Today I'm going to introduce you to a website that will make all your dreams come true...

Well, maybe not that great. Still, this little database is pretty neat. It's called Agent Query and has everything you need to send off your manuscript to people who may, just may, want to work with you.

There have been arguments far and wide as to the pros and cons of sending your query package to a publisher direct or to an agent, first. Here's my thinking on it: publishing houses are huge. Really huge. The publisher I've been working for this summer is rather small, compared to such places as Houghton Mifflin and Random House and Penguin. Still, they receive on average about 20,000 unsolicited manuscripts every year that they have to go through. This is called the 'slush' pile and doesn't count all the manuscripts they receive from sister/brother companies in Europe, Asia, and Australia or the manuscripts they receive from authors already on their client list. They accept only 30 titles total for the year. The chances of your piece getting noticed, much less found, in that slush pile? Mmmm...very small. Very. Small. And chances are your piece is going to get read by an intern. Like me. Not by some high up editor. When your piece is read by an intern -- like me -- it has to first be approved by me, then has to be approved by all the other interns, however many there are, then has to be approved by all the editors, however many there are, and then has to be approved by the highest of the high. Just in order to be considered. At that point we may not even have the full manuscript.

An agent, however, receives far fewer queries than the big houses. They read your piece directly, because while Agent Houses may have interns, individual agents probably will not. And if you get the agent to take on your project, they will do the hard work of sending out to publishing companies for you. They have the connections, they have the names of who to send to, they know which markets are looking for what. At least, assume they do. That is their job after all.

So my philosophy is to send to agents over publishers. Your chances may still be low, just because publishing is that kind of industry, but they're better. Now all you need to know is-- what do I send an agent? And how do I find them?

First of all, you need to know what a Query Package is. A Query Package is exactly what it sounds like. It's the packet of materials you send to an agent to give them an idea of what you have and inquire if they want it. Normally a Query Package will consist of part or all of these things:

1 - A query letter. This letter gives a very brief introduction to what your book is about and about you as the author. It's supposed to be the absolute best writing you've ever done, and it had better be. For more information on query letters, read my earlier blog post here.

2 - Sample work. Usually an agent will ask for either the first three chapters or the first fifty pages. It depends on what their requirements are. And I'll tell you the truth-- if your query letter is supposed to be the best writing you've ever done, these have to be even better than that. Your query letter is simply the hook. The sample work has to make them absolutely nuts for your manuscript. And I've skimmed many a query letter only to turn down the sample chapters.

3 - A synopsis. There are very few guides on how to write a good synopsis. Everyone's too busy looking at the query letters. I ran into this problem myself until very recently while talking to my mentor. My synopsis, a first draft I had never touched since, was about 18 pages. They're supposed to be about five pages. Try to go no longer than that. Seven is the max. Think of the synopsis as an extended version of your query. You still want to make them crave more at the end, so don't give everything away. Maybe not even the conclusion. Just get them to that point and...oh? You want to know what happens? Request my full manuscript. If you please.

4 - A "SASE". A "SASE" is a self-addressed, stamped envelope, and you never ever want to send a query package without one. Don't forget the stamp. Or the address. I've received both in my internship, and if you send an addressed envelope with no stamp, in the trash it goes. If you get some who pities you when you send a stamped but no addressed envelope, you may get it back to you if they take the time to look for your address on your query letter (where it should be, note) and write it in for you. Chances are, they'll simply chuck it in sheer frustration. And you won't get a response without one.

If you have all these things as well as anything else an agent may ask for, you're on your way to doing a good job. Read the requirements of every agent. It'll prove that you were listening and doing your research.

Also know exactly what they do and do not publish. If you send your adult novel to an agent who represents children's picture books, you're just going to annoy them and provide new filling for the junkyard. Good agent listings will have their genres, age ranges, and also what they do not publish specifically.

Pay attention to whether an agent accepts paper or email queries. Never require signature upon receipt of your manuscript if you send it in the mail. They will refuse it. Until you're their client, they're not going to take any extra steps for you. At all. Remember that.

Now, at this point you may be thinking, this is going to take a lot of research. Well, that's true. But here comes the handy dandy link that I put in above. That website is called Agent Query and it's a database of listed agents of all sorts. You fill in the search bubbles-- keywords, fiction, non fiction, and it will give you a list of agents with all of their information. Emails, addresses, names, their preferences, their requirements, their rejection qualifications, their agent houses if they belong to one, and whether or not they're accepting queries at the moment. Never send a query to an agent who isn't accepting. Your manuscript will go right in the trash. Chances are they won't even read it.

I've been using this website for years, but I was always a bit worried that it wasn't quite legit. However, my mentor this summer put my fears to rest by telling me she has used the exact same website in the past. She's even listed in the testimonials of how well it works. Because guess where she found an agent? Right there.

Get a list of agents. Write it out, type it out. Collect all their information that you need regarding their contact and their requirements. Use their name in your query letter, not just 'to who it may concern'. Make it personal. Make sure you get it right. Then make your packages. Do it neatly and professionally. Send out as many as you can. Some people say that you should write in your query letter that this is a simultaneous submission, but I don't see the point. I've been told too many times to not put in potentially detrimental information in your query letter. For example-- never tell your agent that you've never been published before or that you have no experience at all in the publishing industry. It doesn't matter and will only make it look like you're trying to draw attention to a less than favorable aspect of yourself. So if the agent requests you mark your manuscript as simultaneous or not (that means you're sending it to more than one agent at a time) then do what they ask. Otherwise...don't mention it.

Have fun sorting through the lists of agents. They are jewels at your disposal. But always remember to get it right. And if they reject you the first time, don't be afraid to send to them again. You can always send to a single agent multiple times.

Oh and one more piece of advice...

Never, ever send to multiple agents within a single agency house. They'll catch you. Besides, nobody likes a tease.