Queries: Little things that irk (a lot)

I’ve been spending a lot of time reading queries these last few weeks and even though I try to be objective and reasonable and give every query a fair chance there are little things that irk me. I don’t want them to but they do. I’m afraid they probably bias me from the outset. Here are some of my pet peeves:

1. When the query letter is addressed to Dear Agent or, even worse, to Whom It May Concern. Forgive my fragile ego, but I would just so much prefer to be addressed by name rather than instantly know that I am one of hundreds this query was sent to in an email blast. Even though we all know that you are querying multiple agents, I guess we all want to be made to feel a little special.
2. When there are fifty other email addresses in the address field. See above for why this irks me.
3. When the first paragraph begins with “so and so thought you’d be interested in my book” and I’ve never met so and so or even worse, I have no idea who so and so is.
4. Similarly, when the query writer claims to have met a client who urged him/her to send a query to me. Of course I immediately verify this with said client only to find out that the supposed encounter never happened.
5. Similarly, when the query writer tells me that someone I have had a falling out with (and yes this has happened to even a peace-loving soul like me) has referred them to me. This is probably not a guaranteed way to get your query read.
6. Grammar mistakes, spelling errors, typos. These induce anger, I don’t know why and I can’t help it. I know that many very wonderful writers do not spell well and so I still read the entire query but I do so while gritting my teeth.
7. Listing multiple projects in the same query. While I’m always eager to know what other projects authors are working on, I would like to be sent just one for consideration. If I like it, I will ask about the others.
8. Five query letters in a row for five different projects – from the same author. See above. While it is impressive to know an author has written multiple works, it’s not entirely confidence-inducing to know that none has as yet been published, so it’s better to keep this information to yourself until a dialog has been established.
9. No biographical data. I’d like to know a little bit about previous writing experience and what led the author to write this novel.
10. Queries sent to the wrong email address; queries sent without the five sample pages; queries for projects that are entirely outside my sphere of interest. I feel grateful and honored to receive so many queries but it puzzles me why someone would not do a simple check of my submission guidelines before sending. It’s a simple but effective way of ensuring that your query will be read.
11. Nasty vicious retorts to my standard rejection. I get hundreds of queries a week and while each one is read with great care it is truly impossible to respond to each one individually. While I am fully aware of the amount of work and commitment that has gone into writing an entire manuscript and into crafting the query letter, I believe it’s essential that that commitment extend to professional and courteous conduct throughout the querying process, painful though it may be.

Next week: What makes a query stand out.

The Art of Query Writing

Dear Readers,

Today it brings me great pleasure to introduce Ayanna Behin, a new literary agent who’s been working with me these last few weeks but is in the process of setting up her own shop. Look out for her, she’s smart and talented! She’s authored a guest blog on the art of query writing:

“I wish that I could say that there was a formula for writing a successful query, but there isn’t. There are, however, a few rules that you should follow if you are writing one.

First, please make sure that there are no typos in your query – read it twice, or three times if you need to before you send it out. If you think about it, I’m sure that you would agree that your query is often your first impression to your potential agent. Why not put your best foot forward? Something about typos smacks of laziness and an agent dreads that editing the manuscript will be a nightmare.

Second, please be professional. You don’t want be too familiar with the agent that you are writing to for the very first time. Maybe one day, you will become friends. But, the best way to get there is to show that you can be professional. Every agent has to think about how they will best present you to a publishing house and we want to know that you are someone that we can present to any editor from the stuffiest to the most laid back.

Third, if the agent that you are writing to has submission guidelines please read them and follow them. We all like to feel like you’ve chosen to ask us to represent you because you think that we will be a great fit and have a long and successful working relationship. Throw a quick line in there that suggests that you know our work and respect it or at least something that shows that you are thinking about what our ideal working relationship will be like.

I like to read a query that tells me the gist of the story right up front. I also want to know that you’ve given some thought to marketing your story. Who is your audience? Why will they want to read your novel, memoir or how-to? And finally, who are you? Have you published before? How long have you been writing? If this is your debut, that’s okay too.

Of course, there are exceptions to even these rules. To be honest, when a manuscript is truly engaging, I have overlooked a poorly edited or written query. But, every agent is not as forgiving as I am. And why place a hurdle in front of yourself if you don’t have to?

The bottom line is that we want to read and represent good books – books that are well written and books that other people will want to read. If you have a good book, send it in.
Good luck!

Ayanna Behin”