received offers from four different agents on an
excellent first novel, which reinforced my belief that, despite
the tortuous process of submitting, quality is recognized and
rewarded.
But before you can sell agents on your novel, you have to
convince them to read it. That is where the query letter comes
in, and you need to write a good one, because that letter will
determine whether or not your work will get a chance to speak for
itself.
A query letter should be one page long, single-spaced, and
contain the following basic ingredients:
Publishing credits. No lies, but you can fudge a bit. If your
only published work is a couple of articles in the local paper
about lawn mower repair, you can say you've had non-fiction work
published in local periodicals. If you have no publishing credits
at all, don't despair. There's nothing agents love more than
fresh blood.
Your profession or other life experience if relevant to book: if,
for example, you're a lawyer who's written a courtroom drama, a
cop who's written a gritty crime novel, or a call girl who's
written about politicians she has known.
A few words about the book, including genre. (Don't say you've
written literary fiction; the literary quality is for others to
judge, and the term is a synonym for "Won't sell above 5000
copies.") Don't tell the story. Summaries are inherently boring.
Four sentences is the outer limit of the average literary agent's
attention span. If you can write a good hook of one or two
sentences, do that.
Word count. ("Complete at --------- words.") If your novel's not
complete and edited to within an inch of its life, you shouldn't
be submitting.
Why you're submitting to that particular agent. This is
essential, and too few writers do it. The best possible reason,
the one that will move you to the top of the pile, is that you've
been referred to them by a client or an editor. If you're not
that lucky, there should be another reason you can cite, because
there should be a reason for every agent on your list. It may be
that she represents some writers you admire, or that she's
particularly active in your genre, or that she just launched her
agency and may be open to new writers.
Don't forget an SASE, unless of course you're querying
electronically.
The overall tone of your letter should be respectful but not
obsequious, confident but not boastful, businesslike in that it
is short and to the point, but conveying a sense of the person
who wrote it. Brevity is good. Agents receive dozens, even
hundreds of queries each month. They're grateful for short
letters and wary of natterers. Writing credentials are good. So
are life credentials, if they relate to the book. Being a
celebrity doesn't hurt, but if you haven't managed it yet, you
may not want to wait. Giving a reason why you chose that
particular agent is very good-it means you've done your homework
and are unlikely to waste their time.
Now that we've talked about what should be in your query letter,
let's talk about what shouldn't be. What should you avoid
doing?
Praising your own work is bad. I can't tell you how many letter I
received as an agent telling me that the proposed ms. is
thrilling, heartwarming, beautifully written, and more commercial
than Grisham. This is a total turn-off for agents. Real writers
don't talk about their work that way; they understand that the
work must speak for itself. The only acceptable comparison to
other writers is in terms of the market your novel seeks to
address, as in "This book, with its strong female sleuth, will
appeal to readers of Sara Paretsky."
Stalking is bad. Some writers-not you, of course, but some other
writers-get obsessed with finding an agent. Don't send gifts or
haunt the agent's lobby or trap her in elevators. Don't jump out
at her from behind trees. Use the mail.
Dear Agent" letters are bad. Anything that looks like a mass
mailing will get tossed. (Likewise "Dear Jane" letters: if you
don't know the agent, do not call her by her first name until she
calls you by yours.)
Grammatical or spelling mistakes in the query letter are very
bad. If you can't write a proper letter, the agent will assume
you can't write a book, either.
Overly personal, emotive letters are bad as well. The agent
doesn't need to hear that you spent ten years writing this book
and plan to shoot yourself if it doesn't sell. He probably has
enough neurotic clients already.
It's never pleasant to be turned down, but it comes with the
territory. Writing is a tough business, and if you're in it for
the long haul, you'll need to develop thick skin and fanatical
perseverance. When you do get turned down, bear in mind that an
agent's decision is based on many factors that are totally beyond
both his and your control, including the state of the market. The
right fit is also a factor; just as you need an agent who
genuinely loves your work, so do agents need writers they can
feel passionate about.
There's also, always, the possibility that your work is not yet
where it needs to be. If you've been turned down by 40-odd
agents, it's appropriate to consider whether the novel might not
need another edit or two. But don't rush to that conclusion after
just a handful of rejections, because that is par for the course.
Not every book speaks to every reader. There are plenty of other
agents out there, and it's good to remember that they're as eager
to find terrific new writers as writers are to find them.
