Top Tip Thursday - Make E-Querying Easier

My life has been pretty hectic this past week, so I'm skipping my regular Twitter Tip Thursday - hopefully I'll bring that back next week in all it's glory.

Today I wanted to share a tip I've come across in my internet travels. I can't recall where I read it, but it's stuck with me ever since.

A question for you: How many of you query by email?

I imagine, as for me, that it's the first port of call for many queriers these days.

A follow-up question then: Do you have a separate email account for querying?

And that's my top tip. Set up a separate email account from which to send all your e-queries and correspond with agents/editors. There are quite a few reasons to do this, and I'll list some of these below:

1. that way you won't make a mistake and send an embarrassing email to an agent when you meant it to go to your critique partner/friend/significant other. You know, the type of email where you either gush about something an agent said or did (perhaps they requested a partial or a full manuscript and made your dreams come true) or, even worse, you complain about something to do with an agent, and that damn predictive text in the email "To" bar inserts the agent's name instead of the person meant to receive the email. Thankfully, this hasn't happened to me, but I've heard horror stories...;
2. there's less chance you'll miss an important email amid the 20, 50, or 100 emails you get a day from friends, relatives, critique partners, and your various blogging activities;
3. it's easier to keep stress levels down during the query/submission cycle when you aren't checking your email every two seconds to see if something has come in. I've found it works really well to give myself strict times when I can check my querying email address. Because it's closed all other times, I can push the "waiting tension" further back in my mind.

So that you come across professionally, consider making the email address some variant of your name. Your real name, of course, not your blogging/pen name. Whatever you do, don't send queries to an agent under your email address of hotchick18 or sexrulz69. That would be plain embarrassing, and won't do you any favors when it comes to impressing those within the industry.

Hope this tip helps you as it helped me.

Happy querying!

Top Tip - Keeping Track of Queries

I recently wrote a Top Tip post about Creating a Query Database. As I discussed in that post, there are so many things to take into account when you're going through the query process, and I've found it helps to be organized right from the start.

Rachel Kent from Books & Such Literary Agency wrote a great blog post on keeping track of queries, which gives a literary agency perspective. Check out the post here.

Rachel makes a couple of particularly good points:

• If you’re consistently receiving the same feedback on a query, proposal or manuscript, and you’ve kept track of it, you’ll easily notice the pattern of rejections and make a change.
• Keeping track of query submission dates is becoming increasingly important because more and more houses and agencies are not sending rejection replies.
• If you don’t hear from the agency or publishing house within 8 weeks or so, you should write to check on your proposal. Only do this for requested proposals and manuscripts and not for unsolicited query letters.

Here's one piece of advice that I hadn't even thought of, and you may not have either:

Never count on being able to find an email again. Emails are known to get lost–computers crash, things are accidentally deleted or can be forgotten. Keep files with important emails and information.
I'll also add this:

The general view seems to be that you should only query an agent once per manuscript where a partial or a full manuscript was requested, unless a period of time (eg 6 months) has gone by and the manuscript has been significantly revised. I'll be writing a post on this issue at a later date. The thing is, you don't want to embarrass yourself by querying an agent if you've already queried and then re-queried. Also, some agencies have a "no from one agent is a no from the agency as a whole" policy. So it's really important to keep track of when the query was sent, which agent you queried, whether you can query other agents at a particular agency, and whether you've re-queried a particular agent (and the date of that re-query).

Also consider keeping a record of the particular draft of your manuscript that you submitted, so you can track this at a later date.

Definitely something to think about...

Do you have a query database? How do you keep track of your queries? Do you rely on your email history for your data?

Top Tip - The First 250 Words of Your Manuscript

GRAB THE READER'S ATTENTION AND DO NOT LET GO!!!

Enough said, I think.

But seriously, it pays to place a lot of importance on how you write the first page of your book. Obviously, the rest of the manuscript has to hold up as well. But...if you don't capture the agent's/editor's attention right at the start, the rest of the manuscript may not even get read.

Consider your opening scene. Is it gripping? Compelling? Does something happen? Does the first 250 words give a good idea of the voice of your main character?

Will a casual browser in a book store want to turn the page? Even better, will the first page make the casual browser want to keep reading right to the end of the chapter? That's one of the best ways to encourage them to buy your book right off the shelves.

I'm a part of a fabulous critique group, iVoice, where we work together to discuss plot and general writing issues, give and receive critiques on various portions of our manuscripts, and improve our writing skills. One of the particular things we focus on when critiquing manuscripts is the first 250 words.

Here's a useful exercise for you:

1. open a new word document;
2. copy the first 250 words (no more, no less) of your manuscript into the new document and save;
3. let the passage sit unopened for a few days, a week if possible;
   
4. open the document and read the passage in complete isolation from the rest of your manuscript. Pretend you're reading it for the first time in a bookstore while you tap your foot and wait for your partner to stop maxing out the credit card;
5. does the passage grab your interest? Be honest. Be objective. Would you turn the page?
   
6. consider the contents of your opening passage. Is the main character (MC) mentioned? Do we hear the MC's voice? Does something happen, or are we just reading about the MC thinking, reading, musing, sitting on the toilet, looking out a window, or any other passive (and possibly boring) action? Is the scene set-up so long that the reader still won't know what is happening by the end of the first page?
   
7. now for the big question - have you inadvertently opened with a cliche? There's some great websites out there on first chapter and opening scene cliches (too many to mention), and I would suggest you Google and have a good read of them. Unfortunately, many agents will assume that if your opening scene/page is cliche-ridden (for want of a better phrase), the rest of your manuscript may be built on cliches as well. Why give them a reason to reject your work before they even turn the manuscript page;
   
8. once you're completely happy with your opening page, give it to others to read as well;
   
9. listen to their comments. Apply;
10. do a happy dance, then repeat steps 1-10 all over again!
    

Author Jody Hedlund blogs about potential first chapter problems, and makes some fantastic suggestions about things to avoid. It's definitely worth a read, and I may even do a Top Tip post on the first chapter at a later date. Keep in mind that many of Jody's suggestions will apply to the first 250 words as well.

I can't wait to read your first 250 words! Will I want to keep on reading???

Top Tip #1 - Querying (Database for Queries)

When you start out on your querying journey, it's important to find a way to collect and collate all the information you need to assist you with the querying process. There are a few different options, the best of which (I think) are to either:

1. use an online database such as QueryTracker to keep track of all your querying information; or
2. create your own database.

I will discuss creating your own database here in this Top Tip.

Step 1 - Research the agents who accept submissions in your genre

To start with, make yourself a list of agents who accept queries or manuscripts in your chosen genre. Sites such as QueryTracker and AgentQuery will help, as well as the Children's Writer's & Illustrators Market. I'll refer to agents here, though this Top Tip will also apply to editors if you choose to submit directly to publishers.

Once you have your list, make sure that you are willing to be represented by any of the agents on the list. There's no point in submitting your manuscript to an agent who you might not actually want to work with in the future.

Step 2 - List all relevant details

List in your database (at a minimum):

• the name of the Agency and agent
• their contact details, website address, and personal blog address
• whether submission is by email (if so, include an email address) or snail mail (if so include the postal address)
• any requirements for querying (such as things to include in the query letter, whether full or partial manuscripts are to be sent, etc)
• other submission guidelines
• how long you can expect to wait to hear back from the agent, and whether a "no response" within a certain time is to be taken as a "decline to represent"
  
• whether you should follow up if no response is received within a certain time
  
• any other information you pick up from blogs, the Agency's website, and word of mouth (for example, agent xyz doesn't like vampire novels).

I find that it helps to assemble all this information in table format for ease of reference, listed alphabetically under the name of the Agency.

Step 3 - Always double-check your information before submitting

Note that you should never just assume that the information in your database is correct at the time you are submitting. Submission guidelines can change, as can contact details, and whether or not queries or unsolicited submissions are being accepted at the particular time. Also, agents can leave their Agency. ALWAYS check the relevant website/personal blog just before you query, to make sure that you are still complying with all querying/submission requirements.

Step 4 - Keep track of your progress and contact with all agents

As you submit queries or manuscripts, keep track of ALL contact with each agent (you could use a separate document for this information). List details such as:

• the particular person to whom you sent your query (note that many agents do not accept multiple submissions, ie submitting the same manuscript to different agents in the same agency at the same time)
  
• which manuscript you are querying
  
• the date you sent your query
• whether your query included part or all of your manuscript
• whether any response was received (including when and by who - sometimes assistants respond on behalf of the agent)
  
• when your manuscript was declined (if this occurs)
• whether there was a request for a partial or a full (including any comments or suggested edits)
  
• whether there has been a response within the stated time frame (you can assume then that the query has been declined)
• whether any feedback was given with a rejection (or whether a rejection was a form letter)
• all other queries/manuscripts that have been sent to a particular agent.
  

Step 5 - Crossing off the list

If your query or manuscript is rejected, try not to take it to heart. For the purposes of the database, however, immediately cross that agent off the list once they decline to represent you (I usually "shade" the relevant cells in my table so I can still see the querying details). In this way, it is apparent at a glance how many "live" queries you have out there, and it makes the decision whether (and when) to submit further queries much, much easier.

Make your life easier

By getting yourself organized up front, and keeping your database(s) up to date as agents respond, you can make your life much easier, particularly if you are submitting different manuscripts at the same time. And it will help you to avoid embarrassing mistakes, such as submitting the same manuscript twice to the same agent.

Best of luck in your querying journey!