Thread by @EdMcDonaldTFK

Writing Tip 17: Querying an agent
This isn't really a writing tip, it's more of a process tip. I'm not an agent, so bear that in mind, but I'll outline my process and how it worked for me. My successful cover letter is used throughout the thread.
#amquerying #amwriting
1/18

First of all:
Write an amazing book. Your book doesn't just have to be a good book; it needs to be an amazing book, in the top 0.1% an agent will read of 1000's. The opening chapters need to be extraordinary. If you don't feel it's the best book you've read, keep revising.
2/18

If you don't LOVE your book, and believe in it, then why would anyone else?
Your goal is to persuade a professional agent that your book will make them money. The number of passion projects they can spend their working hours on are limited.
Think business.
3/18

I'm not going to spend more than 1 Tweet advising people not to be rude, obnoxious, pretentious or egotistical in their cover letter. If someone doesn't think to address their letters to the agent by name, they probably don't read tips anyway.
4/18

So here's your basic cover letter layout:
- Dear...
- Introduction
- Mini teaser
- Practical book info
- About you
- I've attached my stuff
- Bye!
5/18

Introduce the book and why you're sending them an email (or snail mail!)
Keep it brief, the agent wants to browse this and get on to reading your book.
6/18

This one requires a bit more unpacking:
- Name protagonist
- Give character trait
- Inciting event (and it should be awesome)
- Vital secondary characters (keep it brief, names not required)
- What they have to do
- Key themes, challenges
- Stakes
7/18

Ok, here we want to be a bit clever.
- Word count, sure
- Type of novel and audience: who will it be sold to
- Show your up to date knowledge of your genre
- Don't mention the highest selling series or classics. So no Wheel of Time, no Lord of the Rings, no Harry Potter etc.
8/18

But more than that, tailor this part of the letter to the agent. You should know who they rep.
- Instead of their authors, mention authors similar to their authors
- They know you know they publish their author. Show you understand what they rep, and that they can sell it
8/18

So in this case, I was approaching Ian Drury who reps Mark Lawrence. I expect he gets a lot of letters saying "I love Mark Lawrence," so I went for Polansky, who I think has a similar style, Jones who is not like Lawrence but is like me in other ways, and JA cos lol I wish
9/18

Publishers & agents always use the term "Familiar but different." They need Familiar to persuade finance teams and marketers who get bonuses based on sales that your book will sell. So Familiar, because it helps them predict. Different for a USP.
10/18

Who are you, and how does your personal experience affect your book?
- Keep it fairly brief
- Mostly things that impact your writing
- Sound like a human being
(that I said "a couple of history degrees" is actually totally cringe, but I am a cringelord 🙅🏻)
11/18

What you've attached and sign off
- Goes without saying, send exactly what their submissions guide requests, no more and no less
- Make no assumptions
- Be polite
12/18

I have mentioned it, but do your research. You are looking for a business relationship that will hopefully last a long time. Why would you trust your career to someone you hadn't read up on? Know what they publish and want to publish.
13/18

That's basically it, but let's reiterate the first point: THE BOOK 📘THE BOOK 📕THE BOOK 📗is what really matters, but for the letter, your initial professionalism indicates what a business relationship with you might be like. And that's important.
14/18

Where to find the agents to query?
In order:
- Research authors whose books you feel your book could be on a shelf with, and find out who reps them. Their website and Twitter usually show this.
- Artist & Writers Yearbook
- Open submissions
15/18

How many queries to send at once?
10.
Make a spreadsheet with date sent.
Colour purple if a No.
After 3 months, colour beige if nothing heard.
After 6 months, colour purple if nothing heard.
Don't use red. Culturally, red feels like failure.
16/18

As soon as you colour one beige or purple, send another submission. Always have 10 in the pool. That way you don't burn out, and the book is always out with a good number of agents.
When to stop sending it? When you finish another book, which you write while subbing.
17/18

If you've enjoyed these threads, then please consider ordering #SUNDIAL (March 2022) by the amazing @Catrionaward whose breakout smash hit #THELASTHOUSEONNEEDLESSSTREET took publishing by storm in 2021
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