Before you Query…

Summer Vacation

Last summer, as I was riding home from vacation I began to wonder about the publishing process.

I know how to write. That part is going well. Publishing itself is a very different task than writing, however. I know that writing a first draft and then editing over and over again is only a start. I know that hiring an editor and finding an agent are important next steps. I had very little idea of how to accomplish those steps, so I began to research how to set myself up with the greatest chance of success.

I knew I had a lot to learn, so I decided to start learning before my manuscript was ready. I thought looking for publisher and agent advice was a good start.

This article was very helpful. I’m glad to share it with you. I hope you take some of the advice. Please let me know if it helps you?

https://www.smithpublicity.com/2016/06/5-things-literary-agents-wished-every-writer-knew/?_vsrefdom=googleppc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg6v1iNiP5gIVOvfjBx1_GA5xEAAYAiAAEgKU-_D_BwE

Update: there is another program that is very useful for researching agents. It also helps you track your queries! Unsurprisingly, it’s called Query Tracker. There are free and paid memberships and both have many useful tools to help you select the agents or publishers that are most likely to be a good fit. I love that I’m able to record which agents I have queried, which ones i would like to query, and who to avoid! I hope it’s a resource you find helpful. Please comment below if you find it useful?

Have you ever wondered who the best Literary Agents are?

I know. I can hear you saying “the agents that rep your favorite bestsellers are not going to be taking queries.”

Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Needed? Is it Kind?

My (adopted) mom always says “The answer you have is ‘No’ if you don’t ask.” So why not query even your favorite agents? Maybe you’ll be rejected, but maybe not. And, maybe a rejection could lead to a referral, or some valuable feedback.

If you’d like help finding an agent who reps comparable works, maybe try looking here: https://querytracker.net/clients.php?g=W