So you’ve made it over the first hurdle — writing the book. You’ve poured your life’s blood into a magnum opus so breathtaking that the Booker Prize committee will be beating down your door. But first! You have to get it published.
There are a few ways you can get a finished book out into the world, including self publishing, submitting to an independent publisher, or submitting to a literary agent. But to convince someone else to champion your book on your behalf, you’ll first need to entice them with a stellar query letter.
It’s heartbreaking to see so many amazing manuscripts get rejected because of simple, easy query letter mistakes. To avoid inadvertently sabotaging your submission, be sure to watch out for these snafus.
Submitting your manuscript before it’s ready
The number one biggest mistake new writers make when submitting to an agent or publisher is sending out their finished manuscript too soon.
Fact: when we complete a piece of writing, our brains reward us with a rush of dopamine. This gives us a bit of a creative high which, for a very brief moment, makes us believe the mess in front of us is the greatest thing we’ve ever done (this is right before the “editor brain” sets in and makes us second-guess all of our life choices). For this reason, new writers will often ride this high and hit “send” on a rough draft.
Before submitting your work, make sure you’ve had another pair of eyes on your story (either through peer feedback, or a professional editor), and polished it to a pristine shine.
Sending a generic query letter
Agents and publishers receive hundreds of queries every week (some receive hundreds every day!). If you open your query letter with “Dear Sirs” and send it to an entirely female workplace, your chances are going to be tossed in the bin faster than you can say “institutionalised misogyny”.
Likewise, don’t open your query letter with “To whom it may concern”, or worse, “Dear [NAME]” (this really happened!). Instead, address the recipient specifically and pinpoint a reason why you chose to reach out to them: “because you represent one of my favourite authors”, “because I saw you speak at The History Quill convention”, “because you mentioned on Manuscript Wish List that you grew up reading my all-time favourite formative book series…”. Anything you can do to make a real human connection will work in your favour.
Not following submission guidelines
Neither agents nor publishers are a one-size-fits-all operation. Some will ask for the first ten pages and a query letter. Others will ask for a query letter and a synopsis. Some want the full manuscript right up front, and a query letter, and a synopsis, and a marketing plan. (Pro tip: the first ten pages means the first ten pages, not your favourite scene from Chapter Twelve).
If you send more or less than is initially requested, you’ll show the person on the other side one of two things: either you can’t be trusted to follow instructions, or you believe that the instructions don’t apply to you. Neither presents you in the best light as someone to build a professional relationship with.
Not reviewing what’s already been accepted
It’s always helpful to review what’s already been published to get a sense of whether your work is a good fit. Whether it’s an independent publisher, a literary agent, or even a magazine, they’ll want to take on writers who fit into their overall aesthetic and brand.
Keep in mind, this is for you as much as it is for them. If you send your historical bodice ripper to a publisher that only works with epic sci-fi, your book probably won’t get accepted — and the publisher also won’t know how to market romance or how to reach romance readers. By targeting agents and publishers who represent the kind of thing you like to write, you’ll ensure you’re working with someone who can give you the best possible start to your career.
Forgetting to include key information
When querying, make sure you hit all your bases: name, contact information (these people will often print out manuscripts to read them, so they won’t necessarily be able to see the email address it was sent from), genre, word count, comparable titles, target audience. If you miss any of these key details, your submission may be discarded.
“BREAKING: I’m offering you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent the next big name in historical fiction. To be considered, please respond with your offer within three days. I’ve sent this message out to a select lucky few, so don’t delay! If you pass me up, you’ll be kicking yourself for it later.”
While a certain amount of confidence does help you make your way in the cold, hard world, sliding into arrogance can make you look like you’d be a difficult person to work with (as well as someone who doesn’t understand the publishing industry). It can be helpful to think of finding an agent a bit like entering the shark waters of dating — would you want to go out to dinner with someone who thought saying hello to you meant you had won the social lottery? Didn’t think so.
Not being arrogant enough
At the same time, resist the urge to talk yourself down. It’s not uncommon for writers to write query letters that say things like, “Would you perhaps be willing to take a chance on my humble work?”
It can sometimes feel like we’re expected to respond to whatever scraps of validation are thrown our way with effusive gratitude. Remember — just like being on a date, you have something to offer too! The goal isn’t to find someone who will deign to work with you, but someone you’ll mutually connect with.
While you may become close friends with your agent or publisher a little further down the road, at this stage you’re embarking on a business relationship. This means treating them with professional respect and a workplace-appropriate emotional distance.
If some challenge in your life has directly influenced the work you’re pitching, you can touch on that briefly: “This novel was inspired by my struggle with substance abuse / a chronic illness / losing a loved one”. However, refrain from spilling your rivers of woe in order to elicit an emotional response. The emotional response should come from the story.
Trying to hack the system
True story: Once upon a time, a literary agent went to a writer’s convention filled with hopeful aspiring authors. She excused herself to go to the bathroom, and while in the bathroom, someone pushed their manuscript underneath the stall door.
Don’t be that writer.
Sometimes new writers try to get around the usual tracks by reaching out to agents or publishers through personal social media, LinkedIn, or even their private email addresses. Respect boundaries and submission guidelines so that you don’t become “You’ll never believe, this one time…”
Submitting to only one agent at a time
Querying is a long road. You’ve already spent however many years writing the book — now you have to send it out and wait for a response, which may take months or may never show up at all. If you send your manuscript to only one agent… wait… another one… wait… an indie publisher… wait… you’ll be in the grave before you’re on the shelves.
A good rule of thumb is to send your manuscript out to your top five picks and wait to hear back. Then, start sending it out to 10-15 venues at a time, making adjustments based on any feedback you receive. It may take time, but you’ll find the right home for your book!
Ready to take on the query trenches? Go get that book deal!
Fija Callaghan is an author, poet, and a content editor with The History Quill. She is also The History Quill’s community manager. Her work has been shortlisted and longlisted for a number of short story prizes, and you can find her writing in publications like Gingerbread House, Crow & Cross Keys, Corvid Queen, and Mythic Magazine. When not writing or helping other writers get the best out of their work, she can be found haunting her local bookshops or watching the tide come in.
