Surviving Querying & Improving Your Process

Where are these trenches? They sound lovely. Safe.

For me, querying has never been as simple as waiting in the trenches. No, no, no.

Instead, it's been a lot like walking across a minefield while wearing a furry brown onesie and antler horns during hunting season.

So far, I've written and queried three books, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that rejection never gets any easier. It still hurts like a donkey kick to the stomach. (Which hasn't happened to me yet, but I'm not ruling it out during my next trip to the petting zoo.)

BUT—and this is a big but—I am getting better at querying. I'm getting more requests than when I first started, and it's all thanks to learning from industry experts.

For instance, I found out that there's a simple query formula:

— Who your characters are

— What stands in their way of getting what they want

— Why it matters

Of course, this isn't enough. It's just vanilla ice cream. You need sprinkles, cherries and fudge brownie bites plopped on top to make your query look like a delicious sundae.

In my opinion, there's no better topping than personalization. I've created rapports with a few agents by quoting them in my query letter. By adding these personalized snippets, you're proving that you've done your homework and are legitimately interested in their representation.

So where do I find these little tidbits? Look no further than:

— Twitter

— Agent Interviews

— Podcast guest

— YouTube video guest

Once you find the right snippet that applies to you, place it in carefully. For example:

Bad: "I thought you'd be interested in my novel because you're searching for YA contemporary fantasy."

The agent already knows what he/she is looking for and represents. In a one page query letter, every word matters. Make them all count.

Good: "I listened to your commentary on Write Or Die last week, and I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on the growing YA contemporary fantasy market. I thought you might be interested in hearing about my book that's about a gang of trolls having turf wars beneath the bridges of NYC."

See what I did there? I talked about the agent's appearance on a popular podcast while slipping in a brief intro to my book. Now, that you've got their attention, you can add the rest of your query.

Another way to personalize your query letter is to check the agent's Manuscript Wish List profile. Perhaps one of their favorite books is one of your comp titles. If that happens, score! But what specifically about the comp book resembles yours? Rather than name dropping a book the agent likes, something as simple as this goes a long way:

Bad: I saw on your MSWL that you enjoyed Six of Crows, so I thought you might be interested in hearing about my novel.

Good: Since you're drawn to dark fantasy and the POV of diverse characters à la Six of Crows, I believe you'd be interested in my novel that has both those traits.

Another sprinkle you can add to your query sundae is mentioning an author you enjoy that the agent represents. Again, make sure you're not just name dropping. Instead, mention what specifically you like about the author/how the author relates back to you. Is your writing style similar? Do you both specialize in fairytale retellings or steampunk? Let the agent know, so that they care.

Of course, this is all free advice that you can take or leave from a non-published author. That poor deer from the beginning, who's never stopped believing (or desperately praying), to make it to the other side of the minefield where an agent awaits, giving the "call me" sign with her hand.

I'm still awaiting that day, (hooves crossed it works out this time), but I'm here to remind you that you're not alone. And when rejections fly and pierce your hide like arrows, try to remain standing and remember why you're subjecting yourself to such torture in the first place.

You have a story to tell.