Now, before we begin this reading, I have to put a bit of a disclaimer: I’m in no way, nor do I claim to be, an expert in the publication field. However, I do have experience in writing a query letter and scouting literary agents. Which is why in this episode of “Words With Mr. Kaumans”, I’ll be giving some tips on writing a query letter, as well as what to look for in an agent.
First thing’s first, in order to find the right literary agent for you, we first need to put your novel in a category. For example, if your book is about a mid-western detective hunting down a serial killer, then you wouldn’t want a literary agent who specializes in science fiction to represent you. Instead, search specifically for agents who usually represent authors of the mystery or thriller genre.
When writing a query letter, it’s important to keep it as short as possible, while at the same time describing your book’s story in a way that your agent can perfectly understand what it is you’re trying to do. Most query letters are–at maximum–two pages long. So, if your current draft of your query letter is longer than that, you might want to consider heavily editing it, else it’s more than likely the literary agent you’re reaching out to will ball up your query letter and throw it in the trash.
Finally–and this is the most important advice I can give–be patient. Most literary agents will take months to get back to you. No matter what, do act rude or disrespectful towards the agents you’re querying.
Literary agents work in small circles, and if you are a bad employee, odds are that word will spread around and before you know it, no literary agent will want to accept your novel.
Also, I would like to thank Dr. Brendan Stephens, who helped me write my first query letter. If you want any more advice on how to make a good query letter or how to find a good agent, there are plenty of videos on Youtube. And remember: A good author writes, rewrites, and self-reflects on all their works.
My name is Kevin A. Kaumans, thank you for tuning into this week’s column. Make sure to pick up a new newspaper from NWOSU News every week, and until next time friends:
Stay Educated
