Sending your query blindly is like playing pin-the-tail on the donkey. You might get lucky and get a request or two, but more likely you’re just going to get rejections.
Create a list of agents who seem like a good fit; this increases your chances of getting requests to see at least part of your manuscript. And increases your chances of getting an agent to offer you a request for revision or helpful feedback – or even better, representation.
Researching literary agents feels daunting, but so is writing a book! And you’ve already done that. You definitely can create a list of agents who should be a good fit for your work. Here’s how.
First, determine the genre and category of your manuscript. Easy! You should have already done this for your query letter. Keep it simple: pick one genre (two at most) and one age category. Your manuscript may cross over genres or audiences, but that’s for another time. For example, “TITLE is adult paranormal romance.”
1. Identify your genre and category.
2. Choose your resources.
3. Make sure the agent is a good fit.
4. Tailor your query to that agent by learning more about them.
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