QueryTracker Interview live, plus querying stats

My interview with QueryTracker is now live! You can read the full interview here. You can also read my announcement of representation here.

For anyone who doesn’t know about QueryTracker, it’s an excellent resource for querying writers. There is a paid version if you like stats (I love stats), but the vast functionality of the site is free. You can search the database of agents by what genres and age brackets they represent, and can read other users’ comments on submission details.

QT also auto-tracks queries submitted with querymanager. This is so helpful, so you don’t need to go digging back through your inbox to find your submission link. (Querying pro-tip: make an email address you only use for querying/author things. It’ll help your sanity.)

For me, the paid version was absolutely worth it. The cost is pretty inexpensive, and I really love the reports that it gave me access to. It’s such a great tool for querying writers. And again, all of the stats.

Speaking of stats….

I wound up sending 135 queries for In The Mouth of the Wolf. Three of them aren’t tracked here, so they didn’t figure in to my final count. I began querying with a 30% request rate. I had a lot of interest upfront from pitch contests that fizzled out. For most of my querying journey, I sat at a 10-12% request rate. After my initial offer, a lot of agents responded to my nudge, hoping to read before my deadline. This brought my request rate back up.

That was something that actually surprised me. Even though I’d heard an offer of representation can kick off interest in other agents, I wasn’t prepared for the amount. Though many agents also stepped aside, not having time to read before my deadline. Everyone was super nice and supportive.

If you find yourself with an offer of representation, first congrats! Take a moment to breathe and enjoy it. Then, nudge every agent or publisher that has your submission materials, and make them aware of your offer. The offering agent should want you to take the time to make your decision. Two to three weeks is standard. It is such a hard waiting period, but do it. You want to be fully comfortable with your decision.

Once you have accepted your offer of rep, you should again notify any agent who still has your materials that hasn’t responded by your deadline. It’s nice to officially close everything out, and it’s polite to the agents so they know they don’t have to drop everything to read.

The most important part is a piece of advice a friend gave me. We spend so long in the query trenches that sometimes any scrap of feedback feels like a win. And it is! But you want an agent who wants to work with you as badly as you want to work with them. You are special, too.