This is incredible news!! I’ve learned SO MUCH from you, and I’ve recommended your blog and newsletter to more people than I can count. I’m so excited about the Academy!! Congrats on launching after more hard work than I can even imagine.
Congratulations!!! This is so exciting, feels like such a huge moment for you! Thank you so much for everything you’ve given us over the years, I’ve learned more about writing craft from you than I could have anywhere else and I’ll always be thankful for that! 🫶🫶🫶
I love this! I’ve signed up for this as well! Your support for inspiring writers is second-to-none! Thank you so much! I’ll continue to support you for as long as I can ❤️
Oh woah, I didn't realise Janet just died. That's incredibly sad news. I followed her blog for several years, entered her writing competitions, and had long chats with her via email about tadpoles. She was just always so generous with her time and advice. I'll miss her so much.
Thanks Susan. But with all due respect I wouldn't, as a writer, waste three minutes on the query letter. What self-respecting agent says, "the sample was gorgeous but the query needs tweaking, so hard pass."
Unfortunately, most agents won’t read the sample if the query doesn’t first hook them. And many agents don’t request sample pages at all, but only do query letters.
"most agents won’t read the sample if the query doesn’t first hook them" Really? Not even a page? Because the sample is right there in front of them, as no one asks for an attachment. "many agents don’t request sample pages". Never, ever have I seen this. Agent instructions for a novel query always request a sample.
Yes. Many agents won’t look at the sample if the query doesn’t instantly show it’s a book they’d be interested. Additionally, many agencies outsource the work of going through the slush pile. In fact, a lot of aspiring authors will work part time for agents reading their slush. If they find a query that stands out, they alert the agent.
I understand it seems unfathomable that an agent won’t look at sample pages, but consider how many query letters agents receive a week: easily in the hundreds of letters. They are often looking for an easy way to “cull the slush,” and a poor query letter is one way to do that.
I am not trying to argue with you! Of course you should do what you think is best for you and your novel! I am simply imparting my knowledge. Do with it what you will!
I'm not being difficult, but this is not my experience and I am applying common sense. Let's work from the bottom up.
"I am not trying to argue" Yes Susan we are all here to learn and contribute in an honest and helpful way.
"consider how many query letters agents receive" But the agent is asking for queries. If you don't want don't ask. As for "a poor query letter", agents are usually specific. If the writer is too dumb to produce a competent email, what can you do for them? What can anyone? You can't fix stupid, as the comedian says : )
Finally your first paragraph. "many agencies outsource the work". This doesn't change my point. Who reads isn't important, as long as it's read, and I wonder about that, by the way. Finally you state, "Many agents won’t look at the sample if the query doesn’t instantly show it’s a book they’d be interested." Yes, and we're back to being dumb. The great likelihood is the writer has no business querying in the first place, and the letter is the least of their problems. Thanks for listening.
Ha! I don’t disagree with you. It is shortsighted to not look at sample pages. Unfortunately, the query letter continues to do the bulk of the work when it comes to opening doors!
I have queried at least two (but admittedly not many) agents who specifically said no sample pages, query only—out of more than 70 queries. Most agents I've queried (for YA fantasy) use QueryManager, which requires you to submit a query and sample pages (as well as allowing agents to ask any custom questions). It's hard to know if they ever get past the query to sample pages because you can't submit without.
From conferences I've been to, many agents say that the query is still quite important. They are always looking for new books (that is, after all, how they get paid!), but when reading queries, there are SO MANY that they are looking for reasons to reject. Some say that they read the metadata (genre/word count) first, others say they read the paragraphs first. But many agents literally get 100 queries a week! 🤯 So I wouldn't be surprised if some don't scroll down to the sample pages.
Interestingly, one of the full requests I got was from one of the agents who didn't ask for sample pages! But he seems to read really fast, and his comments upon rejecting me indicated that he had read at least a decent portion of the draft.
I am a heavy contributor to lifestyle magazines. When I couldn't get anywhere with agents, I (reluctantly) asked maybe a half dozen of my friendlier, or shall we say, more complimentary editors to help. Guess what? Editors also write, and they were all looking for agents too!
Thank you Abigail. You got me beat by a mile. No one ever got back to me. Now I get around, I mean I really get around and I know plenty of published writers. Want to see a writer clam up? Ask about his agent : )
This is incredible news!! I’ve learned SO MUCH from you, and I’ve recommended your blog and newsletter to more people than I can count. I’m so excited about the Academy!! Congrats on launching after more hard work than I can even imagine.
Oh THANK YOU! I cannot express how much it means to me to know I’ve helped you in any way. 😊😊😊😊
Congratulations!!! This is so exciting, feels like such a huge moment for you! Thank you so much for everything you’ve given us over the years, I’ve learned more about writing craft from you than I could have anywhere else and I’ll always be thankful for that! 🫶🫶🫶
Ah, thank you, Katie!! I am really excited to have everything finally centralized and easy to share with future generations of writers!
I love this! I’ve signed up for this as well! Your support for inspiring writers is second-to-none! Thank you so much! I’ll continue to support you for as long as I can ❤️
Aw, thank you so much, Lisa!!! I really, truly appreciate the support.
This is so amazing, Susan! Your newsletter has been such a rock in my inbox for years.
(In a good way, in case that was unclear!!)
Haha, not like a cinderblock tied to your ankles in a mob hit? 😂
Only when I get overwhelmed with all the great craft advice and go into crisis mode about how to implement it all 🙃
Oh boy, I feel this. 😭
Oh woah, I didn't realise Janet just died. That's incredibly sad news. I followed her blog for several years, entered her writing competitions, and had long chats with her via email about tadpoles. She was just always so generous with her time and advice. I'll miss her so much.
Agreed. She was a true force in the industry, and so many who never even knew her will miss her.
Thanks Susan. But with all due respect I wouldn't, as a writer, waste three minutes on the query letter. What self-respecting agent says, "the sample was gorgeous but the query needs tweaking, so hard pass."
Unfortunately, most agents won’t read the sample if the query doesn’t first hook them. And many agents don’t request sample pages at all, but only do query letters.
"most agents won’t read the sample if the query doesn’t first hook them" Really? Not even a page? Because the sample is right there in front of them, as no one asks for an attachment. "many agents don’t request sample pages". Never, ever have I seen this. Agent instructions for a novel query always request a sample.
Yes. Many agents won’t look at the sample if the query doesn’t instantly show it’s a book they’d be interested. Additionally, many agencies outsource the work of going through the slush pile. In fact, a lot of aspiring authors will work part time for agents reading their slush. If they find a query that stands out, they alert the agent.
I understand it seems unfathomable that an agent won’t look at sample pages, but consider how many query letters agents receive a week: easily in the hundreds of letters. They are often looking for an easy way to “cull the slush,” and a poor query letter is one way to do that.
I am not trying to argue with you! Of course you should do what you think is best for you and your novel! I am simply imparting my knowledge. Do with it what you will!
I'm not being difficult, but this is not my experience and I am applying common sense. Let's work from the bottom up.
"I am not trying to argue" Yes Susan we are all here to learn and contribute in an honest and helpful way.
"consider how many query letters agents receive" But the agent is asking for queries. If you don't want don't ask. As for "a poor query letter", agents are usually specific. If the writer is too dumb to produce a competent email, what can you do for them? What can anyone? You can't fix stupid, as the comedian says : )
Finally your first paragraph. "many agencies outsource the work". This doesn't change my point. Who reads isn't important, as long as it's read, and I wonder about that, by the way. Finally you state, "Many agents won’t look at the sample if the query doesn’t instantly show it’s a book they’d be interested." Yes, and we're back to being dumb. The great likelihood is the writer has no business querying in the first place, and the letter is the least of their problems. Thanks for listening.
Ha! I don’t disagree with you. It is shortsighted to not look at sample pages. Unfortunately, the query letter continues to do the bulk of the work when it comes to opening doors!
Was kinda hoping for people to chime in but when a writer gets an agent I notice they vanish. If I ever vanish, you'll know what happened : )
I have queried at least two (but admittedly not many) agents who specifically said no sample pages, query only—out of more than 70 queries. Most agents I've queried (for YA fantasy) use QueryManager, which requires you to submit a query and sample pages (as well as allowing agents to ask any custom questions). It's hard to know if they ever get past the query to sample pages because you can't submit without.
From conferences I've been to, many agents say that the query is still quite important. They are always looking for new books (that is, after all, how they get paid!), but when reading queries, there are SO MANY that they are looking for reasons to reject. Some say that they read the metadata (genre/word count) first, others say they read the paragraphs first. But many agents literally get 100 queries a week! 🤯 So I wouldn't be surprised if some don't scroll down to the sample pages.
Interestingly, one of the full requests I got was from one of the agents who didn't ask for sample pages! But he seems to read really fast, and his comments upon rejecting me indicated that he had read at least a decent portion of the draft.
I am a heavy contributor to lifestyle magazines. When I couldn't get anywhere with agents, I (reluctantly) asked maybe a half dozen of my friendlier, or shall we say, more complimentary editors to help. Guess what? Editors also write, and they were all looking for agents too!
Thank you Abigail. You got me beat by a mile. No one ever got back to me. Now I get around, I mean I really get around and I know plenty of published writers. Want to see a writer clam up? Ask about his agent : )
Wow, thank you so much! That's a lot of hard work. Thank your for sharing!
Congrats, Sooz! Such amazing news and a great opportunity 💚
Wow this is brilliant!! You have taught me so much about writing over the years - thankful for you and all your work 💕
Ah, thank you SO MUCH, Corine!!! I really appreciate you saying that!