How Literary Agents Review Queries: 5 Insider Secrets

[@squashfan9526]

I reckon I'm now past 100 queries, still 'work in progress'. I've consumed lots of helpful videos and articles. Here's the key points I've learned: 1 - Publishing is first and foremost a business. It's commercial. Books are products for making money. 2 - Agents are not your friend. They are always looking to say no, at the earliest opportunity. 3 - Don't make it easy for them by failing to follow their simple query instructions. 4 - Be patient, keep going, don't take it personally.

[@joevaldez6457]

With 44 agents queried, I've received 7 rejections--6 generic, 1 personalized--in two weeks. The personalized one was very encouraging. 10 agents I queried use QueryManager and 5 of those have gotten back to me already. Cecilia's observation is a good one. Like dating, the process is intensive, but it has to be to get the results both parties seek. I don't want a business partner who's less than 110% invested in my work. Anyway, that's keeping my spirits up for now. Keep these tremendous videos coming, Alyssa.

[@Valkrill]

I just started querying yesterday, sent 3 so far and already got 1 rejection today. Actually made me feel good to get a quick response honestly, and I know I could've made a better query.

[@KevinBarrettDalton]

I'm getting ready to re-query a Victorian murder mystery novel I first queried over a year ago. I had gotten personalized feedback from (what I'm told is) a pretty high percentage of the agents I queried, but none of them wanted to see the book, unfortunately. I then got more feedback on it, revised it pretty extensively and will be sending it out again. My question is regarding the agents to whom I sent it the first time. Since they didn't say that they'd be willing to look at it again after revisions or anything like that, I assume I can't send it to those same agents again? And especially the ones that sent a form rejection. Which would be unfortunate, since I pretty well covered the vast majority of appropriate agents... Thanks for any advice you can provide, and I always find your videos informative and enjoyable.

[@rowan7929]

That may explain why I get these generic responses saying "This is not what I'm looking for right now." Even when I read their bio what genres they represent and what tropes they want more. This makes me wonder when it's the right time they would see fit liking my MS.

[@ravensthatflywiththenightm7319]

That question's been bugging me since I started sending my work out to story magazines back in the 2000s. When they say things like "This is not what we're looking for right now", they make it so bloody vague that ya gotta ask yourself "When the hell is it going to be?"

[@rowan7929]

@@ravensthatflywiththenightm7319 Exact;y. Does it mean I can query them again in a month? I get it they get tones of letters and can't give to everyone a detailed response but anything but that. Another that drives me crazy is "that's not what I'm looking for." or "This doesn't sound like a fit for me." WTF? Your bio and wishlist clearly describes these genres and tropes you've listed.

[@ravensthatflywiththenightm7319]

@@rowan7929 And then a lot of these agents do some arbitrary disclaimers like "If I reject your work please do not come at me again until you've rewritten it". Rewrite what? You didn't even read the manuscript. You just read the query and stopped it right there.

[@rowan7929]

@@ravensthatflywiththenightm7319 Can't say I ever had a response like that. Mostly that I can query them again with another project.

[@maryfuzzell6262]

That would be an agent you wouldn't want to work with anyway.

[@y.t1670]

I’ve been binging watching your videos lately, although my novel has 0 word so far 🤣🤣🤣 Good stuff! I’m a full time engineer. But maybe I’ll start writing my novel later this year, based on my own family saga 🤣 The motivation was that I hardly ever impressed by any family saga novels. What happened in real life in my family (a couple of generations before me) was much more ridiculous 🤣 And I like reading and writing. Maybe I’ll start my novel as a way to deviate from my daily engineering work and relax.

[@JohnDWJ]

Thank you so much. Subscribed. I’ve been querying for about 9 months now. It has been quite a process of patience and moving through rejection, silence being the worst form of it. I feel good about my letter and my story. I’m sure I’ll find the right person as the energies align.

[@mre8340]

Love this video and all your content! Thank you so much for your straightforward approach to the market! The one thing I’d probably add is that querying actually shouldn’t be like dating at all. It should be like speed interviewing or even Shark Tank. Writers tend to invest so much of themselves in the process that writing becomes more of an extension of themselves rather than a product that they produced through creativity. For better or worse, this creates an emotional attachment, similar to anything we endeavor to create. Consequently, we are now being rejected or accepted or questioned, rather than the product and it creates significant emotional turmoil with us. I think one of the best ways to overcome this is by using positive self talk such as; “I am not the character in my book,” or “this book was born out of creativity and I’m proud of it, but it doesn’t define me or change my intrinsic value.”

[@tperk]

Just like any creative endeavor put up for someone else to review, rejection is not about "my work is flawed" but instead, " *I* am flawed," and deep down we want an agent to specifically tell us the difference between the two before we can move on.

[@mre8340]

@@tperk I get that, and I agree that the irrational beliefs start creeping in that turn the product into an extension of self or a part of identity. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it's not the job of the agent to distill the difference or to convince you that your writing is not who you are, it's the job of the writer themselves to realize that they are not their book or the characters therein. You are a creator and literary agents are investors in your creativity. Not everyone gets your idea, but someone will, and you do, and that's all the matters.

[@rachelparris8096]

I just wanted to echo that in my experience referrals don't necessarily help (they don't hurt of course). I've queried two books and both had a decent request rate. Six of my queries were referrals to agents from author friends and only one of those resulted in a full request. All the other requests were from cold queries.

[@samp4050]

Thanks to the authors here for their honesty about receiving numerous rejections. It makes other authors like myself not feel alone with the rejections we have received too. So thanks and good luck to everyone, maybe this is our year to get a "yes" . ❤ Thanks Alyssa, your channel is my favourite one to learn from. Great information as always. ❤

[@christinabriggs1782]

Thank you for this Alyssa.You are a gem. 😁

[@larssjostrom6565]

This is very informative. The first insider secret I have written in my notebook. I am glad for the comparison to speed dating, some people make it seem like I have to make a marriage proposal in my query letter by making someone feel very special to me.

[@wilshade]

Important and useful information as always. I learn something with each and every video. I'm in the home stretch of my finishing my book. Querying has started creeping into my thoughts. My goal is to have the book finished and ready for querying by the end of June.

[@AlyssaMatesic]

That's so exciting - best of luck as you finish your book and begin the querying process!

[@anandaferraresi]

Alyssa, you are so necessary. Thank you.

[@latham4575]

Thank you so much for these videos. I’m doing everything so can to make my first query as best as it can be. Your videos put me on track.

[@AlyssaMatesic]

I'm so glad you've found my videos helpful! Good luck with the querying process!

[@Jane_Harlie]

Thank you so much for all that you do for us, Alyssa! I'm 2 months into my novel and a little over half way done writing....I'll expect the worst but hope for the best when it comes time for querying. Hahaha!

[@AlyssaMatesic]

Congratulations on hitting the halfway point in your novel - that's a huge milestone! Wishing you all the best with the rest of your writing and querying process!

[@teacherninina]

How do I see where I am on the agents reading queue through QT?😊

[@maryfuzzell6262]

This is like dating. Anything but a yes, is a no. No matter how nice or cruel the no is stated. There is no hope, there is second chance. So don't waste precious time trying to make the wrong agent love you. Move ahead, get feedback from peers and find your yes by sending more queries

[@MatthewHilferding]

I've been actively querying for representation on an epic fantasy quadrilogy for some months now, but I've been going about it pretty slow, trying to keep fove letters out at a time. I've sent out about 30 or so, no requests, i jist got another rejection today.

[@elainaandre322]

Skincare video?! You’re glowing!

[@ajiasaunders716]

I love your videos! I know you talk a lot about getting into the publishing industry as an author but could you make a video about accessing the industry as a worker? I want to be an Editorial Assistant, Editor, or a Literary Agent but the competition is incredibly difficult. I know you have a video of how you got employed with the big five publishing houses but could you go into more detail? What did you do to stand out on your resume/cover letter? Did you have a background in books before being employed by any of them? Do you have advice for people trying to get internships! Love your videos! You are such a help when it comes to book writing! Keep going! It would be awesome to work with you one day.

[@MrDanroche]

Just started querying my latest manuscript. Kept the first batch small. 4 so far, might submit one more then wait

[@mukibuzzamankhan987]

Very helpful, thanks...

[@trevormcneil9858]

Question about number of agents at the same agency. I have queried more than one agent at the same agency mostly accidentally after getting each name from a general list, and queried each once each time for a different project. Is this likely to cause me trouble at that agency?

[@GillianLynnKatz]

I am looking for a specific kind of historical fiction agent. I grew up under apartheid in South Africa as a white Jewish girl. Immigrated to USA as a teenager. The agent I am looking for will represent this kind of book. Can I find someone like this in US or Canada? The reason I am asking is because I have queried 100 agents and gotten more than 10 good comments saying they like the book but it doesn't fit their list. Where can I find someone where my book will fit their list?

[@insanenajee9519]

When agents request the first 50 or so pages does this include prologue ?

[@freedomthroughspirit]

If you've already written a full length complete book should you still query mentioning that it's already written? I'm not savvy about when you start querying. I'm writing a duology. Thanks for any advice.

[@bettedavis45]

The expectation that if it is fiction, it should be already written. Non fiction is different

[@AlyssaMatesic]

If you are writing fiction, agents will expect that you have a finished manuscript prior to querying them, so there's no need to mention it in the query letter. I have another video about when to start querying that you might find helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKm9ZoeEgt2Lf5I

[@freedomthroughspirit]

@bettedavis45 Ah thank you! That's where I was confused, appreciated. 🩷

[@freedomthroughspirit]

@@AlyssaMatesic Thank you! 😊 I'll go watch now. Cheers

[@RhalZahi]

Can an agent really makes a difference? I have found a few publishers interested in my books but they asked me to pay some of the expenses because I am not a recognized author. Comparing what I have to pay them to publish my books against self publishing using print on demand I found mote benefits to be a self publisher. If I have an agent do you think it will make a difference.

[@quixotiq]

That sounds like hybrid otherwise known as vanity press

[@sharolynwells]

In 1974, i submitted one of my novels, query, and synopsis to an agent. He was very encouraging and wanted to sign me. He said that my novel needed some editing, but he liked my story. Myoh uh 6th characters were "real" to him. He sent editing note on the copy when he sent my manuscript back to me. Three months later, i sent the edited manuscript to him. About three days later, i got a phone call from another agent who worked there. He said he'd read my manuscript and it was a No. I want to find an agent who believes in me like he did.

[@Rinzaiku]

After you finish your first draft, do you immediately try to get in touch with an agent or higher someone to edit your book before you go after an agent?

[@AlyssaMatesic]

I always recommend getting outside feedback on your manuscript before reaching out to agents to ensure you're putting your best foot forward when querying. That can mean hiring an editor, but it can also mean working with beta readers, a critique partner, etc. I have this video on some reasons why it's a good idea to work with an editor: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaqmdKV5l5qBfpI I hope that helps!

[@edsimnett]

The idea that agents not using query tracker or equivalent would know about previous queries is 100% opposite from what I have been told by other agents, every other video on this topics talks about how many queries there are, and the work required to log submissions in detail would be insane. Change the title, word count and precise genre description, and how would they know it is not a different project anyway? It is entirely reasonable that an aspiring author might have a project a year or more (and why not query the same agents), while another might spend 10 years working on the same project?

[@melsilva9158]

I have a question for your AAA Wednesday. How do publishers manage taxes for royalties and advances? I would assume 1099, but I leave that up to you to answer.

[@LilyEvans1996]

Can an American living in Europe query American literary agents?

[@AlyssaMatesic]

Absolutely! Agents in the U.S. represent authors from all over the world. I actually have another video about international publishing that you might find interesting: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWO4ZH58jbmefM0

[@LilyEvans1996]

@@AlyssaMatesic thank you!!!

[@Caerulean]

New setup's great but I just realized what's missing: the doggo. xD

[@WizardKingMinato]

Whats the best resource for finding agents? Query tracker? Is there anything else?

[@AlyssaMatesic]

Hi there - I have another video with a few different suggestions for finding reputable literary agents: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYGQq4qwqsyji6c I hope that helps!

[@stebbigunn7690]

I have anovel i have queried, and was asked to reach out again if i had another work, after redoing the prolog, would it still be valid to send to them again?

[@AlyssaMatesic]

If an agent sends you a personalized rejection and encourages you to query them with future projects, I would definitely query them again with a new book! But I would not re-send them the same project unless you've made substantial revisions (such that it's essentially an entirely new book). I hope that helps!

[@robertcoyle1532]

This if off the subject, but it seems more and more books are being published without quotation marks around dialog. Is this no longer needed? Some times it's hard to figure out dialog from narrative. Shouldn't there be a uniform standard for English publications within the industry?

[@bluehydrangea5506]

Its mostly a stylistic choice.

[@AuthorGuy1]

Then of course there are those of us who create our own genres. Good characters transcend genres and good books are built around good characters.

[@bluehydrangea5506]

Someone please tell me to just bite the bullet and query. I feel like everyone ive spoken to who has queried only has negative things to say about the experience. I wrote a lgbtq+ YA urban fantasy and while i (and my beta readers + a former agent) believe in the story, im honestly terrified by the whole querying process.

[@AlyssaMatesic]

Querying can be intimidating, but if it's something you want to do (and you feel confident in your manuscript and query package), you should go for it! I have another video with some first-time querying tips here that might be helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJDEpoCNrM2Upas Wishing you all the best with the process!

[@WRLO56]

You're not asking the agent for a favour. You're offering him/her an opportunity to represent a damn good author, and they'll be lucky to represent you. They're not doing you a favour. They're looking for someone that will make them money. If you don't believe your book is good enough to make them that money, then by all means, don't waste their time. If you DO believe that your book is good enough, then what's stopping you?

[@TheSlickmicks]

I gave up sending my queries. Someone tell me I'm a fool for giving up. Please. 😅😢

[@AFringedGentian]

You want to watch that giving up. I gave up querying and shelved a project. Next thing I know, I checked my email and had a full request from an agent I had completely forgotten I had queried!

[@paulalansmart]

The average is 70-100 queries how many have you sent?

[@AFringedGentian]

@@paulalansmartI got my full request on the seventy-fifth query. It’s brutal out there.

[@PreviouslyDelicious]

I can't say that without looking at your manuscript and query letter. If one of the other is weak, you will have a hard time getting an agent.

[@AFringedGentian]

Now mind you, this MSS and query that got my full request had been beta read, workshopped, edited and revised, and critiqued to death so when I say I gave up on it, I don’t say that lightly. I just wrote a fairly niche book that is having a hard time finding a home but because of the work I put in and the feedback I received, I’m confident that my work is excellent, just hard to place.

[@larrybird4398]

❤

[@YouTubeIsRunByMarxists]

The sad truth is that lit agents DO NOT review queries. They find a reason to say NO and then go do other stuff. It's all they do: say NO as fast as they can, move on.

[@momo_genX]

I received a polite rejection from an agent within the first four days of querying about 15 agents for my debut novel. She said that though she liked the synopsis and query, she didn't connect with the sample like she needed tutu champion the project. (lol) I was happy because the first two chapters were written as a short story exposition, and though she didn't give feedback, she sent a link about writing the beginning of a novel. I had already bounced around rewriting the first two chapters. Thinking sneakily, though I would never do this...are there people that lie to agents saying they were offered representation and didn't, in order to make them take a deeper look? Other than the agency deciding to never read a letter from the person again, how would they find out?

[@momo_genX]

@VeraBrightfeather Of course I won't. I'm being a perfect gentleman.

[@drricksjoquist4358]

Literary agents don't judge books by their cover but they make decisions based on reading the first ten pages. So much for giving the story and its chsracters the chance to develop. They want to be hooked right away even if it's unrealistic for the setting. And most now want books about sorcery, vampires, feminist heroines, gender identity, social justice and by minority authors. In other words, trendy woke stuff.

[@wassupinlasvegas9735]

You can always fake it and write literary, bloating your word count in the absence of story, stakes, consequences, or even action. You may even end up with a bestseller or an award! Yay, word count!

[@familycorvette]

Alyssa, are you using some kind of filter on your face? There is a kind of "uncanny valley" thing going on, such as a hard line around your jawline and a porcelain-smooth glossiness to your face. I had stopped even watching your visuals and only listening because I found the effect so disturbing. Some of your recent uploads, such as "Your Definitive Guide to Novel Genres" looked more natural, but now we're back to "3D animation Alyssa." It's only me, but I would rather see a person's real face so I can watch the expressive emphasis they lend to what they say. Do whatever you please, but I wanted to chime in because I learn so much from your content and the filter is so distracting.

[@akuma3955]

Perhaps it's just makeup and light, pal I think she looks normal and pretty just like always If it disturbs you this much you can just hear this like a podcast, no?

[@familycorvette]

@@briankilgore8808 Since my comment received upvotes, I am not alone in this observation.

[@gosakurago]

Imagine being so pretty and good at lighting and makeup that people think it can’t be real 😂

[@familycorvette]

@@gosakurago Simp much?

[@TheEccentricRaven]

​@familycorvette This isn’t Reddit. You can't see how many dislikes you have.