Editor Answers Most Common Querying Questions

[@MichaelHollandCollins]

I think overall, people need to realize the market is over saturated and competitive. You need to stick out and go above and beyond. If you don’t have a super high concept topic that makes agents froth at the mouth to get their hands on, then you gotta be sure you’ve given it several revisions, and hired a professional editor. Also, this process will take years. So, as you query, work on your next book so you can keep enjoying the process. Writing a book, and then just sitting on it and waiting for it to get picked up will make you hate the process. Keep writing, and KEEP LEARNING. Thank you for this video and all your others!

[@jamesstolpa9442]

I feel you all. I've been waiting since February. Out of eight queries, I've had one form rejection and nothing else. I've worked with a professional DE and had five beta readers give their input. It's tough. All I can say is, hang tough.

[@JustClaude13]

Querying manuscripts also depends on the stage of an author's career. Isaac Asimov said his career went through three stages. At the beginning he would try to sell anything he wrote. When he had a good enough reputation he was able sell whatever he wrote. And in later years he would only write the stories he had already sold.

[@smokinggnu6584]

5:32 The question of how many drafts one should go through reminds me of a bit of unsolicited advice an engineer once gave me. "A project isn't done when you've run out of things to put in it, but when you've run out of things to take out of it" Currently in the process of ripping out words and streamlining convoluted sentences from my manuscript. Boy howdy does it still need some work...

[@JJNWSGHOST0299]

I signed up for your query letter service and review of the opening pages few months ago and found it very helpful. I feel a lot better about my query letter, and your feedback has been helpful in my revisions as well!

[@AlyssaMatesic]

I'm so happy to hear this! It was my pleasure ☺️

[@Jus-X]

Another great vid, Alyssa, thank you. I don't know why, but it's somewhat reassuring to know that others are going through the same hurdles I am. One thing that made me smirk were the questions regarding how many drafts one should write prior to querying. I can't tell you how many "final" drafts I've written of a single manuscript.

[@IainLukeJones]

You answered my question! I feel so seen ☺️

[@rowan7929]

Having signed up for your service has been very helpful and enlightening. It gives me more hope on getting an agent and future books. I can relate very much with the person of the last question that it's so frustrating and upsetting by spending money to flesh out your work to make it as good as it can get, only to get it thrown back at you without any real reason.

[@AlyssaMatesic]

I've so enjoyed working with you, Rowan - and I get it. Remember that sometimes the rejection reason has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of your book, but rather the agent. "It's not you, it's me" absolutely does apply to querying.

[@rowan7929]

@@AlyssaMatesic Thank you. Glad I'm a joy to work with.

[@PetProjects2011]

14:19 That last part

[@absolutelycitron1580]

Alyssa why are you so goated?

[@AlyssaMatesic]

Haha, so happy you think so! ☺️

[@SamanthaRomine-m2o]

Could you do a video on the best way to format text message conversations in a manuscript? There is a lot of conflicting advice online. Thank you! Love your channel!

[@pmacott]

I'm sitting with a small batch of queries that I have heard nothing back from for over two months. Some agencies post a time limit, after which the writer can consider it a rejection. Others don't specify, and I wonder about the etiquette around sending a follow-up "checking in" email - I would hate to think I missed a potential opportunity because of a waylaid email query ( I wish more agencies sent an auto-reply when they receive a query, though). Thanks for your time, I appreciate all your helpful advice!

[@michaeltoss9307]

Can you requery an agent if you've made substantial revisions?

[@R777-g9z]

Hi from Ukraine! Thanks for the helpful information. The question: if the publisher from big 4 buys the rights for the book with all the translational rights for other languages and then sells the rights to other country, for example to France with the advance of $10000, what is the standart share of the author from this advance (and further royalties)? Can the American publisher take all the money from selling rights to other countries or ussualy it devides between the publisher and the author? Please tell the ussual share of both. And could you please tell ussual publisher/author shares for film adaptation? For example, I promised "a big share" of film rights to the publisher, what this "big share" can be? Many thanks!

[@TheEccentricRaven]

Gail Carson Levine has said before that she can go through fifty drafts before she feels her novel is ready 😲 No wonder she's an award winning author.

[@saleenaali1660]

Thanks for the video Alyssa this video is extremely helpful!! I’m having trouble finding an agent I’ve gotten feedback from one agent saying she thought the premise was interesting and another comment from an agent saying she thought I put a lot of work in my manuscript, but the both pasted. I’ve gotten many rejections. When do you think you should quit trying to go about publishing the traditional way?

[@xorlacanj8051]

I’ve been thinking about stopping all together. I feel like it’ll never happen for me.

[@BrandonRossi-z7f]

I am currently aspiring to a be an author (fantasy and historical fiction), and am about to query for the first time. My novel is a high fantasy story with heavy themes of revenge. It also has many inventive ideas, which I am hoping will make it more enticing for agents. I hired a self published author (Melissa Stone) to edit the book, and it will probably be out of that phase in the next month or so.

[@smokinggnu6584]

Good luck!

[@BrandonRossi-z7f]

@@smokinggnu6584 thank you! I am simultaneously nervous and excited.

[@nyxcole9879]

I was that overeager 21 year old that queried my partial back in 2006, and i got a request! And so...yeah dont do that hahah

[@WriterRebecca]

Still, it says a lot about your writing that you got a request!

[@inuzuki8605]

Heyyyy! Love these videos and relate to all of the comments and questions. I write MG and YA Fantasy and have been querying my MG Fantasy duology for years. I want to find a smaller publisher or self-publish, but I don't know if my genre would be successful if I did that. Second question: I also would love to know, if I query an agency where a no from one is a no from all, but the agent I queried leaves the agency, can I then query someone else at the agency, or is the agency just out of bounds now? Thank you! ❤️

[@Tori-ic9kh]

I’ve finished my manuscript, and I’m on my fifth round of editing and about 10 chapters in again. Do you think it’s a good idea to start querying when the manuscript is edited and “done” but I’m still polishing the last half? I know that querying can take forever, so I wanted to send it out even if the ending is missing detailed descriptions.

[@Zora3y]

If I'm writing a book, and want critique partner, when should I ask for opinion of critique partner? In past I asked my family member for opinion before first draft is over, but at one point he said he couldn't help at that moment. I heard end of first draft is good time to ask for opinion for books, but would book critique help me on opinion on synopsis or several chapters before book is done? I ask because I need words of encouragement, and validation (guilty), and but I don't know where to get that. Would critique partner even be good match?

[@joevaldez6457]

Ask a friend to lunch or for a phone call and pitch them your synopsis. Beginning, middle, end if you have it, or as much as you've got if you don't. Listen to what's working and what doesn't. I can usually figure out what needs work without them saying a word, but if you're stuck on something or looking for encouragement, solicit it. p.s. Writers don't often make the best critique partners, but readers do.

[@TonieAnterwp]

In my query letter for my first novel, I mention that I've published essays, poetry, flash fiction , short stories and a one-act play. Am I shooting myself in the foot by mentioning all of these categories in my query? I mention that my Creative Writing degree is in fiction and that I'm working on a second novel so that agents know I plan to focus on novel writing, if I ever get a novel published. Should I simply not mention writing in all of those genres?

[@silwambap35silwamba20]

Thank you for your post. About editing before submission, i have been mixed information on the internet and KZbin. Is it a must that one should hire an editor before submission? Secondly, do agents prefer AI written novels or only written by myself?

[@BoneistJ]

When should we just say fuck it and self publish instead?

[@drew-citizenX9a48]

Whenever you want. You're not obligated to publish with a traditionally house. Look up Self Publishing School on youtube or google

[@Anderson-tg1sc]

Can I submit a query letter even if it is slightly longer than a single page?

[@yvettedulaney3358]

Question for you Alyssa - I submitted to your website on October 11th but have not heard back. The auto generated email and the information on your site said you would respond within 5 business days. Are you still offering services? Today is the 20th.

[@AlyssaMatesic]

Thanks so much for checking in, Yvette! I've just responded to your inquiry. ☺️

[@ItelA70-hk9nx]

History of writer's block?

[@jenzebel]

Question for you, Alyssa! I am an aspiring YA fantasy (magical realism) author, and I would LOVE to query agents in person at a conference. The question is: How do you find conferences to attend? How far in advance do you typically have to sign up for these events? And lastly, how expensive is it to sign up for these conferences / pitch sessions? Any and all help would be appreciated, thank you 🩵

[@WriterRebecca]

I have a question about pen names. Every time I think I've settled on one, I realize it would be a cool name for a character and end up changing it again. This wouldn't bother me so much, but I'm trying to build an author platform and I can't just keep changing my Twitter and Instagram handles indefinitely lol. Basically my question is, how would you go about choosing a name you really like enough that you would never think about changing it? My real name is long and hard to pronounce so I'd really prefer to use something else. Thanks for helping us with all of your advice. Edit: Thanks for answering my other question by the way, I had no idea you could actually submit a partial manuscript if it's in the nonfiction category. I'd ask another question about that but I don't want this to be too long lol.

[@sonic31century1]

Why are you even using a pen name? Is there some reason you are not writing books using your real name?

[@sonic31century1]

If your real name is long, how about just shortening it slightly.

[@WriterRebecca]

@@sonic31century1 lol well the shortened version of my name that sounds like an actual name is Mad or Madd with 2 Ds. Not exactly the vibe I want to give as a horror/fantasy writer.

[@maggiepfob]

A new querying question or, at least, I haven't heard anyone talking about it yet. Almost every single Query Tracker form I fill out asks me for my X/Twitter handle, but I haven't used Twitter for a long time, even before Musk took over, because it had become nothing but a morass of people screaming for me to buy their stuff. Now, I am considering deleting my account altogether for moral reasons. I don't understand how every single agent can say "I'm looking for LGBTQ/BiPoc representation" yet still insist we participate in an organization that is run by such objectionable interests. So my question is: would I be shooting myself in the foot if I delete my Twitter account? Or should I just pin a post to the top of it explaining why I don't participate anymore? I was even thinking about maybe creating a new Twitter account called "at-I-don't-do-that-STUFF-anymore"! 🤣 Or, maybe where it asks for my X handle, if I type in my Instagram handle instead, would that work ? I understand why agents want us to have a social media presence, but X isn't the only one available, so I wish there were more options in the QT forms!

[@eliasmccollum5581]

Can't you just send your manuscript directly to a publisher without an agent?

[@momo_genX]

At minute two-thirty, I had a couple of cool agents hint ever so slightly that they loved the novel but the novel wouldn't pass sensitivity reader issues. I give sensitivity readers a big thumbs up, because they can sit and spin. The only reason they have and keep their jobs are to cause problems, Trad publishing has never been worse than it is now, because of sensitivity readers and DEI. How am I certain I am right? Almost no classics, all of them, would ever pass their unreasonable snowflake standards. I know why mine was rejected. It's a satire and one of the major satirical literary elements is a no-no to the narcississies running the Trad show today.

[@joefraracci6748]

Alyssa you missed an elephant in the room. Please comment on the July 24, 2022 tweet by Joyce Carol Oates in which she says: “a friend who is a literary agent told me that he cannot even get editors to read first novels by young white male writers, no matter how good; they are just not interested. this is heartbreaking for writers who may, in fact, be brilliant, & critical of their own "privilege."”

[@robertcoyle1532]

One comment of a literary agent does not a statistic make.

[@joevaldez6457]

Joyce Carol Oates is cranky, which is why we love her as a writer, but I wouldn't allow her to deter me from publishing.