Strategic Tips for Querying Literary Agents

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You’ve done it-you’ve written the best literary agent query letter possible, and are ready to send it, along with your book, to literary agencies. But you may still be wondering when, who, and how to query in order to avoid the dreaded literary agent rejections. In this video, I’m going to give some strategic tips for querying literary agents so that you can confidently, thoughtfully, and efficiently send your book out to literary agents with the best possible chances of success.
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RELATED VIDEOS:
How to Get a Literary Agent: • How to Get a Literary ...
How to Choose Agents to Query: • How to Choose Literary...
Agent Responses Explained: • Literary Agent Respons...
Biggest Query Letter Mistakes: • Biggest Query Letter M...
STRATEGIC TIPS FOR QUERYING LITERARY AGENTS:
02:02 - Send queries in batches
04:19 - Query newer agents
06:18 - Use an email tracker
08:59 - Avoid rush periods
10:44 - Keep a spreadsheet
ABOUT ME:
My name is Alyssa Matesic, and I’m a professional book editor with 7+ years of book publishing and editorial experience. Throughout my career, I’ve held editorial roles across both sides of the publishing industry: Big Five publishing houses and literary agencies. The goal of this channel is to help writers throughout the book writing journey-whether you're working on your manuscript or you're looking for publishing advice.
Feel free to get in touch!
Website: www.alyssamatesic.com
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Email: hello@alyssamatesic.com
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26 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 51

@rosieradcliffe5578 2 года назад

The very first agent I queried ask for the full MSS, and although she passed in the end, did give me some useful feedback. In the months since I've sent out many more queries but not so much as a NIBBLE ...

@UrbanSwagger 2 года назад

Helpful advice. It's a challenge, trying to get all your ducks in order: manuscript, synopsis, agent queries. I'm in revision purgatory right now.

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

Good luck! There is a polished manuscript waiting for you on the other side :)

@johnnam1380 2 года назад

This channel is a gold mine. Thank you for your uploads and perspective! It has been so helpful for me.

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

My pleasure!

@jamesstolpa9442 10 месяцев назад

I wish there was a LOVE button. I hit the LIKE button, but it doesn't seem sufficient for the value I find in your videos. Keep making these videos. They help more than you know.

@whitneylivingston5706 2 года назад

I’ll be starting my query journey early in 2022… probably in that February-May window.

@daviddarlingauthor 2 года назад

I like the sneaky option! ;)

@rishikajhamb1111 Год назад

I finally decided to get out of the comfort zone and start querying (instead of finding reasons to keep postponing that). Your videos are just the best at this stage!

@AlyssaMatesic Год назад

It's always nerve wracking but can come at huge rewards! Best of luck Rishika!

@matthewbrookes5919 Год назад

Great tips. Thank you.

@vrflashnew 2 года назад

I used to have several NYC agents. I have several traditionally published books, including such publishers as Counterpoint and university presses, and I loved this video, Ms. Matestic.

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

Thanks for sharing!

@kaylabrawner9379 2 года назад

I had an agent admit taking several months to get back to me because he couldn't decide if he wanted it or not. He liked it, but in the end it wasn't for him.

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

That's a really positive response! Thank you for sharing, and good luck with the querying process :-)

@MrCrazyChihuahua Год назад

I am starting to become a fanatic of your channel! Really loving all of your videos! I am a published author here in Cyprus and Greece, and after some recent considerations, I decided to send my novels and epics abroad. Honestly, it was an anxious situation at first, since I did not know anything about agencies or any other information about what and how to send queries to them. Then I found your channel, and everything changed. Thank you! You are doing an excellent job, and you help people like me. Keep it up, we will be watching!

@AlyssaMatesic Год назад

Thanks for the kind comment, Stelios!

@MrCrazyChihuahua Год назад

@@AlyssaMatesic Oh my! I just saw your reply here! You are welcome Alyssa 😁 thank you for helping us!

@melvindodson6827 Год назад

This is very great

@Greed23 2 года назад

great video and perfectly timed for me, I sent out my first query two days ago. Just wondering, regarding what you said about getting back in touch with agents if another agent offers you rep./requests a full: what is the advantage for the author in having agents compete? Because I'd imagine you couldn't negotiate a lesser rate? Is it just because you might prefer the one that you've got in touch with so you're trying to light a fire under them, or is there something I'm missing?

@Justafox305 2 года назад

Question: let's say you wrote a debut novel and then went on a publishing website and they mention they are looking for , and it's exactly what you wrote. You feel you are a perfect fit. They mention that they are interested in both agented and unagented submissions and want the full manuscript. Should you submit your work or look for an agent first ?

@beny9253 2 года назад

Perfect timing for me. Getting mine back from my editor soon and then it might be time to give this thing a shot. However, I'm debating holding for a bit on this because I've heard almost all publishers are pulling back their YA allotments this coming year and it's already a bloodbath of a market for YA. Any thoughts on this?

@psparmita 2 года назад

Love your content! It resonates with me and all that I've learnt from being in the slush pile for over five years. 😅 I wish I had found your channel when I'd started querying. Can you tell us what it implies when an agent rejects your full MS saying they didn't fall in love with the project to offer representation.

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

I'm so glad it resonates! As for your question, I would say it speaks to the literary agent's subjective, personal opinion--they perhaps found that while your story is technically fine (since they didn't comment on that), it just doesn't suit their taste. I have a video further detailing lit agent responses here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-i9sbwxvFtxQ.html Thanks for commenting! :)

@kelvindzivinski5872 2 года назад

I am so grateful to have found your channel! I just started querying and this video was incredibly helpful! Quick question, towards the end of your video you said that if an agent requests a full manuscript to follow up with other agents your queried and ask if they’d like it too, is that something that you should always do?

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

Ideally yes--in the best case scenario, they gain additional interest in your query letter and get to it faster! Thanks for commenting!

@kelvindzivinski5872 2 года назад

@@AlyssaMatesic thank you for the reply! :)

@chrismccann998 2 года назад

Alyssa, my novel, Gumbo, is something I'm going to send to you for your services in late Summer 2022.

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

I look forward to it!

@rowan7929 2 года назад

I know I will query these two agents who said I can query them again. So I will do that once my books is done. The main obstacle I face is that agent's just say 'it's not for me' or 'not suitable for this project'. Even when my research indicates that my book is more than suitable for them. So what can I do when never given solid description what they dislike or like?

@jasontoole1417 2 года назад

I’m new myself, (but just as an outsider) I think it’s just a no… they say, we should collect the “no’s”, we’re going to get a lot. 🤔. And I can see how agents would leave the editing advice for the editors, and simply saying no… it sucks but just strike them off, and keep going.

@rowan7929 2 года назад

@@jasontoole1417 Still would be good to know what they didn't like. My last book has been edited and so will my next one be. Well, can only query and hope.

@ccormore 2 года назад

Thank you for the video! I have a question! I am a bit worried about something that is not talked about because it doesn't concern most writers: Are agents prejudiced against authors who are from foreign countries? Are they "turned off" by an author's name that doesn't sound English and does it affect them even opening the email? I worry that agents won't give me a chance because they will read my name and where I'm from and automatically assume my grammar is bad or whatever else. I write in English and it's my big wish to be published in the UK or USA but sometimes I wonder if my name could hold me back. Are my concerns baseless or are they somewhat justified? I hope my comment gets noticed. Love your videos! They are super helpful!

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

As long as you're writing in English, most agents don't care where you're from! I go more into this in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-K2U3KFXTkFk.html

@ccormore 2 года назад

@@AlyssaMatesic thank you!

@malcolmgarcia4181 2 года назад

Ta for your video series. I’m in the midst of editing my MS with a view to approaching agents in 2022. In your experience, how much should an author talk about themselves in their query letter? I write spy novels and have a work background in that world. Do I mention that, and if so, does that become a major part of my pitch? TIA.

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

Query letters always have space for author biography, and in this case it seems like your work background is very relevant to your writing--so yes, include it!

@lbrtvlldr Год назад

That was a fantastic video! Thank you, Alyssa. Could you elaborate on what happens when one agent offers representation while others haven't replied yet? 1. You let the other agents know. 2. What's considered a reasonable time to either accept or decline that offer? How would you approach the conversation with several agents that offer representation? Thanks!

@lbrtvlldr Год назад

Never mind, I just saw that you touched on that topic in another video. Your channel is outstanding!

@tarabehrens3777 2 года назад

When you’re personalizing a query to a specific agent, can you mention authors they represent instead of book titles?

@uncleanunicorn4571 2 года назад

Do you have a video on a novel synopsis?

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

I do, here!: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GpCBuCH9Vwo.html

@absolutelycitron1580 2 месяца назад

Welp I better have my 3rd/4th draft ready by October

@katherineloi8009 2 года назад

This is very helpful ! If I have submitted a few queries… and they do ask to see the manuscript… will it hurt me if it is too long ? I am at 150k… trying my best to cut down to 120k…. But would this be a hard no for agents ? Should I shorten before querying ? Thanks ! Genre is non-fiction / memoir

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

While there's no hard and fast rule for word count--there are great stories that barely break 30k, and great stories that go well over 150k--it is true that a very long manuscript is harder to publish than a shorter one. Try to just focus on what's best for your manuscript overall--if the overall narrative is tighter and more-to-the-point with 120k, then go for it! Good luck :)

@katherineloi8009 2 года назад

@@AlyssaMatesic Thank you so much for your reply. I find your channel very helpful and insightful.

@RyanNightTalks Год назад

I like your eye bags in this one. not sarcasm

@arcadelinkauthor 2 года назад

Say you have 5 novels written. If you are rejected by an agent with the first one, is it normal to query that agent again with another novel? What about sending multiple queries, each one using a different novel?

@Starfox371 2 года назад

Depends upon the agent. Read their web bio - they usually tell you if they are okay with that or not.

@jennikramer1625 10 месяцев назад

Why is this SO HARD?! 122,000 novel words, no problem. 150 query words??? ARGH!

@privatename5788 2 года назад

I just cannot believe how much I am expected to kiss the ass of and fawn over a person who would have exactly no income at all if not for my product. I can self publish with ease. I do not need an agent, the agent needs me. So why do I have to be the one doing all this crap? Why can my work not stand on its own as a selling point?