Not Your Usual Query Advice

Tips from somene who's been in the trenches an embarassing amount of times

Are you planning to dip a toe into the query waters in 2025? Sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. There’s a crushing amount of advice out there—some wrongheaded—and it can be overwhelming to separate the dos from the don’ts.

As someone who’s entered the queries trenches far more than I’d like to admit—I’ve had five agents—here’s my best advice, and I saved the most important for last.

It might take a lot of letters and a lot of time and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re not alone.

I attended a book talk this week, and the debut author revealed that she’d sent out over a hundred queries to finally get her agent. That’s not an uncommon number for debut writers, but it also happens to the old-timers.

A veteran writer friend of mine with a huge platform, solid sales, many author friends (to give her blurbs), connections with Big Five editors and wonderful writing chops didn’t find her agent until… wait for it….125 queries.

She was querying an engaging beach book so hardly an impossible sell, and it sold quickly on submission. Why was it so damn hard for her to get an agent? I have no idea and neither does she. But there’s no point in overthinking that.

It’s difficult not to take so many rejections personally but doing so will only hinder your progress. If you believe in your project, keep at it. A writer told me she was going to give up after twenty-five letters. That’s not enough. Also, use a service to keep track of the queries. I like Querytracker and it’s worth the yearly $25 fee.

Waiting for feedback might be futile

A lot of people advise authors to query in small batches, waiting for feedback before you send out more. Sounds so smart and practical but it may also be a pipe dream. These days feedback from agents is extremely rare. There are just too many people querying. In all my years of querying, I’ve never gotten any feedback.

The query letter is such an important document you really need professional eyes on it before you send it out. For instance, I’ve done query evaluations for years, and it consistently surprises me that writers tend to hide the best elements of their story in their queries. I’ll be thinking, oh, dear, there’s not much of a story here but then I question them, and they’re sitting on elements that could really make their query pop.

Personalization is not always necessary

In the past, I’d spend so much time meticulously researching each agent, and then I’d personalize appropriately with well-chosen details. This made querying a long, laborious process but it didn’t necessarily help me.

Referencing an old interview in Literary Rambles certainly shows you’ve done your homework, but it won’t make any difference if the book you’re querying isn’t right for the agent. Plus, you’ll never get back that half hour you spent on your deep dive research on a single agent. When you’re querying 100-plus agents you don’t have that kind of time.

Also, years ago, that kind of personalization made a letter stand out but now most everyone is doing it, which makes me question how effective it is. A few blogging authors have tested personalized vs. non-personalized queries and didn’t see a discernible difference in response rates. Also, after researching the issue, I found that many agents don’t care whether or not a letter is personalized.

There are exceptions to the personalization rule. If you have a real-life connection with an agent definitely mention that. Maybe she reps a friend of yours. Maybe you saw her at a conference. It won’t make a difference if your book isn’t right for the agent, but it might earn you a rare, personalized rejection. If you’re looking for more help on this issue, here are some levelheaded guidelines.

It's important to spell the agent’s name right and to research an agent’s preferred genres, but even then you might get it wrong. Maybe you query an agent who reps contemporary romance, but she prefers dark tales over humorous ones. You’re not a mind reader, and it’s impossible to drill down on someone’s exact tastes. When in doubt, take the swing.

Avoid overthinking the process

Trying to please everyone is an exercise in futility. It’s evitable that during the querying process you will annoy more than one agent because you’ve unknowingly trod into their pet peeve territory. It’s okay! That doesn’t make you a bad person or bad writer. You are allowed to make mistakes.

I once sent out a query letter with a typo to a bunch of agents. Greatest crime ever, right? I thought so at the time, but honestly, I’d done my due diligence by proofing three different ways and I had a friend look it over. At the last second, I changed something, and the typo slipped through. Did I lose points with some of the agents? Most likely but the rest of my query was solid, so I did get some responses despite the goof.

Remember who you are (The most important advice of all.)

A lot of writers go to the querying table like beggars rattling their empty bowls. Not the best mindset for querying.

Never forget that writers are an indispensable component to publishing. Never forget that almost every writer has been in your shoes. The book you’re querying might not be ‘the one,” but the next one could be or maybe the one after that.

In other words, you’re spilling over with potential, but only if you keep writing, learning, and pitching.

One of the most powerful mindset shifts that recognizes your thrilling potential is to say to yourself, “I’m already there.” “There” is where you want to be— published author, agented author or whatever your intention is. As Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “We don’t get what we want, we get what we are.”

I’m not talking about false arrogance which is only a cover-up for a lack of confidence. I’m talking about recognizing and honoring your unique strengths and knowing that one day they’ll take you where you want to be because your mindset is “already there.”

You are so convinced of that inevitability that it already feels real to you. Inside of you burns the energy of your potential, and it isn’t needy, constantly looking outside of itself for validation. Neediness only creates a distance between you and what you want.

Over the years, I’ve known a lot of writers, and the ones who last aren’t necessarily the best writers, they are the ones that innately know they deserve a place at the table. That can be you!

You can read a million posts on the dos and don’ts of querying, and you’ll find all kinds of contradictory advice that will make you cross-eyed and stressed. Instead, learn query basics and focus the rest of your efforts on your mindset. This article by Megan Close Zavala gives you a jumping off point.

Do you have any questions about querying? Post in comments.

P.S. I evaluate query letters so I’ll be delighted to look at yours and any revisions you make after my feedback. My fee is $50, and to best serve clients, I only take on four a month. I’m also happy to look at pre-writing queries, which I encourage.

THIS WEEK IN PITCHING

Publishing slows down this time of year and so do Publishers Marketplace deals but I did find one with a holiday theme. The following concept works because it’s interesting to imagine a jolly icon and a cheery holiday revealing a darker side. “The sinister rituals” arouses curiosity. It’s a fish out-of-water story and the reader is the fish, seeing Christmas through an unfamiliar lens.

“'TWAS THE NIGHT, pitched as a twisted tale of Christmas horror, in which a journalist's investigation into missing children leads her to the secluded village of Yule, Maine, where Santa Claus is worshiped like a god, and sinister rituals keep the holiday cheer alive.”

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Being a writer isn’t for wimps. Two great essays this week punctuate that point. Courtney Maum talks about having to do yet another revision before she goes on submission, and she also shares the story of how she disovered that she wasn’t yet done.

Author

Ali Kriegsman

talks about going on sub with her novel, cautiously believing a deal was in the works but finding out otherwise.

Also in the area of writing woes, I highly reccomend Colored Television by Dany Senna about a novelist who seeks to reinvent herself after her ten-years-in-the making second novel is hated by both her editor and agent.

Speaking of which, my novel about the book biz, The Pitch Queen is on sale for $2.49 this month.

Finally, a useful article on hooking the reader in your first ten pages.