This query is part of the Be an Agent for a Day contest. Rules and Regulations here
Please post your rejection or manuscript request in the comment section!
Dear Agent for a Day,
Today, a bully broke a kid’s nose against a urinal; a rebel wrote her high school hit list; a sci-fi dweeb got caught with porn in class; and a social pariah got humiliated in the girls’ locker room.
Tomorrow, they’ll all be in deep trouble with no one to turn to but each other.
LOSERS is a 50,000 word young adult novel about isolation, friendship and discovering who we are through the people we connect with. Trapper, Andi, Boston and Tuna are four teens with nothing in common, until they witness a police officer committing a crime. Scared for their lives and caught up in the excitement, they hit the road until they can figure out who they can turn to for help. The novel takes place over a 24 hour period, and by the end, they learn exactly who they can count on – each other.
I wrote this novel because, while I never experienced death or drugs or other untold horrors in YA novels these days, I DID experience the daily abuse that can define a teenager at the most vulnerable time in their lives. I wanted to tell a story that every young adult can relate to.
As a journalist, I write facts all day, every day. This is my first work of fiction.
I would love to send a partial or full manuscript of Losers for your consideration.
Thanks in advance for your time.
Sincerely,
Author
STATS: 35% request rate
publishingcareer says
Dear Author
Thank you for your interest in our agency and submitting your query for your novel Losers.
I read it with interest but unfortunately it is not what I am looking for.
Best of luck and kind regards.
Yours faithfully
Robert Sullivan AFAD
Nikki Hensley says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, I don’t think I am the right agent for this novel. Best of luck in your search!
Agent Nikki
Dave says
Sorry, but I’m going to have to pass. Don’t give up though!
Melissa says
Form rejection:
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately it doesn’t meet my needs at this time.
Thank you and best of luck,
Melissa (Ximera)
Rebecca Knight says
Dear Author of “Losers,”
Thank you for your query, and for thinking of my agency. Unfortunately, I feel that I’m not the best fit for your project. This industry is highly subjective, so I’m sure others will feel differently. Best of luck to you in all your endeavors.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Knight
vicariousrising says
Thank you for your submission. I regret that I don’t feel this project isn’t right for me.
I wish you the best in your writing endeavors.
* My biggest problem with this is it is too Breakfast Club-like and it embraces teen stereotypes. The query is well written and this would probably be a very good novel
vicariousrising says
Thank you for your submission. I regret that I don’t feel this project isn’t right for me.
I wish you the best in your writing endeavors.
* My biggest problem with this is it is too Breakfast Club-like and it embraces teen stereotypes. The query is well written and this would probably be a very good novel
Hildegarde512 says
Dear Author,
I am very pleased you chose to submit to us and am interested in reading more of your work.
If I were a real agent, instructions for sending the requested material would live here.
Kendra says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your work. Unfortunately, this is not a project I feel I can sucessfully represent. Good luck in your writing.
Kendra
Hallie says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. I’d like to request a copy of your manuscript (and submission instructions go here). It usually takes me about a month from the time I receive the file to read and consider manuscripts and reply. Thank you again!
Warm regards,
Hallie
——-
(I think the novel is a little short, but it sounds like an interesting friendship story, and really unlike what else is on the shelves right now, so I’m going to take a chance on this one.)
Jada says
Dear Author,
Thank you for considering me for your query. Please email me three chapters of LOSERS.
Regards,
Agent for a Day.
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Thank you for considering me. I can see this being picked up elsewhere, but unfortunately I have to pass. Reason for rejection – personal taste.
Best of Luck!
Agent X-9
Heather says
Dear Author,
Thank you for considering our agency for LOSERS. Please send the first 100 pages of the manuscript as a PDF attachment via email to my attention.
Best Wishes,
Heather
abouttothunder says
Dear Author,
Thank you for the opportunity to represent your work. Unfortunately, it isn’t a good fit for me. Since you deserve an agent who will fully support you project, I will have to pass.
I wish you the best of luck in finding representation.
Sincerely,
Agent-for-a-day Sara
Kathy says
I like what you’ve presented in your query.
Please send me the first three chapters to help me decide if this is right for me.
Sincerely,
Kathy
Rik says
Thank you for submitting your book – Losers – for my consideration. Regrettably, I do not feel that I am able to represent this work for you. Best wishes for your future endeavours. Agent Rik.
AgentforDay says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting LOSERS for my consideration.
Four classically different teenagers are forced to work together to survive. It’s been done successfully so many times… I can’t pass this one up.
Please send the complete manuscript for further consideration.
Sincerely,
AgentforDay
I like your clear voice, and the appropriate sense of drama – I bet young adults will, too.
For future reference, you might want to leave out the paragraph containing the personal side story. You don’t have to convince me of or defend your lack of actual life experiences.
Let the manuscript sell itself. You had me at “Today, a bully broke a kid’s nose against a urinal.”
Meggrs says
Strong query–pages please.
I think the third paragraph is possibly unnecessary. You can get away with sticking to the story and characters itself.
Rachel says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. I’m interested in seeing the first three chapters of LOSERS.
Sincerely.
Leis says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. While I think your story has potential, it is not something I feel confident taking on at this time.
Please feel free to query me with future projects.
Sincerely,
Agent for a Day
Sasha says
Dear Author,
This is intriguing. Please send me the entire manuscript as an email attachment. I look forward to reading.
Best wishes,
Sasha
EJN says
Dear Author,
This is hands down the best query letter I’ve read in this contest so far. Kudos! Please send me your full manuscript.
Best of luck,
Agent EJN
Jackie Harris-Stone says
Dear Author,
Thnk you for your query. I would be interested in exploring this further. Please send me the first three chapters of your novel.
Sincerely,
Jackie Harris-Stone
PCB says
Dear Author,
Your query piqued my interest. Please send me the first fifty pages of your manuscript.
Many thanks,
PCB
L.C. Gant says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Your writing is solid, and while the concept of your story is nothing new, the direction you decided to take with the characters intrigued me. I’d love to see more.
Please send me the first 50 pages of LOSERS as a Word document attached to an e-mail. I look forward to reading your work.
Sincerely,
L.C. Gant (Agent for a Day)
Hilabeans says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your recent submission. Please send me LOSERS as a .doc, .docx, .rtf, or .pdf attachment immediately.
I look forward to reading your work!
Sincerely,
HHS
hilary@hilaryheskett.com
Dawn says
Dear Author,
Thank you for contacting Dawn Ink. Unfortunately, LOSERS is not what we’re looking for right now.
Best of luck in finding representation.
Sincerely,
Dawn
Owl Sprite says
Dear Author,
I regret to inform you that I have used up all my picks for the contest. Consequently, I did not read your letter. So this rejection has absolutely nothing to do with you, simply that I am out of picks and out of time to spend giving feedback.
So very sorry.
Best wishes in your search for representation,
Owl Sprite
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Thank you for taking the time to submit your query to me.
I was intrigued by the premise of your story and your voice.
Therefore, I would like to request a PARTIAL. Please reply to this e-mail and attach the first three chapters of your manuscript as a Word document. Please change the subject line to: PARTIAL / LOSERS / YOUR NAME. I will respond within one week.
Thank you in advance.
Kind regards,
Nicole34
2readornot says
This sounds very intriguing. Please send along the entire manuscript.
Chuck H. says
Dear Author,
Sorry to say this just didn’t grab me. Good luck with your search for representation.
Sincerely,
Chuck
(Good query. I just think there’s too much violence in the youth marker already.)
Anahita says
Dear Author:
Thanks for sharing your query. Sorry I can’t represent your work. Good luck!
Anahita
SuzieQ Agent4U says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I do not feel your book is right for me. Good luck with your search.
Best,
S
Saint_Fool says
Dear Author:
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I do not feel that your story is the right fit for me.
Best of luck.
Saint_Fool
AMM says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting LOSERS for my consideration. I am interested in reading more.
Please send a brief synopsis and the first three chapters for further consideration.
Sincerely,
AMM
Enusan says
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately the premise didn’t sound plausible to me, and the characters sound too formulaic. I’ll have to pass.
That Girl says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I will have to pass at this time.
Best of luck,
That Agent Girl
Diana says
This sounds like a great story, but I’ve run out of requests. Also was a bit turned off by the fourth paragraph describing your background. It was rather vague and not too helpful. Best of luck with the story!
R. Markiam says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query letter and for thinking of me for representation of LOSERS. While your novel sounds intriguing, I’m sorry to say I won’t be able to pursue it further with you. I wish you all the best in securing other representation.
Regards,
R. Markiam
Anonymous says
Thank you for your submission. I am interested in seeing more of your work, and would like to request further material. Please send me the first three chapters of your novel at your earliest convenience.
Best,
Agent M
Requested: #17, #35, #38, #46
ludwig snarf says
i regret that we cannot help you
MonkBoy says
I believe this has some potential. Please send me your manuscript for further review.
Sincerely,
Placebo Publications
Laura Martone says
Dear Author:
Thank you for submitting your query for consideration. I appreciate the time, energy, and passion that it required to complete “Losers”.
Unfortunately, given the thousands of queries that I receive annually, I can only request a small percentage of manuscripts for possible representation. While I find the subject matter of your novel intriguing, it does not meet my editorial needs at this time.
I am grateful for the opportunity to consider your work and wish you much luck in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Laura Martone
Livia says
Thank you for your query, but it is not a good fit for me. Best wishes.
Livia
Jenn S. says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. I’m interested in reading more of your project; please send me your first ten pages.
Regards,
Jenn S.
(Reason: I think this may have potential. The plot is too general for my taste; I’m requesting pages to find out what the writing is like. If this author has a great voice, I’d snap it up and work with them to increase the word count, since 50k is on the light side for a YA. So this isn’t a “I love your book!!!” acceptance. It’s a request for pages so I can make my final determination. Wish I hadn’t had to use one of my requests like that, but what can you do.)
Jenn S. says
Ack. I requested six books, not five. Am going to un-request this one. I won’t be surprised if it turns out to be a published work, though.
Final requests: 24, 26, 37, 46, 50
chris says
Please send pages.
Sincerely,
Lowly Scribe