How Authors Can Keep Track of Queries

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By Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist. Please sign up for free updates at ‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT

The querying process can be overwhelming. Most authors follow a two-step process when querying: first agents, then (if they can’t land an agent) publishers who accept unagented manuscripts. It’s not uncommon for authors to approach 80-100 agents and 50-80 publishers. How can they keep track of all these queries?

Some ideas:

Agents

• Start by creating a new Word file containing the names of agents and contact information.
• Find the agents who represent your genre. Good sources include QueryTracker (https://querytracker.net) and the Poets & Writers Literary Agent Database (https://www.pw.org/literary_agents) 
• List entries by the agencies’ names, not by the agents’ names. Also, place the agency names in alphabetical order. Most agencies don’t want authors to query more than one of their agents. Consequently, this is the best way to avoid sending multiple queries to an agency. Include a link to the agency’s website, contact information (such as email addresses), and submission requirements. If you get any feedback from an agent, be sure to include it.
• Before you send a query, check the agency’s website to see if the agent is currently open to queries.
• Try to query at least 80 agents.
• After you’ve finished working on the Word file, create a corresponding list of agencies on an Excel spreadsheet. Referring to your Word file, list the agencies in alphabetical order; beside the agency’s name list the agent’s name and the date you made the submission to her or him. If that agent rejects you, note the relevant date on the same line. Also, be sure to note the dates of any follow-up queries.

Publishers

• If you can’t find an agent, create a Word file listing publishers who accept submissions from unagented authors. 
• Start by creating a new Word file containing the names of publishers, editors, and contact information.
• Where can you find publishers who accept manuscripts in your genre from unagented authors? Try QueryTracker (https://querytracker.net) and The Writer’s Center (https://www.writer.org/publishers-that-accept-unagented-submissions/). 
• List entries by the publishers’ names, in alphabetical order. This method makes it easier to keep track of the publishers you’ve queried, and it also helps you avoid sending multiple queries to publishers. Include a link to the publisher’s website, contact information (such as email addresses), and submission requirements. 
• Always check the publisher’s website to see if they’re currently open to queries before you approach them.
• Try to query at least 50 publishers.
• After you’ve created the list of publishers in Word, create a corresponding list of publishers on an Excel spreadsheet. Referring to your Word file, list each publisher’s name (in alphabetical order), then the name of the editor you’ve queried and the date you made the submission to her or him. If that editor rejects you, note the date; also note the dates of any follow-up queries you’ve sent.

Querying is a tedious, stressful, and, above all, time-consuming process. However, if you make some effort to organize yourself, you can (hopefully) get through this ordeal without losing your mind.

Visit Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist, online at https://kathleenjones.org/ or on Twitter athttps://twitter.com/joneslepidas and sign up for free updates at ‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT  Kathleen’s first novel, Love Is the Punch Line, a midlife romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, is available NOW, in trade paperback and ebook from Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Love-Punch-Line-Kathleen-Jones-ebook/dp/B0BY3RTNZG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=love+is+the+punch+line&qid=1681409156&sr=8-1).