I've been querying my debut novel for almost two weeks. So far I have sent out 23 query letters and received 8 rejections. I take each rejection as a chance to improve my querying ability. I take a good look at the letter I sent and the other requirements they asked for, and try to figure out where I might have lost them. A couple of agents have provided some feedback, which I greatly appreciate, but do not expect as I continue this process.
As I was studying how to write a query letter, the number one thing all the advisors said was to personalize the query to the agent. Research their existing clients. Read their wish lists. Stalk them on Twitter/X. Find out what it is that each particular agent is looking for and show how your work meets their desires. I'm trying to do a good job, but it's hard to sell myself - I've never been too good at that.
But, in doing my research into the agents I've chosen to query, I've also researched the agencies they work for. I read their mission statements and look at their overall clientele, trying to gauge what's important to the company in general. So far, I've come across a couple of companies that I just don't like the sound of. Even if a particular agent on their roster seems like they might be a good fit, the company doesn't.
Granted, I'm still very new to this querying thing, so I don't always trust my instincts on this. There was an agency I queried last week that I was rather dubious about. The agent I selected to contact said that they were open to young adult novels from characters of diverse backgrounds with unique voices. My YA novel has a queer protagonist and a cast from a wide range of ethnicities and sexual preferences. The main conflict in my novel centers around family dynamics, parental pressure, and expectations that come along with going to an elite school, not the diversity of the cast of characters. So, I looked through the authors that the company represents and found a couple of books that had similar conflicts and family dynamics, and mentioned them in my query letter. But, while I was looking through the books they'd gotten published, I noticed a distinct lack of LGBTQIA+ materials. In fact, I couldn't find a single one with a queer protagonist.
I received a rejection the next day, saying it wasn't what they were looking for. Now, my instinct after reading through their clientele was that the "diverse voices" they were looking for did not include non-straight people, but, as that's not the focus of my story, I decided to try them anyway.
Then I got to thinking ... would I want to be repped by a company that regularly dismisses books with non-straight main characters? Even if they were willing to take a chance on my book, perhaps because sexuality is not the main focus, would I want to be associated with a company that's less inclusive than so many other companies that specifically request queer voices?
This is only the first manuscript I've completed and am ready to publish, but I have a ton of stories left in me, just begging to be put on paper. Many of my main characters fall under the category of non-straight. I want to be repped by a company that celebrates that kind of diversity, not just puts up with it. So, I'm going to be a little more careful when researching companies for my upcoming query letters. It's not just about finding an agent willing to take a chance on me, it's about finding a company that I'd be proud to stand beside.
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