I see in a few groups questions about "should I query this agent" with like breathless excitement.

Let's talk about querying a second- less technical "how to" and more the proper brain space so you know what you're getting into.

First. That novel better be done and as polished as you (not a 3rd party editor) can make up. Don't fire off your first draft. Don't fire off ideas.

Second. Avoid obvious mistakes. That means google "how not to query" and don't do that. Several agents tweet about what not to do too.

Read directions. Follow them precisely. You're not special you're one in thousands. Avoid obvious mistakes.

Third. It's SCARY querying. Yes, polish your letter, workshop it w other writers if you can. Research your agents and also "how to write a query letter."

But while it's scary at some point ya gotta hit 'send'.

Not only that, but at some point aside from hitting send you gotta have a system in place. It's not just one query letter. I've written at this point... 3 dozenish. And that's small potatoes.

Like, yes, hitting send will also be nervous, but at some point it's also just WORK. A lot of it. Researching, tracking, writing queries, that's roll-up-your-sleeves work you gotta get comfortable doing. You don't have TIME to agonize for 3 days every time you go hit "send."

It's also not a fast process. If you're wanting immediate answers and you want to be traditionally published...

Uhmmmm I hate to tell you but fast ain't traditional publishing.

Don't let my gif fool you nor be taken as a disparagement of agents.

Agents are super-heroes. Remember, they don't get paid for reading queries, they get paid for existing clients. And they literally get hundreds or THOUSANDS of queries a year.

So when you start getting antsy and going "But I haven't heard back yeeeeet when will I?"

Chill out. They're not lounging around waiting to stamp "rejected" on manuscripts. They're working hard. You have to understand that, because you want them to be your partner.

You will hear back from some in two weeks on a query. Some will be radio silence forever. Some will write back in a day and then wait 8 months to respond to the partial you send.

It's a slow process. Be. Patient. And if in doubt, check their website.

I tell you all of this, about agent workload and the pace of this, because mentally prepare yourself for radio silence from that dream agent.

Prepare yourself to wait for 4 months and then get a form rejection, or something like "...it's a very individual process."

Seriously, so many people seem to get SO ANGRY at those form letters. "I wanted SIX MONTHS and you just gave me a FORM LETTER?"

If you don't understand the realities of workloads agents face, and empathize with that, you're probably not a good person to work with.

Not like, "you're a terrible person how DARE" but just. It doesn't sound like you have the foundation in place for a productive working relationship.

Agents work hard for not oodles of pay. It's a hard gig. Back em up and empathize.

It's slow. There will be rejections. Some will hurt more than others. It's the name of the game. And they don't ever stop hurting, but it's like a bad headache (not migraine)- there's a point where it hurts but you keep going.

Throughout all of this you should be working on the NEXT story, to keep yourself occupied. Otherwise a year and a half will go by and you'll be like "wait wat?"

And also. You gotta believe in your story.

It can be discouraging. It can be frustrating. It can be tempting to can your book or go "I'm just not cut out for this." Almost worse: the temptation to just go back and keep constantly revising after every rejection.

Keep moving forward, not running in circles.

Like. My Pacific Rim x Firefly story?

Yall. I know this crew is fabulous. I know this story is setting up some awesome payoffs. I know it in my bones and you all will see it someday. This is a story I NEED to tell.

Hold on to that need for your story.

...but also, understand, now may not be the time.
You might legit not be ready. Had I queried my first book, my second book... gosh even my 6th book, they would have been bad trashfires because I wasn't ready. I didn't have my craft.
It's okay to not be ready. Accept it. Move on.

It could be you don't find an agent you connect with, it could be they're not looking for what you're writing now, it could be a MILLION things.

If your book doesn't find a home, that's *ok*. Hold on to that need and keep it in your pocket for the future.

Anyway. This was a longer thread than I expected, but when someone is eagerly going "Should I query this agent?" I just want to be clear what it is you're getting into. It's not one and done. It's not fast. It's a project, a slow project.

But if you want to be traditionally published it's also a game you gotta play.

You're welcome not to - self publishing is really big at giving stories trad pub didn't like a successful and thriving niche'. For some stories it's best.

Just know what KIND of game you're playing if you're starting out on this. Be kind to yourself, be patient, and keep writing.

Cheers all.

Addendum: good agents to follow.
@_LisaRodgers (also occasional yarnie goodness)
@ericsmithrocks (occasional corgie and mighty fine hats)
@dongwon (great substack)
@BookEndsJessica (also @bookendslit has a great YouTube covering basics)

There's many more wonderful folks in my feed; I'll add them as they come up.

@stdennard also has an amazing series of blog posts being frank about the nuts and bolts of her query process.

@SaraMegibow also is always keeping it real about what agents face, and how they go to bat for their clients.

Final note to this note:
Do NOT just cold pitch these above agents on Twitter. Please. If that's what your takeaway from these are, you need to go back to the earlier step of "Google how not to pitch agents."

It's a basic mistake. Don't do it.