R: Research: What to do Before You Query
I always talk about how the number one most important thing to do before you query is research, research, research. But what exactly are you researching? And how? Not every agent has an online presence, and those that do aren’t all located in the same place or sharing the same information. Here’s a quick rundown of what to look for and how to find it:
1. Current information. Make sure the agent is still active, accepting submissions, and hasn’t changed agencies! Check the agency website, but don’t rely solely on that—some agencies don’t update their websites every time someone leaves. Good places to cross-reference for this information are Publishers Marketplace and LinkedIn. Also make sure the agent still handles the type of material you’re submitting! If all of their YA deals on Publishers Marketplace are pre-2009, that might be a sign that they’re no longer handling YA.
2. Submission guidelines. Always read the guidelines on their agency’s website, but also check their personal website in case they have additional requirements. For instance, our agency guidelines do not allow for emailed submissions, but I prefer them; so my personal submission guidelines on my blog supersede our agency guidelines when querying me. Don’t rely on QueryTracker or Publishers Marketplace bios for correct guidelines, as they don’t always get updated regularly.
3. Interests. If you really want to stand out in the crowd, you need to tailor your query letter to the agent’s interests. You’ll hit their sweet spot, and show that you’re willing to go the extra mile to do a job well—an important quality in an author! How do you find their interests? Their blog or Tumblr and Twitter are usually a great start. Read through the last dozen or so posts and check out any links they’ve shared, get a feel for what they like talking about. If they don’t have those, do a Google search (add “agent” or “literary agent” if they have a popular name that’s coming up with too many unrelated results). Chances are good they’ve been interviewed, or participated on panels at events. Find the most recent ones and read them through.
4. What to expect. This is where QueryTracker and other such sites come in handy. Many agents will specify on their submission guidelines if they have a “no response means no” policy, but sometimes they don’t. However, if you look at the comments on an agent’s QueryTracker page, you’ll often be able to get a feel for how long it takes that agent to respond to queries, or whether they do at all.
As someone who builds websites for a living it really irks me that agencies’ website are out of date (we build websites in such a way that it makes it reeeeally easy for clients to update the info on the site way later without calling us up) but anyway, this is good info haha.
