Not long ago, I gave some tried and true tips on how to find a top agent (see above). I hope that in the interim you've done some research and now have a sizeable list of some quality agents you'd like to approach. Now for part II. Call it what you will -- the spiel, the pitch, whatever . . . now is the time to send your beloved manuscript to an agent and pray that magic happens.
Ours is a competitive business, perhaps one of the most competitive in the world. Agents are deluged with manuscript submissions on a daily basis. Even if they went ga-ga over, say, a measly one manuscript per week, it wouldn't take long before they would be bursting at the seams with client overload. Therefore, agents must be extremely selective, and pick only the very best. This is especially true if you're dealing with the top agents in the industry. You have only one chance with each agent, so it is important that you understand manuscript submission from the get-go so you can increase your chances of rising to the top of the slush pile. (FYI -- A "slush pile" is the pile of unsolicited manuscripts that fester and multiply in an agent/editor's office, rather like bacteria in a petri dish.)
THE DO'S OF MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION:
1. Submit only your very best material. If it's not publishable, if you know it could be better, or if you're just hoping for a critique or a miracle, then the rest of these Do's and Don'ts are irrelevant. Stop right here, do not pass GO, join a critique group, and rewrite your manuscript.
2. Make certain your manuscript is formatted correctly. (Click here for a manuscript format guide.) Make certain it is error free. FYI - It is NOT okay to submit materials with spelling and grammatical errors, no matter what you may have heard elsewhere.
3. Follow the agent's guidelines. You can usually find guidelines in the GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS book, or on an agent's website. If an agent says, "Query only," then don't even THINK of sending sample chapters. If an agent says, "Query plus three sample chapters," then hop to it. (That said, if an agent does want sample chapters, also include a one-page synopsis. It goes with the territory.) If an agent accepts email queries, then go ahead and email them, otherwise stick with snail-mail.
4. Write a compelling query letter. (Click here for an example. This was the query that eventually landed me my agent. Names & addresses were changed to protect the innocent. For detailed information on query writing, I recommend the book: "How to Write Attention-Grabbing Query & Cover Letters" by John Wood, published by Writer's Digest Books.)
a. Correctly spell the agent's name.
b. Pitch your project in a way that makes the agent want to read more. Don't go on and on, instead make it short and powerful. Think of it like the blurb on dust jackets.
c. Tailor the submission for each agent by telling them why you are querying them. Is it because they represented a similar novel? If so, which one? Is it because you heard them speak on a podcast, and you like their philosophy? Besides your sparkling, error-free writing, tailoring your submission is probably the most important aspect of your spiel. It shows you've done your homework. Immediately, agents sit up and take notice. Compare this to the "shotgun" approach, which is one-size-fits-all, and is sent to 100, 200, 300 agents at once, a tactic which agents hate.
d. Mention any referrals, contacts, or personal connections.
e. Let them know it is a simultaneous submission.
f. Say thank you. An agent once called me regarding my submission. We chatted for a while, after which he requested a full manuscript. While he ultimately didn't choose to represent me, he nevertheless invested a considerable amount of time, reading my manuscript, plus emailing and calling me multiple times. After I finished wringing my heart out, and in seeking to cultivate professional relationships, I sent a thank you card. Even if you don't send thank you cards to every agent (which would be totally overboard and a nuisance to all), a simple thank you in your query letter goes a long way.
5. Send out simultaneous submissions to no more than 5-10 agents at one time.
6. Enclose a SASE (self-addressed-stamped-envelope).
7. Keep track of your submissions, by date sent, to whom, what you sent (ie - query + 3 chapters + synopsis), and expected response time.
8. If and when you receive a rejection, cross them off the list (note their reasons for turning down your project), and send your project to the next agent on your list.
9. Always present yourself and your projects professionally.
10. Be prompt. If an agent asks for a partial, for example, the first fifty pages, or (Heavens Be Praised) the entire manuscript, promptly send out the requested material. Write "requested material" on the outer envelope.
11. Follow-up. If an agent has not responded within their specified time frame, wait an additional four weeks, then send a polite follow-up letter. If after another six weeks you have not heard anything, you may call to inquire, you may send another follow-up letter, or you can withdraw your manuscript from consideration by so stating. Regardless, always conduct yourself professionally.
THE DON'TS OF MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION:
1. Don't say your manuscript is the best ever, the next Harry Potter, the next Gone With the Wind, that it will make them millions, or that your grandmother loved it. This marks you as a rank amateur.
2. Don't use gimmicks. No ladybug stickers, no scented stationery, no confetti, no nothing except 8.5" X 11" white paper with error-free words printed in 12-font black ink (computer or typewriter generated), stuffed in a no-frills envelop, with SASE. (Even so, your paper and envelopes should be clean, unwrinkled, in order, and looking very, very spiffy indeed.)
3. Don't keep sending your manuscript back to the same agent, unless she's invited you to send a rewrite. Remember, you have just ONE chance with each agent.
4. Don't act unprofessionally. The publishing community is fairly small, and word travels fast. Don't burn any bridges that you will later regret.
5. Don't submit to multiple agents at the same agency.
6. Don't lose heart! Rejection is an integral part of the business, even for seasoned professionals. Evaluating manuscripts is subjective; what one agent loves, another may hate. So keep your chin up, and keep trying.
