You finished your novel! Congrats!! And now you’re ready to embark on your path to publication. If you’re aiming to take a traditional route, you’ll need to pull together a kickass query and start putting together your Dream Agent list.

What is a query?

A query is a business email that you send to agents that details your work, who you are, and includes some type of submission piece. It’s important to note this is a business communication. Keep it professional, people. Don’t rip other authors, don’t comment on an agent’s personal life (yes, this happens), and make sure to follow their submission guidelines.

When should I send a query?

When you have checked off everything on this list:

Your manuscript is complete and polished

Don’t waste your one opportunity with something that isn’t ready for submission. Agents notice incomplete work and development on a manuscript. Run that sucker through a stream of beta readers and an editor, if you can or want to. There are lots of good ones out there who will help make your work stronger before presenting it.

You vetted your list of agents

Each agent specializes in a different area. Submit to those looking for work like yours. I recommend using ManuscriptWishlist.com and #MSWL.

You properly prepared a query blurb

Just as you spent time polishing your manuscript, spend time polishing the query. You only get one chance to make your impression and don’t want it to be riddled with errors or full of irrelevant information.

You understand the submission guidelines

When I spent my years in the querying trenches, this one came up a lot on the “What Not To Do” list. Every agent will have a different process, so note:

• Is it an email or a form?
• Do they ask for pages copied and pasted in the text?
• If so, how many?
• Is it going to a general inbox and they have asked you put the particular agent in the subject line?

READ CAREFULLY. Agents will tell you that if you follow the submission guidelines, you’re already way ahead of the pack.

General Tips & Things To Avoid

1. Don’t mass email every agent on your list. Each email is personal, and remember, it’s business. Not “Dear agent,” but “Dear Ms. Lieberman.”
2. Focus the majority of your text on the manuscript. You’ll need a sentence or two on who you are, but it shouldn’t be the majority of your query.
3. Don’t be mysterious. Agents need to get a sense of the narrative and tone of your manuscript. Hit the plot highlights and convey what your story is truly about.
4. Have clear stakes. Make sure your core conflict is present in the opening of the pitch. We have to understand who your characters are, what they want, and the big conflict in those two things that will drive the plot.
5. Include the genre and audience. One is a type of narrative; the other is an audience segmentation. Young Adult? Fantasy? It goes at the top of your query.
6. Check your email before you send it. If you’re copy and pasting things all day, you will miss something. Weird formatting, an agent’s name, etc. Send your query to yourself to check for anything odd.
7. Pace yourself. Although it’s tempting to send 50 queries at once to get your work out as fast as humanly possible, you want to give yourself some wiggle room. Start with your top agent choices and send queries in batches. You’ll give yourself the ability to tweak a query that isn’t performing well!

Good luck!