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:
I am seeking representation for my 70,000-word college memoir, Driving Toward The Edge.
Brief Summary:
Driving is the story of a team of engineering students who spent our college careers staying up late and skipping class so that we could spend all our time designing, building and driving racecars. The story starts at the beginning of the school year and follows me, the Chief Engineer, through the difficulties of staying on schedule, overcoming unexpected challenges and managing obstinate team members.
The team designs and builds a racecar to compete in the international intercollegiate Formula SAE competition against engineering schools from around the world. As the year progresses and the team members approach graduation, we become forced to reconcile our passion and drive to win with the realities of our mediocre Grade Point Averages, deteriorating friendships, and the cost of our obsession with racing. Once at the races, the difficulties only amplify. However, absent the distractions of school and work, the team comes together and drives to the top of the points.
Our University had never been a top level competitor in this sport. Formula SAE had always been dominated by preeminent engineering schools such as Cornell and Texas A&M. In our Senior year, we managed to move into the number one spot by an almost unprecedented lead during the competition, only to drop out due to a spectacular engine failure a few laps from the end of the final event.
Audience:
The book would appeal to the thousands of current Formula SAE students and the many more alumni, as well as engineers and fans of auto racing.
Me:
I am a Racecar Engineer and part time writer. I actively participate in the Formula SAE events every year and in other local and national auto racing events. I have a monthly column in Racecar Engineering Magazine.
The book is complete. If I have not heard from you in four weeks, I will assume you are not interested. Thank you for your time.
Author
STATS: 7% request rate
H. Zilionis says
Dear Author,
Thank you so much for sending me your query and offering me the chance to consider your work. Unfortunately, I am not the right agent for your project.
Good luck and keep writing!
Holly Z – Agent for a Day
Jane Doherty says
Please send the complete manuscript as an attached Word document.
Thanks,
Jane
Just_Me says
Dagnab engineers! You skipped lit class, didn’t you?
5 pages to read could make or break this. I’m dropping it in the MAYBE pile because, written well, this could be a great book. I’d love it! Written poorly… ugh… the mind reels.
I have 15 queries left to read and then I’ll let you know whether I’m willing to chance it.
Flemmily says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, I feel that DRIVING TOWARD THE EDGE is not a fit for our agency.
Best of luck with your future endeavors,
Flemmily
Flemmily says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, I feel that DRIVING TOWARD THE EDGE is not a fit for our agency.
Best of luck with your future endeavors,
Flemmily
Maria A says
Thank you for thinking of our agency, but not for us at this moment.
Best of luck,
Agent
Davien says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission, but this is not for me. I wish you luck in finding a home for your manuscript.
All the best,
Jenn S. says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. It’s not right for me, but please keep me in mind for future submissions.
Regards,
Jenn S.
(Reason: I was intrigued by the underdog story but I’m not sure this project would be profitable; most people would rather not read an engineer’s memoir. This might work better as a short non-fiction piece, or as a book with a wider scope. Regardless of length or focus, the ending seems lacking. If the team ended up losing, I want to see some sort of epiphany or relational payoff or something to justify the time readers would spend on this story.)
donnas says
Thank you for your submission but it does not fit my needs at this time.
Sincerely.
Janine says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query, but I am not the right agent for this. Best of luck.
Rebecca Knight says
Dear Edge,
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
Dana says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. I would be interested to read more of this novel. Please send me the first fifty pages as soon as you can.
Thanks,
Dana
reasons: good platform, interesting story, well written query- sort of sounded like a modern day October Sky, which lots of people have loved.
Nora Coon says
Not right for us at this time. Best of luck.
***
This sounds like it could be very fun, but don’t give me your generic description; instead, tell me some of the specific, super-dramatic and wild things that happened over the course of the project.
In other words, pitch it like a novel, and then tell me it’s a memoir in your final paragraph.
Mira says
Dear Author,
This is very tempting. I think an inspirational sports story, if written well, can find a definite audience. You have a built in one already, with the popularity of race cars.
Your query is well-written also, with good pacing and a clear story line. That leads me to suspect that your story is well written too.
I am not requesting a query at this time because I need more information about the ending. Since the team loses in the end, what makes this a compelling story? Were lives changed? Characters developed? What is the impact, and message beneath the adventure?
If I were an agent, I would ask you to re-query me answering those questions.
I debated seriously about this one. I think it has great potential for marketability, and to tell an exciting, interesting story.
I wish you the absolute best of luck!
Mira
Alisa says
No, thank you.
Alisa.
Getabo Publishing says
I love the topic although I know nothing about it. I think the subject is probably very sellable and that there is huge potential market along the lines of “The Apprentice” looking at management skills, growth, experiences, and the whole exciting subject of racing.
However this made my Top 10. Just didn’t make my top 5, from the selection 50 we had.
If this is already published I won’t be surprised, and if it isn’t, then good luck!
I was really torn and struggled ruling this out, I did really like it.
***
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately we do not think that your book would be a likely prospect for our list.
We regret that the large number of submissions we receive makes it impossible to offer individual comment. We believe it is more important to read and evaluate every query / submission we receive with due consideration.
We appreciate you thinking of Getabo Creative Publishing, and wish you the best of luck with your manuscript and future writing endeavors.
Sincerely.
The Editors
Getabo Creative Publishing
Annie Reynolds says
Dear author
Thank you for taking the time to submit your query to the A.F. A.D. agency. Unfortunately I do not believe your novel is a good fit at this time, but please remember that this is a very subjective industry, so keep trying.
Good luck with your career.
Yours truly,
Annie Reynolds.
Dorothy says
Dear Author:
Thank you for sending me your college memoir Driving Toward the Edge. I am not able to offer representation for this project.
In my opinion it lacks a broad base appeal even within the subculture of car nuts. Drivers, mechanics and engineers with a few years under their timing belts might well look askance at your story as a narrative about “30-day wonders” instead of skilled engineers. Experience counts more than university status when the rubber hits the road. At least that’s the opinion of the car nuts in my life.
If you can slant the emphasis away from the theme of longing for my good old college days and into the scent of high performance fuel and engine oil, then you might have something.
Good luck with your writing. As I am sure you know, it is clear and to the point.
Sincerely,
Honesty Is the Best Policy
Cat Moleski says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. I am interested in reading more. Please send me your first fifty pages.
Cat
Anonymous says
Dear Pursuing Author,
After reviewing your query, I feel that what you have presented to us is just not going to fly in our market right now. Sorry but keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Pepe Habanera
Aisling says
Dear Author,
I am sorry to inform you that I am not interested in your book. It does not fit with what I am looking for right now so I regret to tell you that, although I appreciated you sending me your query, I would not like to represent your work. I wish you the best of luck with your future writing!
Aisling
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Your book is interesting and I feel it has some potential, but it’s not for me, thanks for the attempt though.
Sincerely,
Mitsubishi
Asherose says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission, but it isn’t for me at this time. Best of luck with it elsewhere!
Agent
Reasoning: I was okay with the slightly unusual query format here. Brief Summary wasn’t; could be condensed. I’m not familiar with the memoir form, bear in mind, but felt I wanted to see more coherent story in the blurb.
Anonymous says
Thank you for your query, though I don’t think I’m interested in taking your story idea. Keep on writing.
-Thanks,
Suzuki Volkeswagon
drat says
Dear Author,
Thank you for sending me your query. This is a very interesting concept, but ultimately I concluded I’m not the right agent for the book. I’m sure you’ll find very able representation elsewhere, however!
Good luck with your manuscript, and query widely!
Thanks,
SDC
Anonymous says
Dear writer,
Your book looks promising and I may be interested in representing it. Please send me the first fifty pages so that I can get a better grasp on your writing and book in general.
Best regards,
Nathaniel Orange
Anonymous says
Dear writer,
I enjoyed your query, but I’m afraid I’m not the right agent to represent this work. I’d love to see more of your writing.
Gloria Valentine
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I appreciate your time and efforts, but I am sorry to say that I do not wish to represent your story. If you have another story idea, please send it to me in the future, and I would be happy to look at it.
Best Wishes,
Quintus Blackburn
Katalina Marie says
Dear Author,
I’m sorry but I don’t think that this book is the one for me.
Regards,
Katalina Marie
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I am not interested in your novel. Keep writing, your story had potential but was not for me. Feel free to Query me later with another piece of your work.
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
Thank you for the submission, but I regret to inform you that I will not be picking up your story.
Keep Writing,
Agent Jackie Moon
Anonymous says
Dear author,
I appreciate your query and found your concept interesting; however, it is just not what I am looking for. I look forward to future queries from you!
Thank you, Scarlett Cyrus
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I have decided not to take up your offer on publishing this book. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to view your material.
Thank You,
Happy Gilmore
LateInTheGame says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I am not the best representative for your work.
Good luck in your search for representation.
All the best,
Agent LateInTheGame
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I regret to inform you that I am not interested in representing your story. I hope you have better luck in the future.
Best of luck,
Arkham
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I regret to inform you that I am not interested in representing your story. I hope you have better luck in the future.
Best of luck,
Arkham
Anonymous says
please send manuscript.
Agent Edgar Leroy 3rd
Gryph says
Dear Author,
Thank you very much for your query. While I appreciate the time and effort you’ve put into your work, I don’t believe this is a good fit for me.
Please remember that what doesn’t fit one agent may well fit another! I encourage you to not give up. In the future, if you have other manuscripts to query, I hope that you’ll think of me again.
Sincerely,
Agent Gryph
Reba says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, it is not the right fit for me.
Best,
Reba
Kate H says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your query. I’m afraid I’m not the right agent to represent you, but I wish you the best of luck.
Kate H
s.koncilja says
Dear Author,
I received and read your query. Unfortunately it is not something that I’m looking for at the moment.
Keep me informed about your future work and good luck!
Agent S.K.
Shannon says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your query for DRIVING TOWARD THE EDGE for review. Unfortunately, I am not the right person to represent this story. This is a subjective business so another agent may feel differently. Good luck.
Sincerely,
Shannon
superwench83 says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, your manuscript isn’t right for me. Best wishes in your search for an agent.
Sincerely,
Agent for a Day
(A side note to the author: It takes some agents more than four weeks to even read your query letter. Personally, I recommend leaving that part off.)
EJN says
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission. Although I love a good underdog story, I am afraid that I will not be able to request additional materials. I wish you had spent more time in your query introducing me to the team members. Although I see potential for a great story in your premise, the writing itself felt a little dry, and I had no sense of whether or not the “characters” of your memoir would be compelling. I bet another agent will feel differently. Keep writing and keep trying.
Best of luck,
Agent EJN
publishingcareer says
Dear Author
Thank you for your interest in our agency and submitting your query for your college memoir Driving Toward The Edge.
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
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)
PCB says
Dear Author,
Thank you for submitting your query. We are not in a position to represent you at this time, but wish you all the very best in your writing endeavors.
Sincerely,
PCB
Dave says
Sorry, but I’m going to have to pass. Don’t give up though!nom
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
Just_Me says
Dear Author,
Your query isn’t standard, but after walking away and thinking about this story throughout the intervening time I think I would regret passing on your work without at least first looking at the manuscript.
Please send me the first fifty pages and a detailed synopsis along with any research or outside material cited in the text.
I’m looking forward to seeing your work,
Agent