I mailed the book off yesterday-which means it will go out this morning and it is out of my hands.
I checked my thriller e-mail and found that I have yet another "Not right for us at this time" response to the thriller query. So, I'm working out whether the query is not right, or the book idea is not right or this is a bad time to be looking for an agent or am I looking at the wrong agencies? I've heard other people getting requests from agents- but they are writing a different genre and querying different agents. Hmmm. I will try a rewrite on the query letter and send out a few more- (FYI stats- of the 14 queries out on the thriller- 8 have replied- all have the exact same wording..."Not right for this agency at this time.")
It could be a timing issue. In the romance genre Spring and Fall are the best times to query-as Summer is eaten up by vacations and conferences and Winter is eaten up by the holidays. Do you know if this is true for all genres?
It's a puzzle. Cheers!
Don't know about query times - I know fall is the big release quarter as publishers vie for the holiday dollar.
ReplyDeleteMy friend, author p.m. terrell, always told me to pursue a publisher rather than an agent. But if you're already building on successful books, that increases the odds of finding an agent.
L. Diane Wolfe
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
www.spunkonastick.net
www.thecircleoffriends.net
I had no idea certain times of the "year" would be better for querying than others. Wow, this is like a science, trying to figure out the publishing world. But at least I feel better about getting my own "at this time" letter yesterday. It might not be just me after all. Whew!
ReplyDeleteGood advice, L. Diane- *smile* I always seem to go straight for publishers anyway. Yesterday I got a letter from an agent telling me my book doesn't fit "his needs" at this time. Wait- isn't it editors' needs it's suppose to fit??? Wow-
ReplyDeleteLinda, I think it's the economy right now. Everyone is holding their breath. So, don't get discouraged.