The Query that Got Me Agented
It took me 6 books and at least as many years to get agented. I queried with all of them and sent that query to at least 25 agents each time, but this is the query that secured the partnership. I participated in #dvpit organized by We Need Diverse Books when Twitter was still worth participating in and then sent my query to those who liked my tweet during the event. In the age of AI and the fall of Twitter, the event closed in 2023. However, the tweet and the query lives on. Hopefully you can find something to mine here.
All of my queries have the same structure. Now that I’m agented I use the same structure to pitch new manuscripts to him. I also included a one-two page synopsis and an outline of the full manuscript. This package will go on to editors at publishing houses like Penguin or Simon and Schuster among others.
The basic structure is
Intro - You’ll included where you found their information and one reason why you think they’ll like your novel.
Blurb/Description - This will look exactly like the inside flap or back cover of a printed novel. It describes your story and shouldn’t be more than 3 paragraphs.
Comps - This is where you compare your book to current books or IP in the market. It’s usually this meets that. Example: Star Wars meets The Wizard of Oz.
Your final paragraph will include the word count and what you’ve attached. This should always follow the agent’s guidelines. They may ask for just 5 pages or 5 chapters. NEVER EVER send more than what is asked, and that includes a custom cover or mood board.
The book was published in 2021. For All Time is my first baby and I love her. She went to auction and we chose Simon and Schuster. The entire process from getting the agent to signing the book deal took about 4 months, which is lightning fast in this industry.
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