Part 2 of 3 - How I Found My Literary Agent Series

I asked for help and kept on writing.

Once I began querying my manuscript in late 2023, I immediately received full- and partial-requests from literary agents. It was so encouraging and validating! But, by spring of 2024, I had pitched enough agents and received just enough insight from the rejections to understand that my manuscript would benefit from a faster, more propulsive beginning and still fewer words. My query package also needed adjustments. So, I did something risky: I pulled the full manuscript from three agents who had it at that time. And, I hired a developmental editor to review the manuscript. I knew the story could be better, but I was at the end of my ability to get it there. This is where I’m going to point out another big factor in my getting an agent, which was to ask for help. If you don’t have the funds to pay for help, there are many ways to accomplish this that are free or low-cost:

-seek feedback within a writing group

-find beta readers offering to swap reading or do so for free

-trade or barter developmental editing services

-write with a buddy as an accountability partner

At some time or another, I have done all of the above, which, when negotiated, does not have to cost any money. The important thing is that you keep the advice that feels right, leave the parts that don’t, ask for help when needed, and continue with your writing.

The developmental editor I hired in May of 2024 returned her editorial letter and comments to me in mid-June, and by the end of that month I was back in full-on revision mode, having put querying on hold. I worked steadily all of summer 2024, and completed yet another draft of the manuscript by mid-August. I paid a small fee to a working literary agent who suggested some improvements to the query package. After that, I returned the fresh manuscript and query letter to the three waiting agents in early September, and began submitting to other agents, with immediate positive response. In mid-December, 2024, I received my first offer of representation, followed by another in early-January, 2025. It was a confirmation that my request for help had paid off.

I primarily used QueryTracker as a mode of agent submissions, but I also submitted by email to many agents who didn’t use QueryManager (QT’s agent-interface), so that my total queries-sent number is closer to 135, but the response and reply rates shown above, taken from my QueryTracker account, are still pretty accurate. Note that my number of queries sent is well above the 44 number submitted by the “average” member, according to QueryTracker. In total, I received 15 full- and partial-manuscript requests (10 full, 5 partial) between late 2023 and late 2024. Many agents now-a-days don’t bother responding if they are rejecting an author, but I received over 80 rejections/pass responses from agents (plus many not tracked in QueryTracker). The big picture lesson is this: I submitted A LOT of queries to find, not only agents who would make an offer, but the one who would be the right agent.

In my final post in this series, coming this Thursday evening, I’ll announce the agent I’ve selected. If you have writing-related questions you’d like to ask me, I’ll be on Zoom with the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association at 7pm this Thursday, 2/6/25, talking about my writing journey. Register for that event, which is open to both members- and non-members of the PNWA, here.

And, sign-up for my occasional author newsletter for updates. Thanks for reading!