20 Random Querying FAQ by Laura Galán-Wells

I am by no means a querying expert, but I did have an out of the ordinary querying journey and experienced more scenarios than most. Additionally, my shared knowledge stems from writer support networks, blogs, podcasts, and agent interviews.

Disclaimer: There is no ONE WAY to handle querying that all writers or agents would agree on, much less that would ensure success. I’ll aim to speak in terms of what is most often recommended.

1/ How do I know if I’m ready to query?

This is tricky, but here are some questions to ask yourself:

Have you researched the appropriate word count for your novel’s age group and genre?

Have you worked with multiple beta readers and/or critique partners?

Have you made the suggested changes that resonate with you (including some that may be sad/difficult to implement, but that you intuitively know will improve your novel)? 

Have you gone through multiple revisions?

Are your characters 3-dimensional and differentiated from each other?

Have you used physicality to show emotions versus telling us what the character’s emotions are?

Have you threaded info about the world throughout the story and as part of the action?

Have you removed a sizable portion of unnecessary filter words?

Have settings, sensory world details, and character appearances been described?

Have you read your dialogue out loud to see if it sounds natural?

Have you polished your query letter to near perfection?

2/ Should I have a website? 

It’s not necessary, but it can be an asset if you have the time. A website makes you look serious about writing, and interested agents are likely to search for yours. There is no need to pay for one at this stage. A simple, free one works. No agent would reject you for not having one, so don’t stress if you don’t. 

3/ Can I query before the novel is ready?

This is considered a no no. You might get a request the very first day, and while agents don’t mind if you submit later, it could be beneficial to send when they are excited and your query is fresh in their mind.

4/ Should I list my requests from agents/editors? 

Some UK agents will ask you to notify them of agent requests, but that’s not typically the case in the US. That said, giving agents FOMO could be a good thing, especially if you have an unusually high amount of agent/editor requests. If included, writers tend to add a sentence or two below the salutation.

5/ Should I mention any awards/mentorships/grants I’ve received?

Absolutely. You are the product. Hype yourself in your bio.

6/ Should I mention if they’ve rejected a previous novel’s query/partial/full?

If they gave you a personalized rejection (you can cross reference yours with those writers have shared at QueryTracker.net), and invited you to submit future work, then you should mention that at the top of your query letter.

When asked, agents tend to say there’s no need to mention they rejected a past project because it doesn’t make them more or less likely to reject your current one.

On a personal note, I began querying my second novel before I got an offer on my first. Three of the agents who had requested and rejected my first novel pre-warned me that they still wouldn’t want to rep it if they took on the second. Two volunteered that information, and one divulged it after I specifically asked. So this is good information to have, and you are unlikely to get it if you don’t remind them that they rejected an earlier novel.

That said, many agents are happy to work on your “backlist” novels down the line. It’s very individual. 

7/ Should I Include content warnings?

This is optional, but most agents appreciate them, and more and more writers are including them, usually at the end of the query letter.

8/ Should I query in batches? 

Many writers do a rolling system. For example, they send out 10-20 queries, and then each time they get a rejection, they send a new one to replace it.

In the olden days (pre-pandemic), the advice was to send a batch of 10, and then wait to get feedback from all of them to gauge whether a revision might be in order before querying the next batch. Unfortunately, the rates of agents sending form rejections or ghosting are much higher nowadays, and it can even take up to a year or longer to hear back.

9/ What is a good request rate?

When I peeked at QueryTracker.net this summer, the average request rate was 6%. Don’t get nervous if you see much higher percentages stated as good request rates. Those are often based on pre-pandemic times, when there were far fewer writers querying, or on that specific person’s querying experience.

10/ Should you query a second manuscript at the same time as the first?

Why not, go for it! The logistics can get complicated as you figure out who you can query at what agency in what order, but if you don’t mind, it could land you an agent sooner.

11/ Is getting a lot of form rejections a bad sign?

I did a very informal poll on Twitter this summer, and roughly half of respondents had zero personalized query rejections, while roughly half got 5-10% personalized query rejections. It is perfectly normal to not get personalized query rejections. It doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with your novel. That said, if you get the same personalized feedback more than once, and it resonates with you, it might be something to keep in mind should you choose to revise down the line.

12/ Is there a best time of the year to query? 

Anytime the agent is open to queries. They could close to queries at any time, so get in when you can. People get offers every month of the year. 

13/ Should I reply when rejected?

Generally not if it’s a query rejection, but it might be nice to send a quick thank you if the agent has read your partial/full and given personalized feedback. Some agents have said they appreciate a quick note, while others prefer to not have an extra email. It is perfectly okay to not reply at all. Most people do not. 

14/ If I have a pen name do I have to query with my legal name?

No, you don’t have to reveal your legal name until it’s time to sign a contract. Some choose to include theirs in their query letter bio, but you can save the information until after you get an offer. Do whatever feels comfortable.

15/ Should I use the agent’s first name or last name?

It is safest to use Dear First Name so you don’t accidentally use the wrong honorific.

16/ Should I personalize each query?

Some do in the hopes it makes the agent read more attentively. Others feel it does not make enough of a difference to justify the extra time, and may make you too emotionally invested in an agent who, odds are, will reject regardless of personalization.

Agents are split on this as well. Some say they like personalization that is specific (perhaps referencing a client of theirs or something from their wish list), but not stalkerish. Others say it makes no difference to them and you should save your time.

17/ When do you give up on a query?

Check Query Tracker to see the agent’s average response times. Has the agent responded to people who have queried before or after you? Note that not all agents read in order. For example, some read one age group or genre at a time. If your query looks skipped, it might be in a maybe pile, with the agent waiting until they have enough time to read your sample pages. Some agents may take a year or longer to get to your query. 

Some writers choose an arbitrary amount of time like 3 months or 6 months or 9 months to close out a query, then move on to querying someone different at the agency. If there is nobody else to query at the agency, you could leave it open indefinitely. Consider also that any open query is someone you can notify if you get an offer in the future. Note that some agents will not respond to a query unless you notify them of an offer.

18/ When should I nudge an agent?

Some agents/agencies specifically say to nudge after a certain amount of time. If they don’t, I suggest nudging at the 6 month mark, and then every 3 months afterwards.

An example: “I sent you TITLE on DATE. I am unsure if you have had time to take a look, or if it’s a no response means no situation? I did not want to query a different agent at AGENCY without checking in with you at the x month mark.”

19/ What do I send if they request a partial/full?

Most agents want the manuscript in .docx so default to this if they don’t specify. Some may want it in pdf form but that is rare and they would specify.

If they ask for 50 pages, that is considered a partial request. If they don’t specify how much to send, send the full manuscript. If in doubt, send the full manuscript.

If they ask for a synopsis, attach that separately if emailing, unless they specify that they want it in the body of the email. If they don’t specify the length, send a single spaced one that is 1 page long. 

Some writers will include their query letter on the first page of the partial/full manuscript to remind the agent of what they requested should they read it way down the line.

20/ How do I know when to shelve a book? 

A common minimum benchmark is to aim for 100 query rejections, and some writers award themselves gold stars on a chart to reach that goal. That said, some genre/age combos don’t have 100 experienced/well trained agents, and you should never feel pressured to continue querying if you need a break or feel done for whatever reason.  

Shelving is a difficult decision, but it’s not always the end. You could do a major revision at some future date when there are lots of new agents, or ask agents who rejected if they’d like a second look. An agent or editor could ask to see your backlist (books you’ve written in the past). You could submit it to small presses, or self-publish.

Thank you for reading! I hope some of this was helpful. If in doubt, go with your gut and remember there are no rules in querying! Only suggestions :) 

Make your querying journey as unique as you are.

Feel free to also read my blog post about How I Got My Agent (After 86 Requests)!