A year ago this week, I got THE response every writer wants to a query. I had been querying my contemporary fiction novel since late fall of 2023. I was batch querying – so attempting to only send out a few at a time and only sending new queries when I got responses. The goalContinue reading “My Roller Coaster First Year with my Agent(s)”
Category Archives: Query Tips
I got a rejection on my query, is it time to revise?
How–and more importantly WHEN–you should use your rejections to help you improve your stories I was recently talking with a writer who had reached out in a panic. She’d started querying agents a few weeks ago and had just received her third rejection. She wanted to know if she should rush back to her openingContinue reading “I got a rejection on my query, is it time to revise?”
The Key to Querying: Do Your Research
When I worked in public relations, I spent a ton of time in my entry-level years building media lists. And while the drudgery of culling through the giant Bacon’s Media Directories back in the dark ages of media research was mind-numbing, I learned a lot. I learned how to find the right match for theContinue reading “The Key to Querying: Do Your Research”
Tips for Writers to Stay on Track During the Query Process
Oh, querying. The very worst of the hurry-up-and-wait-and-wait-and-wait-and-oh, yay-another-rejection game! It can be difficult for writers to stay on track while querying. It’s the first part of the process where writers give up control. And that can be scary. Terrifying, really. Because not only do we not have control, but we’re essentially asking someone toContinue reading “Tips for Writers to Stay on Track During the Query Process”
Making the Most of a Query Break
December is not historically a great time to query agents. Much like the rest of us, agents are swamped with end of year business, holiday stress, goal setting for the new year, and catching up on their query inbox. Many agents will go ahead and close their inbox to queries, taking the guesswork out ofContinue reading “Making the Most of a Query Break”