Today I finished compiling my phase one database for agent queries. I’ve sent out about thirty so far and now my database has more than a hundred agents who will be hearing from me soon. I have them divided into agents who prefer e-mail queries and those who require the old-fashioned post, or “snail” mail, as it is commonly called. I’ve also added little notes about preferences each agent has or authors they represent. I noticed one even posted a picture of her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with a fancy pen and paper like he’s getting ready to pen the next work of bestselling pooch fiction. (Wasn’t John Travolta in that?) Anyway, I have a Cavalier of my own and I’m not above mentioning such in my correspondence. Whatever it takes, Gracie. Get on board.
It’s amazing how much work it is to query agents. Each agency has their own rules and sometimes agents within an agency have unique submission guidelines. Some want e-mail with content pasted in, some want attachments in Word, some in PDF. Others will consider you a cyber terrorist if you add an attachment and they let you know there is ZERO chance they will open it. Some agencies tell you to query precisely ONE agent at a time at their agency and if they get together over Starbucks and discover you have, GASP!, foisted your work on more than one, your query goes on a first class trip to file thirteen. The nerve!
One agent required submissions to be in 18-point font. If you’ve never written anything in 18-point font, take a minute now and give it a try. It looks like you’re screaming at your readers. Some even have forms you fill out instead of sending your own e-mail. It’s fun and not at all like the DMV.
So a day went by with no responses from agents. That means no good news, but no rejections either. Today, I spent some time over my lunch break doing completely productive things like Googling “odds of being published.” You know, stuff that can really be helpful.
Once I was good and depressed it dawned on me I hadn’t checked my email all morning. Sure enough, there was another rejection. This one said she really liked my concept but thought my pacing was too slow. I’m guessing this agent has never read The Grapes of Wrath. Talk about slow pacing. The first four chapters are about how dirt looks. But it’s all part of the process and it is what it is. At least she gave me some constructive criticism. I wasn’t devastated.
Then, all of a sudden, something caught my eye. It was just the part of the body of the email that shows in the list before you click and open it up. There was something after the “thanks for the submission” part that didn’t immediately begin with “unfortunately. . . .” I was afraid to hope but I clicked on it and there it was. “Please could you send me the first fifty pages of THE WILLARD . . . .with the word REQUESTED as the subject line.
Requested. Not unsolicited. Requested. A professional agent who read my query and first ten pages wants to read more. “Remember to breathe. . . .”
It will likely come to nothing. As I learned in my “odds of being published” lunchtime reading, the overwhelming majority of those requested manuscripts end up falling out of the process at some point. But for a moment today, just for a moment, hope floated to the surface.
And it’s still floating. At least for a little while.
Megan says
LeAnn, I have a book coming out in Feb 2014 after many years of doing what you’re doing right now. Mine is a children’s book, so I have spent many happy hours at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conferences, building friendships, forming a dynamic critique group, and having a blast. Congrats on finishing the book, first of all, and good luck! (Let me know how it goes!)
Megan
LeAnne Burnett Morse says
Megan,
Congratulations on your upcoming publication. I’d love to see it when it’s out so keep me posted! And thanks for the encouragement.