"Happy querying" is an oxymoron LOL. I'm a little over 2 weeks into querying, I've sent out 21 queries, gotten 7 rejections, one of which loved my pitch but couldn't do with a TW my MS has, 1 full request, and 12 still out there! Wish me luck
@@AlyssaMatesic it's actually super good to know that these are decent stats right now! it's hard to tell what's normal with the query trenches being so flooded right now. thank you for all your videos and for sharing your knowledge!!
Jamie, you're not alone! I started querying mid March and have sent about twenty queries. Rejection from five (one of those was on a full), one full still out there and no response yet from about a dozen. Wishing us both good luck (but the wait can be maddening, haha).
Hi Alyssa - I just wanted to let you know that this video really encouraged me! I've sent out about 75 or so queries; a lot of rejections - some personalized - a lot of non-responses. I was really on the verge of giving up. But so far two have asked for a full manuscript; after reading it they both rejected it, but if you say that's a good sign then I am hopeful and think I should continue querying a bit more :)
This is awesome, thank you for the great info and advice, as always! Something I’ve been curious about, and maybe you’ve covered it but not in depth, is realistic sales expectations for authors, especially debuts. My understanding is that they’re typically a lot lower than we think and so we put a lot of pressure on ourselves when worried about perceived performance. I’d love to see a video like that if you haven’t made one already!
I just sent out my 46th query and for the first time I feel that I got it more-or-less right, thanks to your video on graph-by-graph query content (also thanks to an online editor who let me know that my book's summary was too vague-best forty bucks I ever spent.) I think ruefully of the first query batches I sent out. But as with everything, you're bound to get better as you go along.
Thank you Alyssa for that advice. It gets lonely once your delicate dreams become things out there requiring acceptance by those looking to make money out of them. Especially if you're someone the literally world has never heard of. I always remember the initial pile of rejections JKR got when she started. That also tells me just how wrong experienced personnel in PHs can be! If someone is new they have everything to prove. They represent a risk first and foremost. There's no room for gambling in this business - even though if you're new it's always a gamble of course. Can I give them enough to take me over that wobbly uncertainty line? Well at least you have to try - to give them the chance to say no. Like asking a woman on a date. She could even say yes!
I love your videos! They provide such good insight and information for me as an aspiring author ready to start querying in a few months. You are amazing!
Thank you for the advice and encouragement! I've submitted 29 queries now, with one full request and one request to "consider" representation on just the sample? Which was confusing. Both ended in rejections but the agent who requested the full replied with some useful advice. I took their advice and edited my ms down, rewrote my first chapter, and have just started submitting again. Despite the rejections, I'm happy with the response rate I've gotten so far and I'll keep trying!
Good day. I'm inn the middle of rewriting my novel. Hoping to finish it soon. Your information were very helpful on us from far away country such as the Philippines. I do hope my query can pass immediately. Thanks. God bless.
Hi Alyssa, You're an angel for making these videos. I wonder If I can query and get a US agent for publishing my debut novel although it is fully set in India, written in english. It's that I want to publish for international audience. Is this possible?
Although I haven't gotten any offers, a high percentage of agents (almost 40%) responded with highly encouraging emails telling me to keep up my search. I'm doing a non-fiction work and sent the first three chapters with many of the queries as instructed. They went on to explain why circumstances just didn't line up at that time. My question is, should I consider submitting follow up queries in the future to those agents? Does a non-response make a viable option to query again once I rewrite the chapters with a finer focus? I've paused my query process at about 25 for that purpose.
I did somewhere between 40 and 50 queries before I'd had enough. The majority of them just seemed to disappear into a black hole with no response either way. No requests for full or partial manuscripts. The rest were polite 'thank you, but no thanks' responses. I did review how I was structuring my queries, I did do my best to match the format that each agent specified they wanted. This was done over the course of a year. I did check publishers, but the vast majority were not open to manuscripts from authors directly. So I went through self publishing for my novel (my only one for now). I am working with a company in BC, and it is pretty much what I expected it to be. It has been 2 months since my novel was released into the wild, the biggest challenge to it that I can tell, is the exposure. That is the biggest advantage that getting traditionally published has I think. I am working on another novel now, no connection to the first. When it is done, I will do the rounds of queries again, I will keep in mind your advice from here. I was not aware of the query tracker site, I will definitely make note of that. Thanks.
I've had a LOT of rejections from agents, over the years but, to be honest, when I look again at the manuscript/samples I sent them, I can understand why they rejected them. I'm amazed the agent were so polite, considering how terrible my writing was at that time. So, how many rejections have I had when I've actually submitted quality writing? As far as I can tell, it's one: the last one I sent. :-)
I agree with you. I send a lot of queries after rejections and i reject me too some agencies because they werent polite. Stay faithful in your book and keep tryng.
I i have a question; My first novel was published through vanity press several years ago and have since reacquired the publishing rights. I have now added several pages to the manuscript, fleshing out some character points, had it edited and have subsequently written two sequels. Should I mention in the query letter that the book was previously published in the vanity press market or would it be better to leave that detail out?
Off topic comment --- I was so confused as to what this title meant. I must've been recommended this video because I watch Leena Norms who talks about book publishing sometimes, I work in the real estate industry (which has real estate agents), and I use SQL in my job. When you write SQL, you are usually writing a query. Terminology that I'm exposed to came up in this title, though not in the way I expected lol.
I recently watched a video where you talked about authors generally forgoing self-publishing after joining a publishing house, and wanted to get your take on Brandon Sanderson's recent Kickstarter campaign for self-publishing, as he's been getting published for a while now.
I think calling what Brandon Sanderson is doing "self-publishing" is a bit disingenuous. I think it's more accurate to say he opened his own publishing house, Dragonsteel Books, to publish his own work.
@@jessip8654 he has more resources raised to publish his materials, allowing him to publish across multiple forms of media, but the concept is still the same.
Thank you so muchh this has been very clarifying, also to what degree to you thing a query should be informal, in order to connect with the agent on a personal level?
I was told in various groups on Facebook to query only a hand full of agents until you hear back from them. Then query another lot to keep better track and to make any changes if you get some feedback. So far, no one told me what was wrong besides the usual "it's not for me". While I have sadly gotten rejections from two agents I really hoped to work with, there are a few more I await a response. Sadly, there are no Agents in my country (Australia) who represent fantasy. More then 95% are based in the US when i go through query tracker. While it lists over 200 as of writing this, understandably not every agent is suitable, which cuts down the number a lot. My last book was rejected by every agent I have queried (over a 100). Every agent who sounded suitable on tracker. This is the frustrating part. Tried Twitter. For some reason it didn't let me search anyone or even allowed me to share anything.
That approach isn't dead per-say, but is more based on the fact that your potential agent might not be based in the same area you are in, which can make it hard for the two of you to meet up. Specifically, when it comes to queries most, if not all, agents also prefer using a digital approach just so they can streamline where their queries come in.
I think the answer these days is zero. Querying a waste of time. Budding authors should exploit online media outlets, social media, self publishing, etc. until agents come to them. Btw- love this channel. 🙂
What author has been reached out by agents? From what I have read, when an agent offers you publication without having read any of your work, that normally hints to be a scam.
@@asoftstring5533 Well, of course you’d need completed material they’ve seen somehow. ‘$h!# My Dad Says’ was a comedian’s Twitter feed about his funny dad, it went viral, at that point getting the agent wasn’t the problem, picking the best book deal was.
I just watched a few of your videos and I just wanna thank you for your insider knowledge and advice. You're giving us writers in the querying trenches much-needed support, especially emotionally. 🥲 just you saying "I know the process can be disheartening" across several of your videos is so comforting, so, sincerely, thank you. 🤍
Thank you for this kind comment! I truly believe every writer has the capacity to publish and get their voice out there, so I'm glad the sentiment is getting across--best of luck with your own projects!
"Happy querying" is an oxymoron LOL. I'm a little over 2 weeks into querying, I've sent out 21 queries, gotten 7 rejections, one of which loved my pitch but couldn't do with a TW my MS has, 1 full request, and 12 still out there! Wish me luck
Congrats on the full! You're moving in the right direction :) Good luck!
That's an amazing ratio of requests to rejections! Best of luck with the rest of the querying process!
@@AlyssaMatesic it's actually super good to know that these are decent stats right now! it's hard to tell what's normal with the query trenches being so flooded right now. thank you for all your videos and for sharing your knowledge!!
Jamie, you're not alone! I started querying mid March and have sent about twenty queries. Rejection from five (one of those was on a full), one full still out there and no response yet from about a dozen.
Wishing us both good luck (but the wait can be maddening, haha).
Best wishes
Been querying since February. It's stressful, but the little adrenaline rush you get even from a negative response is exhilarating
The process definitely has its highs and lows! Best of luck :)
Hi Alyssa - I just wanted to let you know that this video really encouraged me! I've sent out about 75 or so queries; a lot of rejections - some personalized - a lot of non-responses. I was really on the verge of giving up. But so far two have asked for a full manuscript; after reading it they both rejected it, but if you say that's a good sign then I am hopeful and think I should continue querying a bit more :)
I would definitely say a request for a full manuscript (two, specifically!) is a really good sign! Keep up the good work :)
@@AlyssaMatesic Thank you!! :)
I couldn't resist watching this video even though I'm not there yet. Thanks Alyssa. Interesting.
This is awesome, thank you for the great info and advice, as always!
Something I’ve been curious about, and maybe you’ve covered it but not in depth, is realistic sales expectations for authors, especially debuts. My understanding is that they’re typically a lot lower than we think and so we put a lot of pressure on ourselves when worried about perceived performance. I’d love to see a video like that if you haven’t made one already!
I just sent out my 46th query and for the first time I feel that I got it more-or-less right, thanks to your video on graph-by-graph query content (also thanks to an online editor who let me know that my book's summary was too vague-best forty bucks I ever spent.) I think ruefully of the first query batches I sent out. But as with everything, you're bound to get better as you go along.
I ❤ your realistic yet positiive approach in your videos. You are very helpful. Thankyou!! Just sent my 1st 5 queries on a debut MG.
Thank you Alyssa for that advice. It gets lonely once your delicate dreams become things out there requiring acceptance by those looking to make money out of them. Especially if you're someone the literally world has never heard of. I always remember the initial pile of rejections JKR got when she started. That also tells me just how wrong experienced personnel in PHs can be! If someone is new they have everything to prove. They represent a risk first and foremost. There's no room for gambling in this business - even though if you're new it's always a gamble of course. Can I give them enough to take me over that wobbly uncertainty line? Well at least you have to try - to give them the chance to say no. Like asking a woman on a date. She could even say yes!
I love your videos! They provide such good insight and information for me as an aspiring author ready to start querying in a few months. You are amazing!
Thank you so much for the kind comment! I'm so glad to hear you find my videos helpful. Best of luck with querying!
Thank you for the advice and encouragement! I've submitted 29 queries now, with one full request and one request to "consider" representation on just the sample? Which was confusing. Both ended in rejections but the agent who requested the full replied with some useful advice. I took their advice and edited my ms down, rewrote my first chapter, and have just started submitting again. Despite the rejections, I'm happy with the response rate I've gotten so far and I'll keep trying!
It sounds like you and your project are on the right track! Best of luck with your journey :)
@@AlyssaMatesic Thanks!
Good day. I'm inn the middle of rewriting my novel. Hoping to finish it soon. Your information were very helpful on us from far away country such as the Philippines. I do hope my query can pass immediately. Thanks. God bless.
Thanks for the query tip.
I'm going to save this video for when I get closer to querying. I'm still trying to get through the story :)
Best of luck with writing!
I have written t books.doing quieres on 4
Hi Alyssa, You're an angel for making these videos. I wonder If I can query and get a US agent for publishing my debut novel although it is fully set in India, written in english. It's that I want to publish for international audience. Is this possible?
The short answer is yes! I did a video on this subject here: ua-cam.com/video/K2U3KFXTkFk/v-deo.html
Although I haven't gotten any offers, a high percentage of agents (almost 40%) responded with highly encouraging emails telling me to keep up my search. I'm doing a non-fiction work and sent the first three chapters with many of the queries as instructed. They went on to explain why circumstances just didn't line up at that time. My question is, should I consider submitting follow up queries in the future to those agents? Does a non-response make a viable option to query again once I rewrite the chapters with a finer focus? I've paused my query process at about 25 for that purpose.
I did somewhere between 40 and 50 queries before I'd had enough. The majority of them just seemed to disappear into a black hole with no response either way. No requests for full or partial manuscripts. The rest were polite 'thank you, but no thanks' responses. I did review how I was structuring my queries, I did do my best to match the format that each agent specified they wanted. This was done over the course of a year. I did check publishers, but the vast majority were not open to manuscripts from authors directly. So I went through self publishing for my novel (my only one for now). I am working with a company in BC, and it is pretty much what I expected it to be. It has been 2 months since my novel was released into the wild, the biggest challenge to it that I can tell, is the exposure. That is the biggest advantage that getting traditionally published has I think. I am working on another novel now, no connection to the first. When it is done, I will do the rounds of queries again, I will keep in mind your advice from here. I was not aware of the query tracker site, I will definitely make note of that. Thanks.
I feel like as a Canadian you kind of have to query outside Canada given there aren’t a ton of agents here by comparison.
I've had a LOT of rejections from agents, over the years but, to be honest, when I look again at the manuscript/samples I sent them, I can understand why they rejected them. I'm amazed the agent were so polite, considering how terrible my writing was at that time. So, how many rejections have I had when I've actually submitted quality writing? As far as I can tell, it's one: the last one I sent. :-)
I agree with you. I send a lot of queries after rejections and i reject me too some agencies because they werent polite. Stay faithful in your book and keep tryng.
Really great tips...thanks Alyssa.
I i have a question; My first novel was published through vanity press several years ago and have since reacquired the publishing rights. I have now added several pages to the manuscript, fleshing out some character points, had it edited and have subsequently written two sequels. Should I mention in the query letter that the book was previously published in the vanity press market or would it be better to leave that detail out?
Yet another kind, clear, honest video! Thank you, Alyssa. This video breaks down the question very well. Cheers! S
There a standard about addressing ages by name? First name, last name or both. Is it rude to use an agent's first name before meeting them?
Alyssa your channel is growing so well!! Keep it up!!
Can you query more than one agent at a big 4 publisher if they are associated with different imprints within that publishing house?
Off topic comment --- I was so confused as to what this title meant. I must've been recommended this video because I watch Leena Norms who talks about book publishing sometimes, I work in the real estate industry (which has real estate agents), and I use SQL in my job. When you write SQL, you are usually writing a query. Terminology that I'm exposed to came up in this title, though not in the way I expected lol.
How interesting! What an interesting way for our industries to cross, haha!
An agent asked me to send 100 pages of my manuscript. That seems like a lot. I usually see people being asked for 10 or 20 pages.
I recently watched a video where you talked about authors generally forgoing self-publishing after joining a publishing house, and wanted to get your take on Brandon Sanderson's recent Kickstarter campaign for self-publishing, as he's been getting published for a while now.
I think calling what Brandon Sanderson is doing "self-publishing" is a bit disingenuous. I think it's more accurate to say he opened his own publishing house, Dragonsteel Books, to publish his own work.
@@jessip8654 he has more resources raised to publish his materials, allowing him to publish across multiple forms of media, but the concept is still the same.
Thank you so muchh this has been very clarifying, also to what degree to you thing a query should be informal, in order to connect with the agent on a personal level?
Glad it was helpful! And I would recommend keeping it around business casual--after all, you are asking them for a professional service!
Great episode !
Like 20. Ugh. All nos so far and a lot i havent heard back from yet
To get a top agent, you need to write a blockbuster and that means a book that can be made into a movie.
I was told in various groups on Facebook to query only a hand full of agents until you hear back from them. Then query another lot to keep better track and to make any changes if you get some feedback. So far, no one told me what was wrong besides the usual "it's not for me".
While I have sadly gotten rejections from two agents I really hoped to work with, there are a few more I await a response.
Sadly, there are no Agents in my country (Australia) who represent fantasy. More then 95% are based in the US when i go through query tracker. While it lists over 200 as of writing this, understandably not every agent is suitable, which cuts down the number a lot. My last book was rejected by every agent I have queried (over a 100). Every agent who sounded suitable on tracker. This is the frustrating part.
Tried Twitter. For some reason it didn't let me search anyone or even allowed me to share anything.
This might mean it's time to take another look at your querying materials! I wish you the best of luck with the process!
@@AlyssaMatesic If I only knew what is wrong.
My book has been edited, beta read and polished up as good as it can get.
Hi Alyssa! I have a question. Is it ok for a writer from another country to query an agent from an American agency?
Yes! I go into more detail in this video here: ua-cam.com/video/K2U3KFXTkFk/v-deo.html
@@AlyssaMatesic Thank you!❤
Call me old fashion but is it still possible to bring in my manuscript and designs in person or is that approach dead?
That approach isn't dead per-say, but is more based on the fact that your potential agent might not be based in the same area you are in, which can make it hard for the two of you to meet up. Specifically, when it comes to queries most, if not all, agents also prefer using a digital approach just so they can streamline where their queries come in.
I think the answer these days is zero. Querying a waste of time. Budding authors should exploit online media outlets, social media, self publishing, etc. until agents come to them. Btw- love this channel. 🙂
What author has been reached out by agents? From what I have read, when an agent offers you publication without having read any of your work, that normally hints to be a scam.
@@asoftstring5533 Well, of course you’d need completed material they’ve seen somehow. ‘$h!# My Dad Says’ was a comedian’s Twitter feed about his funny dad, it went viral, at that point getting the agent wasn’t the problem, picking the best book deal was.
@@asoftstring5533 Agents reach out to authors when they have a huge readership. It's not a scam unless they ask for money. That's always a scam.
I just watched a few of your videos and I just wanna thank you for your insider knowledge and advice. You're giving us writers in the querying trenches much-needed support, especially emotionally. 🥲 just you saying "I know the process can be disheartening" across several of your videos is so comforting, so, sincerely, thank you. 🤍
Thank you for this kind comment! I truly believe every writer has the capacity to publish and get their voice out there, so I'm glad the sentiment is getting across--best of luck with your own projects!