Comments on Nathan Bransford, Author: The Batch Querying Theory

Anon- Question 1: send it! Fit and enthusiasm are...

2010-08-18T20:55:33.301-07:00

Anon-

Question 1: send it! Fit and enthusiasm are the most important things, not pre-conceived ideas going in. Send it and see what they say.

Question two is in the FAQs

Hi Nathan. I love your blog BTW. I am currently t...

2010-08-18T20:50:42.456-07:00

Hi Nathan. I love your blog BTW.

I am currently trying to get my first novel picked up and I sent out 13 queries. So far, I've gotten three requests and five rejections. Still waiting on the other five though. However, the three that requested the manuscript aren't exactly the big-name-huge-market "Curtis Brown Ltd." type agents that I'm trying to hook. Nor were the ones that rejected my manuscript. I queried agents based on who their clients are--if the work they represent is close in style and genre to mine (YA fantasy)--but I'm still waiting on the really reputable agents' responses.

How long should I wait before I respond to the ones that requested the manuscript?

And just one more question:

Will my age make a difference in the agents' verdicts (I'm 15 and winner of international contests which I know you take "with a grain of salt")?

Good advice, very sensible.

2010-03-03T10:13:30.175-08:00

Good advice, very sensible.

Thanks for this, Nathan. I'm trying it right n...

2010-03-02T07:51:38.873-08:00

Thanks for this, Nathan. I'm trying it right now for my first-ever round of queries. It's so hard to be patient!! I came back to this post and read through the comments to remind myself that it's worthwhile to be patient.

Thanks Adam. My success rate seems to range from 2...

2010-02-17T07:16:52.332-08:00

Thanks Adam. My success rate seems to range from 2 to 10%. Guess the queries need a little touching up.

@Anon 1:11. 8 out of 10 is AMAZING. I think a &quo...

2010-02-16T17:07:30.714-08:00

@Anon 1:11. 8 out of 10 is AMAZING. I think a "good" response rate is like 2-5 out of 10, depending on genre. But insert HUGE disclaimer here, cuz it also depends on the story, the agent, the agent's mood, and possibly whether or not a butterfly flapped its wings in Uganda.

Because really, all it takes is one.

So my question is: What is considered a "goo...

2010-02-16T13:11:43.730-08:00

So my question is:

What is considered a "good" response rate? I know it's subjective, but I'm wondering, how many requests (partial/full) would it take from one batch for you to consider the query good enough to send out to your top agents?

Is 1 or 2 out of a batch of 10 (10-20% success rate) good?

4 out of 10?

8?

What do you think?

Personalize each one. I question anyone who says a...

2010-02-16T10:59:33.858-08:00

Personalize each one. I question anyone who says a group e-blast landed them an agent, especially one of merit. Of course even a broken clock is right twice a day, so it could happen. I wouldn't count on it.

Yeah, I've done the query thing a few times. S...

2010-02-15T23:27:33.701-08:00

Yeah, I've done the query thing a few times. Signed with new agent recently. The query blast worked for me. I tried batch strategy, and personalizing. There was literally no difference in response rate-- I just wasted more time personalizing for agents who glanced at premise, decided, "Not for me", and hit reject. My new agent, an amazing agent who has all the qualities I was looking for, did not receive a personalized query at all. We're doing great.

Another enjoyable and concise post. I much prefer...

2010-02-13T07:47:49.099-08:00

Another enjoyable and concise post. I much prefer reading your blog to those lengthy publishing and agent-finding manuals.

QUESTION, I know that the answer is possibly in th...

2010-02-12T21:42:45.370-08:00

QUESTION, I know that the answer is possibly in this blog however, I am tired and I just got the kids to sleep. Not sure what that has to do with it but here I go. Say I query you and your amazed, shocked even at the delicious query-ness I have sent you but you weren't super stoked about the manu, you suggest what changes I should make because then the book would be great blah blah blah would I requery you once the changes are made or is that no no?

Nathan, on the subject of queries... would you be ...

2010-02-12T16:46:00.443-08:00

Nathan, on the subject of queries... would you be brave enough to post your query letter for Jacob Wonderbar? It would be interesting to see one from a real pro.

Nathan, Sorry, my funny bone is behaving badly t...

2010-02-12T12:45:47.157-08:00

Nathan,

Sorry, my funny bone is behaving badly this afternoon. Is that an actual photo of the slush pile at Curtis Brown? I feel sorry for those authors who cross their fingers and throw their ms into the mail box, without ever guessing that there might be something more to the process. :) n

Scott-- I plan to re-query agents with my new nov...

2010-02-12T12:35:12.877-08:00

Scott--

I plan to re-query agents with my new novel. Enough time has elapsed since I last queried them and I don't see why not--esp those agents that offered to read partials and fulls the first time around. I don't know why you think you've burned your bridges just because you queried them once and they rejected your ms (unless it's the same novel, and then yes, you shouldn't requery, but there are so many agents, new ones all the time, so you can query new agents with your improved ms).

How did you know I was getting ready to query? ;)

2010-02-12T12:21:01.677-08:00

How did you know I was getting ready to query? ;)

This is sound advice. It worked for me. I sent min...

2010-02-12T12:01:43.783-08:00

This is sound advice. It worked for me. I sent mine out in batches of eight to ten. Once I started getting requests, I increased the frequency of the batches because I knew my letter was working.

Good advice, Nathan. What really sucks about the q...

2010-02-12T11:58:19.963-08:00

Good advice, Nathan. What really sucks about the querying process is the "one and done" rule. I researched very carefully and hit all the agents I wanted with my last query. Now, I know I could do better, but it's too late--just as it's probably too late if those agents become more ready to accept an MS like mine.

So it's website, Facebook and Twitter until my fingers fall off trying to create a buzz that might find its way to one of those agents I burned. In a way, social networking and Internetting might function as a place for "lost queries" to go. There or a place like Inktip, where previously contacted agents might stumble upon my idea again.

Always looking for new ones, too, though.

It's wonderful to see this being addressed. I&...

2010-02-12T10:43:01.796-08:00

It's wonderful to see this being addressed. I'm thankful that the five agents I have sent queries to so far have been quick to respond (four rejections and one request for a partial that ended in rejection). Now I can make some adjustments and try again. I never thought this was going to be easy and it hasn't disappointed :)

I have thought this very thing! I know that the g...

2010-02-12T10:29:32.629-08:00

I have thought this very thing! I know that the general advice to query widely but I am sure it is not meant to be done all at once! If you take your time, you can fix mistakes and try again, instead of burning all your bridges.

l.t. host- This post might shed some light.

This tends to be my go-to strategy, but I have a q...

2010-02-12T10:23:56.918-08:00

This tends to be my go-to strategy, but I have a question. What if the opening lines of your MS would make killer opening query lines? Is an agent going to throw a fit if they're the same?

For example, my first two lines got an honorable mention in your contest. But they're so short and punchy I had to make my query longer and more wordy. It would probably be a great boon to my query (and my request rate) if I could just use the lines from my MS. What do you think?

This post is coming at the perfect time. Does anyo...

2010-02-12T10:15:48.857-08:00

This post is coming at the perfect time. Does anyone have any advice as to when you should send your query to your top agents? I might be overthinking this but I can't decide whether I should wait until the third or fourth batch or should I just query one of my top agents with every batch.

I only keep ten queries out at any one time. My q...

2010-02-12T09:41:11.326-08:00

I only keep ten queries out at any one time. My query letter has changed beyond all recognition and now it's got to the point where it is getting me requests for extra pages and even a full ms but the query letter is constantly evolving and you need to tweak it a little each time.

2010-02-12T09:40:05.307-08:00

This comment has been removed by the author.

I definitely believe in personalizing a query lett...

2010-02-12T09:29:29.115-08:00

I definitely believe in personalizing a query letter.

However, this time I'm sending out all queries to both agents and editors at once, before sending requested material.

Why?

Well, because dealing with queries, rejection letters, requested material for fifty or so agents and/or editors is a drag. After a while, I get sick of it and stop querying, whether I've sent it all out or not.

I just start polishing up the next novel.

Actually creating a novel is much more fun than sending it out. I haaate Queryland and if I ever do publish the sqqqqqueeee! you hear shattering the polar icecap will be from me knowing I don't have to query anymore, and not because I'll finally have a published novel.