Finding Your Book's Fit (Querying Literary Agents)

Despite its downsides, of which there are many, a lot of authors are intent on getting traditionally published. It's a tough sell, a really tough sell. Literary agents accept fewer than 1% of the queries they receive. An author needs to have supreme confidence to even attempt landing an agent. Having a certain swagger helps—then when the inevitable rejections roll in, you can blame the agent's lack of taste, instead of beating yourself up like I did back in my querying days.

If traditional publishing is your goal, please don't rely on social media to find agents, perhaps with the exception of certain hashtags that agents use, such as #MSWL (manuscript wish list) or specific genre invitations (#SFFPit, #PitDark, etc.) Dedicated websites I used included QueryTracker, which is very comprehensive. You can filter it by genre, and it not only shows agents that are accepting submissions, but also their track record and response times. I also used Manuscript Wish List, which it seems all agents participate in. Each agent lists what they're looking for and importantly, what they're not looking for. If you happen to write in my genre, you'll find the place depressing, but I'm pretty much an outlier.

A lot of authors advise querying in small batches, maybe four or five at a time. Pick out your dream agent and the runners-up and pitch to them first. I'm not sure what the established wait period is before you should query the next batch, but that's where QueryTracker comes in handy. You'll learn whether an agent is really, really slow or if they simply ghosted you. (Be prepared to be ghosted a lot.) I, too, tried that method...at first. Then I cast caution to the wind and just queried every agent who repped my genre (seriously). Not that it did me any good.

Some things have changed for the better since I did my querying five or six years ago. Most agencies now have submission forms on their sites, which is so much more efficient than composing an email and attaching the first three chapters or Chapter 1 or the first however many pages, plus a synopsis. (Each agent has her own requirements.) I created so many documents based on agents' wants, it was hard to keep up with them all. Plus the query letter itself needed to be pasted in the body of the email.

Now the agency website allows you to paste in your query letter and attach your documents, which has the added benefit that you don't have to try to kiss an agent's a** to get her attention. 

Be aware that almost all of them require comps, so you need to have those ready. I don't read in my genre, so that was always a struggle for me. I was basically reading book blurbs and guessing.

The most important component by far is your query letter. A sparkling query letter is akin to having an eye-catching cover when you self-publish. It's the first thing people notice, so if your query is bland and unappealing (much like a book cover), the agent will toss it aside. Polishing up a query letter is even harder than composing a book blurb, but the two are actually similar. The first sentence has to grab 'em, but at least with a book blurb, you can change it at will. When submitting to an agent, you only get one chance. 

Personal info was also a struggle for me. You're supposed to briefly explain why you are qualified to write the book, so relevant details matter (maybe). I had nothing like that, nor did I have any sort of track record to expound on, so I looked like the pitiful amateur I definitely was. If I was querying Running From Herself, I could mention my songwriting/recording background, but obviously I'm not querying it. That ship has sailed, not that I'd ever query agents again anyway.

As for what happens if you manage to hook an agent's attention, you'll need to ask someone who knows. I never got past the querying part. Be aware, however, of the agent demographic before you even try for traditional publishing.

The most common demographic profile for a literary agent in the United States is white, female, and between the ages of 30 and 43. 

According to industry data from Zippia's Literary Agent Demographics and WordsRated Literary Agent Statistics, the breakdown includes:

Gender: Roughly 58% to 82% of literary agents are women, depending on the specific industry survey (Zippia notes 58.5%, while specialized studies like WordsRated report up to 82.1% female*). 
Race/Ethnicity: The profession is predominantly white, making up approximately 67.8% to 83.1% of the workforce, with Hispanic or Latino agents comprising around 12.4%. 
Age: The average age hovers around 43 years old, with a large concentration falling between 30 and 40 years old**. 

*The 82.1% is the correct answer. That may even be an underestimate. 

**30 is most like it.

So, if you're male, I wish you the best of luck. If you're an older author, same. If you can't claim some special status, such as LGBTQIA+ or neurodivergent or whatever the cause celebre of the day is, you'll go to the bottom of the pile.

The fact that these books don't sell is beside the point. And they don't sell, but publishing houses don't care. They publish them for status.

For me, my books subliminally (I believe) smack of a conservative viewpoint. I never set out to deliberately espouse that point of view, but somehow, maybe via a character's experiences and actions, it's pretty clear if someone is attuned to it. That, my friends, is the kiss of death with regard to querying. 

What I'm trying to convey is, know what you're up against if you really want to pursue traditional publishing.

Plus, on the 1% chance you'll get accepted, you won't make any more than your small advance (although you could be the exception—I don't know you or your work).

I say if your heart is set on it, you should do it. 

We always regret the chances we didn't take.