Stressful experiences apparently can leave you with a strong sense of accomplishment. Finally, after several weeks dedicating significant blocks of time to researching agents, building my agent list, over-analyzing my query letter, bemoaning the much more difficult (for me) synopsis, and painstakingly assembling the requested materials for each individual agent, I have begun to contact agents. Two wanted a simple, unadorned query letter. One wanted a query letter and a synopsis. Another’s site required a query letter, synopsis, the first three chapters, and an author bio (that was a lengthy email). Each agent seems to request something different, which is totally within rights. Naturally, after each email is sent, I panic that I spelled the agent’s name wrong, or used the wrong gender address, or included the incorrect materials. Thankfully, I don’t think I’ve done any of those things yet.
Publishers Marketplace has been remarkably helpful. For $20, I get a month of access. The top dealmakers search sorts agents by a few performance statistics, the “who represents” search enables me to find who represented a certain book, and the deal makers search enables me to search for agents by criteria, for example: fiction, debut. If you’re going to spend money one place in the agent search process, I say do it there.
Of course, there’s a lot more to do- many rejects to go through, many more agents to query, and probably revisions still to make as I find new and better information. I got my first rejection this morning, actually- a personal rejection, not a form rejection, and I’ve heard that’s a good thing. The agent simply didn’t like my specific topic. I’m taking this to mean that I am one rejection closer to acceptance.
As a final note, agent blogs are wonderful things. Jenny Bent’s blog is a good one, as is Lauren Ruth’s blog, SlushPileTales. Query Shark, too, is remarkably helpful for writing a query letter.
Next week I hope to be more settled in the process and post a book review, so keep checking back!
Please post a comment with any agent blog that you like to recommend.
As always, thanks for reading!
Kate Brauning 
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Love your attitude. My response to rejections is “got that one out of the way… on to the next.”
Thanks Delin- I figure probably 100 more to go, so let’s get them done! Are you querying for anything currently?
No querying now. Still marketing “Rasputin and The Jews”, but I’m also doing the research for my next book, as well as editing a novel my husband wrote.
Let’s go on vacation!
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way to go Katie – good luck
Good luck on your queries! I like http://pubrants.blogspot.com/ and thought agent Kristin Nelson had some great advice on what she likes to see in a query — although I guess it didn’t benefit me, it might help someone.
Thanks! I checked out the blog and loved it. She has some great links to other blogs as well.
That agent that rejected you will someday sink to the ground and say “Why was I so picky?!”
Exactly how I feel. 🙂