Why do I have to write a query letter? You don’t have to. Some agents and editors accept unsolicited proposals and manuscripts – that is, ones they haven’t requested on the basis of a query letter. However, because of the sheer volume of material they receive every day, lots of agents and editors now refuse to consider unsolicited material. They only accept queries, and they only read submissions they have requested from those queries.
What’s the purpose of a query letter? From the agent or editor’s point of view, the purpose of a query is to determine whether a book idea merits further consideration. From the writer’s point of view, the purpose of a query is to convince the agent or editor to request your material. As far as your career as a published writer is concerned, the query letter is the most important piece of writing you will ever do, because it is the only piece that you know will be read by publishing professionals.
How long should my query letter be? Shorter is better. The purpose of a query letter is to get the agent or editor to request your material, and you can do that in four paragraphs. The first is the hook, to interest the agent or editor and introduce your book. The second builds on the first by providing a little more information about your book, but not too much detail. The third paragraph covers your qualifications to write your book. In the fourth paragraph, you thank the agent or editor for his time and say you look forward to hearing from him. Sign it, and make sure all your contact information – mailing address, day and evening telephone numbers, and email address if applicable – is at the top of the letter.
Can I email my query? Some agents and publishers accept email queries, but most still prefer snail mail, mainly because they tend to read queries and proposals in the evenings and on weekends and don’t want to sit in front of a computer to do it. Check submission guidelines and follow them. Even if you do use email, don’t expect an immediate response, and don’t pester the agent or editor when they don’t respond right away.
Can I call an agent or editor to talk about my book idea? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Agents and editors hate getting calls from unknown writers who want to pitch their great ideas, and it tends to prejudice them against your material – assuming they ask you to send it. You’re a writer; you should show off your talent in a written query.
FINDING AND WORKING WITH AN AGENT
Do I need an agent to get published? It depends. If you want to sell a novel or nonfiction book for adults to a large, royalty-paying publisher, chances are you'll need an agent. Many of the big publishing houses accept submissions only from agents, because agents understand the publishing business and know how to negotiate contracts.
If you're trying to sell magazine articles, poetry, or children’s books, you don't need an agent. Many small presses, including university presses, prefer to work with unagented authors. You also don't need an agent if you're pursuing self-publishing or subsidy publishing.
How do I find an agent? There are several directories that list literary agents, along with their areas of interest, submission guidelines, and contact information. Check out the most recent edition of The Guide to Literary Agents or Writer's Market, which has a section devoted to agents. You also can check The Literary Marketplace, which usually is available in public libraries.
These directories also have submission guidelines. Like editors, agents have preferences about how they receive material. Some accept queries only, some accept proposals, and some accept unsolicited manuscripts. You have a better chance of getting your material read if you follow the agent's guidelines.
The acknowledgments section in published books is another good resource in your search for an agent. Look for books that are similar to yours and see if the author has mentioned his or her agent. That's a good indication that the author is pleased with the agent's performance, and you know that the agent handles books like yours.
What will an agent charge me? Legitimate agents take a commission on your sales, usually 15 percent. They don't get paid unless and until they sell your work. The publisher makes a check out to the agent; the agent then cuts a check for the author, minus the agent's commission. Under NO circumstances should you have to pay a legitimate agent any kind of upfront fee for anything. If an agent tries to charge you a reading fee, a marketing fee, a contract fee, any kind of fee, run as far away as you can as fast as you can.
What should I look for in an agent? First, look for an agent who handles books like yours. If you're writing science fiction or romance novels, you don't want an agent who specializes in nonfiction (and that agent won't be interested in your work anyway). You also want an agent who has a track record of selling books to publishers. New agents should begin making sales within six months to a year.
A reputable agent will not disclose her client list or contract terms for other clients, but she should be able to give you an idea of the types of books she has sold and her contacts in the publishing business.
Do I need different agents to sell my fiction and my nonfiction? Maybe. Many agents specialize in a narrow list of genres, because publishing is so competitive and markets change so quickly. An agent who concentrates on nonfiction might be willing to represent your fiction after you've become an established client, but you might want to consider looking for an agent who specializes in your fiction genre and who has current contacts in that area.
SELLING NONFICTION
Do I have to have a complete manuscript for my nonfiction book? No. Nonfiction books usually are sold on the basis of a proposal, which includes an overview of your book, a chapter-by-chapter outline, discussions of the market, competing books and promotion ideas, and sample chapters. (See sample proposal here.) Only very rarely will a publisher ask to see an entire nonfiction manuscript before deciding whether to offer a contract.
How should I handle the discussion of competing books? Tactfully. You need to show an agent or editor how your book differs from all the others on the market – what will make it stand out, and why readers will be interested in it. But you don’t want to be mean or disparaging in your comments. For one thing, the agent or editor you’re trying to impress might have worked on the book you’re criticizing. For another, you can turn agents and editors off if you come across as nasty or arrogant in your critique. Point out differences in target readership, new information, new perspectives and new approaches, and be positive about your own work.
Why should I include promotion ideas in my proposal? For every 100 books published, one might – only might, mind you – get a huge marketing push from the publisher, with book signings and media interviews and big displays at the major booksellers and all the rest of it. Publishers don’t have the resources to give that kind of promotion support to each of their titles, so they rely on authors who are enthusiastic enough about their work to put some time and energy into promotion. You need to tell the publisher what you are able and willing to do to help make your book a success.
Should I include photos or illustrations with my proposal? It depends on how essential they are to your book, and on the quality of the photos or illustrations you have. In most cases, a line or two in your overview explaining how photos and illustrations fit into your book is sufficient. Publishers usually will hire professional illustrators or photographers when needed.
SELLING FICTION
Do I have to have a complete manuscript to sell my novel? Yes, unless you’ve already had several novels published. If you’re marketing your first, second, or even third novel – even if you’ve had nonfiction books published – agents and editors will want to know that your manuscript is finished. This is because too many of them have been burned by novices who may have great ideas but who are unable to actually finish their books. Finish your manuscript before you start marketing it.
Can I send sample chapters with my query letter? Unless the agent or publisher accepts unsolicited proposals or manuscripts, this probably isn’t a good idea. Agents and editors have tons of material to read, and one-page query letters are much less imposing to a busy reader than thick stacks of manuscript pages. If you feel like you absolutely have to send a sample along with your query letter, send the first three pages of your novel. This will fit in a regular business envelope and won’t look overwhelming to the recipient.
An agent or editor has asked to see sample chapters. What should I send? If you don’t have specific instructions – e.g., the first chapter or the first 25 pages – send the first three chapters of your novel. For fiction, agents and editors want to see whether you can hook readers from the first line and keep them reading as you build your story. Don’t send middle chapters or out-of-sequence chapters.
What is a synopsis? A synopsis is a brief – a very, very brief – overview of your story. (See sample here.) It should be no more than five pages, written in the present tense. Provide the main points of your plot, and cut out any unnecessary detail. Your object here is to give an agent or editor a précis of what your story is about, the main conflicts or events in your story, and how you resolve it. Your synopsis must, must, MUST include a description of how your story ends and a precise word count for your manuscript.
Do I need a chapter-by-chapter outline of my novel? Some agents and editors ask for this and some don’t. It’s a good idea to do one, for two reasons: It can help you write your synopsis by hitting the important points in each chapter, and it’s nice to have it on hand if an agent or editor does ask to see it. Generally, unless an agent or editor specifically requests an outline, you don’t have to include it in your submission package.
FIGURING OUT A MARKET FOR YOUR BOOK
How do I determine who my readers are? Who your readers are will depend on what your topic is and how you approach it. If your book is about building motorcycles, your readers will be motorcycle enthusiasts. If your book is about gardening, your readers will be gardening enthusiasts. Is your book appropriate for beginners, or do you expect your readers to have a fair amount of knowledge on your topic already? Do you cover all types of motorcycles, or is your book just about Harley Davidson bikes? Does your gardening book concentrate on decorative landscaping, or organic vegetable gardening, or exotic flowers and plants? Having a clear picture of your reader can help you focus your book, and focusing your book will help you determine who your reader is.
How do I demonstrate a large potential readership for my book? Look for publications, organizations and associations that your target reader might be interested in. Major magazines with large circulations or national groups with large membership numbers can help convince publishers that there’s a market waiting to be tapped. U.S. Census and other federal labor and economic data might be helpful, too, depending on your target reader’s characteristics; the Census Bureau can tell you how many Americans are homeowners, for example, or what the average commute is.
How do I find out about competing books? Online booksellers like Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com are excellent starting points to find out what books are currently in print. Both sites also have pre-order features for books that are soon to hit the market. You also can check out your local library or bookstore. Don’t worry about books that are out of print; concentrate on current and upcoming books that are similar to yours.
What’s the definition of a competing book? That can vary from publisher to publisher. Sometimes, if an existing book has even a chapter on your topic, a publisher will consider that a competing book. Generally, you should look for books that cover your topic or, if there are none, books that are similar. For instance, there are lots of books about saving for retirement, but maybe yours is targeted toward couples who make less than $40,000 a year. You would include information about the other retirement books, while pointing out how yours is different.
Do I need to know how many copies of a competing book have been sold? No. Publishers have access to much more accurate information about sales than we do, so you don’t need to spend your time or energy tracking that information. However, if a competing book shouts on its cover that it has sold 100,000 or a million copies, point that out in your proposal – it shows the publisher that there is indeed a big potential market out there.
BUILDING YOUR WRITING CREDENTIALS
What credentials do agents and editors look for? Unfortunately, the first thing most agents and editors want to see from new authors is book credits, and that can be discouraging to beginning writers. The good news is that, even if you don’t have a book credit to boast about, you can give agents and editors the second-most important thing they look for, which is a great book idea from a talented and promising writer with a professional attitude.
If you haven’t had a book published, magazine and newspaper credits can help, especially if your published articles are related to the topic of your book.
What should I include in my author’s bio? If you have any book credits, mention them first. If you have had articles published in major magazines or newspapers, include those as well, but don’t go into specifics. A sentence like, “Jane Doe’s essays have appeared in Good Housekeeping, Adoption Today and Parenting magazines” is sufficient. If your short stories have been published by literary magazines, include them.
Include any credentials you have that relate to your book topic. If you’re an expert in ecology and you’re writing a book about outdoor activities, include your ecology credentials. If you’ve been interviewed as an expert on your book topic, mention that, too. If you have some other sort of life experience that relates to your topic, it should go in your bio. Anything that doesn’t relate to your book topic should be eliminated.
Should I mention that I’ve never been published? No. There is no reason to call attention to something that most agents and editors consider a drawback. If you don’t have any published credits to list, concentrate on the qualifications that are related to your book topic. Remember, you have to convince an agent or editor of two things – first, that the world needs your book and, second, that you are the best person to write your book.
How can I build up my credentials? Try to get articles, essays or short stories published in magazines or large newspapers. There are tons of opportunities out there, and beginning writers should take advantage of them. Many of these markets offer little pay, and lots of them only pay in contributor copies. But when you’re just starting to build your portfolio, these low-paying markets can give your writing career a big boost.
Teaching community or adult education courses or leading seminars on your book topic can be beneficial, too. Experience like this helps strengthen your credentials as an expert and also can help convince publishers that there’s a market for your book.
DEALING WITH REJECTION
My novel has been turned down by nine publishers. What do I do now? Keep trying. That may mean looking for a tenth, eleventh and twelfth potential publisher, or it may mean re-evaluating your manuscript. If you received any specific comments or suggestions from the editors who reviewed your material, see if there’s a pattern. If several editors are making more or less the same specific criticism about your work, chances are there’s a fundamental issue that needs to be resolved before anyone will make a contract offer. Also, make sure you’re submitting your work to appropriate publishers. And remember that Jonathan Livingston Seagull was rejected 16 times before it found a publisher.
Do I have to make changes suggested by an agent or editor? Certainly not. Your work is still your work, and you are the final authority on what changes should be made. However, keep in mind that suggestions from agents and editors are designed to help make a work more salable. If you decide not to make suggested changes, the price you pay may be in the form of more rejection slips.
I got lots of helpful suggestions from an agent/editor for revising my submission. After I make these changes, should I resubmit to this agent/editor or try somewhere else? The graceful thing to do is to resubmit to the agent or editor who gave you his/her expert advice for free. You have a rare advantage here, because the agent or editor was interested enough in your material to offer advice, and chances are good that he or she will still be interested when you’ve made the revisions.
Should I keep rejection slips? Most writers, including me, hate rejection letters, but there are two good reasons to keep them. First, as much as the fact of a rejection stinks, “no thanks” letters are at least an indication of your progress as a writer. You can’t collect rejection letters if you don’t submit your material, so the fact that you’ve been turned down proves that you’re trying to get your stuff published. The other reason is related, but from a business perspective: Rejection letters demonstrate that you are indeed trying to profit from your writing, which can help convince the IRS that writing is not just a hobby.
Should I respond to a rejection letter? It depends. If the rejection is a standard form letter with no personal note or suggestion from an agent or editor, there’s no reason to respond. If you did get a personal note or suggestions for improving your material, it is appropriate to write a very brief note thanking the agent or editor for the comments. Never, never, never is it appropriate to respond with nastiness, no matter how outraged and hurt you may feel.
GETTING PAID FOR YOUR WRITING
Should I ever write for free? Sometimes, depending on what else you’ll get out of it. If you’re just starting out as a writer, it may be more important to get published credits than a check. Many of the small magazine markets pay only in contributor’s copies, but being published in them can help boost your writing career. Likewise, some small book publishers offer little or no advance to authors, and that might be OK if your main goal is to get your first book credit and making money from your first book is secondary. Even after you’re established, sometimes writing for free – submitting an article to a well-read web site or a column to a major newspaper – can provide additional exposure or help promote your latest book. The best advice is to evaluate each writing opportunity that comes your way to see if makes sense for you.
Why is “pays on acceptance” preferable to “pays on publication”? The money comes in sooner – often much sooner – with “pays on acceptance.” With magazines, it may be months, even a year or more, before an accepted article actually appears in the publication, which means you’ll be waiting that long before you see any money from your sale. In book publishing, most contracts call for the author to be paid half of the advance on signing the contract and half on acceptance of the final manuscript, which will be four to six months, or longer, before the book is actually published.
Do I have to report my earnings from my writing? Technically, yes; the IRS wants its chunk of every dollar you earn from every source. If you earn $600 or more from any one publisher in a calendar year, the publisher is required to report those payments to the IRS and will send you a 1099 at the end of the year. Some publishers send out 1099s for smaller amounts. If you sell lots of articles or books to lots of publishers during the course of a year, you should receive 1099s from each of them. If you have an agent, you’ll get one 1099 from your agent’s office reporting all income you received through your agent from all sources.
What kind of advance can I expect for my book? It depends on what kind of book you’re writing, who’s publishing it, and what kind of sales the publisher expects. If you aren’t a celebrity of some sort or already a best-selling author, the odds are against you pulling in a seven-figure advance, or even a six-figure one. According to the Authors Guild Foundation, the average author makes between $5,000 and $10,000 a year from book sales – not enough to quit your day job.
What is an unearned advance? Publishers give authors an advance against royalties, and royalty payments are calculated from actual sales. Until your book sells enough copies to “earn back” the advance, you don’t get any more money from the publisher. If your book doesn’t sell well enough to cover the advance payment, it’s called an “unearned advance.” That doesn’t mean you have to repay the publisher any “unearned” portion; it just means you won’t get any more money until the book sells enough copies that your royalties exceed the amount of your advance.
WRITING QUERY LETTERS
FINDING AND WORKING WITH AN AGENT