I’m not complaining. That needs to be said up front. Not. Complaining. I love queries, I want queries, that’s not what this is about. Cool? Cool.
Now that we have that out of the way, let me just level with you: the number of queries coming in is rising every single day, and it’s kind of a mixed blessing. On the one hand, just by sheer numbers there are more good projects coming in than ever. This is great!
On the other hand, the “frivolous queries” that read like a Craigslist personal ad are also on the increase, and disproportionately so. For every one extra good query I receive a day I’m receiving two extra bad ones. This is bad! (and it seems it’s not just me)
As you probably know, query-answering time is in addition to day-in/day-out tasks that are very much a full-time job on their own. It’s not like I can divide my day between mornings dealing with clients and agent stuff, and afternoons devoted to queries. Every minute/hour/several hours I’m spending answering queries is a minute/hour/several hours extending my day. So far I have been able to manage everything and still maintain a roughly-twenty-four hour response time for queries, two weeks for partials, and a month for fulls, but that pace is getting more challenging by the week.
So. What would you do? How would you manage the unsoliciteds when they are forever threatening to overtake the ramparts? Would you only respond to the ones that follow guidelines? Still respond to everyone? Develop a more stringent incoming-query system?
As you answer, let’s say for the purposes of this discussion hiring an intern or assistant isn’t possible. What would you do if you were an agent?
Tricia says
Forgivith if someone already suggested this, but I didn't want to read the hundred comments before it to check.
I suggest having one place only with your query-specific e-mail address. And that place is at the bottom of your submission guidlines.
If you have the e-mail address other places as well then it's too easy for the querier to by-pass the guidelines.
My last suggestion is to make said querier take a simple IQ test prior to sending.
Kourtnie McKenzie says
I'm normally not a frequent commenter, but I had to mention something considering the trend I'm seeing with other people's answers.
I think it's great that you respond so quickly, and lowering that response time isn't the ideal solution. Not only does it help you tackle query piles, it's really attractive to writers seeking agents. It was reason #153 that you're my first pick agent. (Okay, maybe I don't have that many reasons, but it was on a mental list somewhere.)
Writers like to hear back about their queries, and it's also a Polaris-guiding sign that the agent is lightning communicative through the rest of the potential author-agent-relationship. No reason to slow your response time when that's an awesome quality.
I would delete any query not addressed to you. "Dear Agent" is auto-kill. Misspelled names are a turn-off too. It takes 30 seconds of Googling to get these things right, no real research required! I'm not sure how much easier that would make it.
Also, the people mentioning webforms: maybe it's just me, but I intentionally put the agents I researched that use webforms on the bottom of my "Seven Agents a Week" list. Above the ones I know nothing about other than Query Tracker, of course, but I like the ability to organize all the queries in Gmail and webforms don't do that.
I'm not sure why people are mentioning readers and interns when you said you didn't want that suggestion!
Good luck getting through the gargantuan amount of queries and finding Hobbit and LotR time. 🙂
Zachary Grimm says
I suppose if it were me, Nathan, I'd probably respond/take the time to really read those queries that followed my guidelines. And to that end, only the ones that REALLY followed them. If it's going to grab my attention, it's going to do it quickly.
Those people who are in the query stage are (perhaps) very in-tune with the publishing and agent world at that point; therefore they should really be able to figure out that most agents have specific guidelines, and writers should REALLY do their best to follow them. It should probably be second nature, actually. I haven't come across an agent yet who doesn't spell things out pretty darn specifically for us writers.
reader says
You could do what a lot of agents are doing, no respons= no.
Yes, that would suck for writers, but also save your noggin.
Otherwise, make a narrower list of queries you'll accept — by saying, when in doubt query me, EVERBODY is gonna query you!!
(um, including me…)
Anonymous says
I know you said leave out the possibility of an intern or reader, but why? If you get the right person, they'll be an enormous asset, and I'm sure there are tons and tons of smart, literate people who would work for an agent for free or a very small salary. You have to invest in training them on the front end, but on the back end, they will be priceless.
Kelly says
Well, you could always make up a "secret" password and post it on your blog, PM listing, etc. Then set up a filter to delete all emails that include the word "query" but don't include the word "magicalunicornsfrolicintheforestsofsandiego" … 😉
Satan says
Make it harder to find where to send a query. The folks who are sending you weird stuff are not the ones who take the time to read your various posts on what to do and what not to do (right?), so make people work for it a little: create a new query address, and make it a little harder to find.
sex scenes at starbucks says
We're facing the same thing in submissions at Electric Spec. Unfortunately, the amount of time each story gets to wow me is shorter and shorter as the years go by.
I like how you say 24 hour response time. Every email, however small, I've ever sent you has had a response in MINUTES, not hours.
Scott says
Nathan, I'd make it public policy that only good queries get replies. If yours didn't get one, you can query again by getting in the back of the line, but unless it's good, it's getting skimmed and tossed again. If you want to make a note of the bad ones and give a limit to two or three queries per MS, it's another option.
This allows you to still become aware of a good book by a bad query-er, and forces submitters to work on their game without striking out first time up.
Time is of the essence and it's shrinking. Time to be draconian, but fair without weakening your prospects.
TIME OF THE HEATHEN says
Quick rude question: Using your current process, what percentage of the queries you accept actually make it to a published book?
And what percent of those published books you generated because of your query process actually make the publisher money?
If your current query process does not generate a very high percentage of winners, then the current system you use is no better than a lottery.
Have an intern place slips of paper containing each query's name in a hat and draw out 10 each day. Follow up on the 10 and see if your percentage of winners increases, stays the same, or decreases.
If you find that your current process generates a string of publishing miracles, then why change it?
JEM
sex scenes at starbucks says
If you did the form query, you COULD only include options that fit your guidelines with a clear statement at the top that if it doesn't fit within these paramaters of genre and length and lack of rhetorical questions, don't bother. That way it combines your queries and guidelines in one easy format.
Anonymous says
The following is just a hypothesis. Cool? Cool.
1) You blog week-daily.
2) You appear to read most–if not all–of the blog comments.
3) You are active in the forums.
4) Activities 1-3 consume time. (Well, at least if I participated in 1-3, I'd need more than 24 hours/day to accomplish everything. Just reading your posts and skimming through the comments a few times a week is a luxury that I have to purposefully build into my day).
5) Therefore, you quit blogging.
Heaven forbid you ever consider 5 but it certainly is an option.
And I answered your post's question so that hopefully you'd answer mine: how much time do you devote to this blog?
sex scenes at starbucks says
I have to say I very much disagree with not responding at all. It's not courteous and not good business. Even door to door salesmen get a "no thank you" from me before I slam the door in their faces. 🙂
Kelly says
er … sanfrancisco … my query was clearly deleted …
clubschaaf says
As someone who hasn't quit her day job and answers queries of a different sort I recommend you require the query format followed. Also, I'm sure you have problem children who are frequently fliers. If they haven't submitted anything of substance to you and/or continually submit badly formatted queries could you set an auto response or auto delete for those email addresses? I don't mean to sound harsh, but volume over quality takes some balance.
Ink says
Hail query, full of grace
Our time is with thee
Blessed are thou amongst writers
and blessed is the fruit of thy hand, genius.
Holy query, on the iPod
Pray for us query readers,
Now and at the hour of our slush reading.
Amen.
John Jack says
The question seems to me to be how to handle an escalating deluge of queries without sacrificing personal involvement.
That conundrum has stymied artists for millenia. A restaurateur knows the answer. Customers are standing in lines around the block in the rain waiting to get in? Convert to reservations only. Walk-ins take their chances. In other words, make the query submission process more self-selective.
ryan field says
Don't get mad. You're obviously looking for a solution and this isn't going to do it. But I'd like to think that I'd handle the whole process as dignified and as professionally as you do.
I've been around for almost twenty years and I've seen a few good train wrecks with regards to how queries are handled, and even abused. I've seen and heard more than I've wanted to see. But you're a class act. Hold on to that for as long as you can.
mkcbunny says
I agree with several suggestions here.
First, you do a great job of getting back to people promptly, and your reason for doing so makes sense. But I don't think you have to respond to everyone.
Here's what I'd do:
1) Set up a separate e-mail address for queries.
2) Send an auto-reply to all submissions with an acknowledgment of receipt indicating that you'll respond to queries of interest. (Basically, a "no response means no" approach.)
3) An online submission form would help as a next step that could generate different auto-replies and weed down the list of queries you actually had to read.
But you could move to the "no response means no" approach immediately and then spend a little time thinking about what you want to include in the form.
D. G. Hudson says
This is a tough question. I notice that a lot of commenters want you to change your approach, as long as it doesn't affect them. For my two cents, I say cut out some of the 'frills' that draw the hordes to your blog. The frills (contests, blog challenges) must bring in many more queries from those more likely to be casual drop-bys who probably don't bother to read your guidelines. You also tell everyone when you have contests to tell all their friends – well this is what happens when you throw the doors wide open. Reduce the frills – contests, one-liners etc, and you'll reduce the number of casual readers who clog it up for the rest of us. (But then, weren't you trying to bring more traffic to this blog with the contests?)Hmmm.
I come here for the writing information, and for the 'writing atmosphere'. Please don't change too much — that's what we liked about you and why you're tops with your blog.
Anonymous says
Can't afford help?
Charge a $5 reading fee. Use the money to hire an intern to screen and give a short response to each reject, one that gives a specific reason you declined.
Professional standards aside, it would be a bargain for the intern, you and the writer.
Ten stock answers would probably answer 99% of the queries, wouldn't they? And they would be answers the writer needed to hear.
I bet your volume would go up.
The present system, overall -not just yours, sucks. Yours is pretty un-suckey as such things go.
Until it kills you.
Anonymous says
You could always get someone(s) to read through queries and at least sort out the terrible ones. And since they're email queries, it seems that this could be anyone with internet access. As a writing struggling to write a decent query letter, I'd be interested in helping, just so I can get a better sense of what makes a good query letter but being in Hawaii, there aren't too many agents here where I could go in and work in their office. I may not be able to pick out the gems from the decently-good-but-not-quite-good-enough queries, but I could at least get rid of the crap.
Also, I'm sort of okay with the no reply means no, but if an agent does that, I really like it when I get an automated response saying that the agent received the email. That way I at least know I sent it to the right address and it's not in the junk mail.
Kelly Wittmann says
Auto-response, all the way. Heck, I wouldn't even see anything wrong with just not responding at all. In this age of email querying, writers really need to grow thicker skins. If I don't get a response on a query within a week, I just assume it's a "no" and move on. No big whoop.
mkcbunny says
Sorry, I realize my suggestions might have been confusing.
I was advocating for an auto-reply response that lets the querier know their query was received and also tells them that if you are interested you will contact them.
That way, the querier knows their query was received, but you don't have to send a reply to everyone yourself. So," yes" to a reply of *some sort* for everyone, but not a reply that necessarily takes your time.
Moira Young says
My initial response was to tell you to create an automated form, but unless you can find controllable variables, that doesn't quite work. And many of the problems you've mentioned are subject to opinion and probably require a human.
So, is there any chance you can acquire an unpaid intern? (This is assuming a secretary isn't in your budget.) But more importantly, would you be willing to relinquish control over that aspect of your job? It would mean that you wouldn't be the first to look at it, and then there's always the chance that someone would slip through the cracks.
Otherwise, I agree with everyone who's suggested closing your submissions for a given period of time. Maybe even just one day a week, or weekends — or if you really want to give yourself blocks of times when you won't receive queries, choose certain hours of the day where you close up shop. There are definitely ways to automate your e-mail to do that.
I know it's not exactly the same, but an acquaintance sent me a short story for feedback, and he admitted to me that he sent it completely raw. I told him this:
"I could do one of two things, here — I could give you feedback now, or you could take a week or two and look at it with fresh eyes, make the edits that seem apparent to you, and then send it to me. I'm just a tiny bit hesitant to edit something completely raw, because I know once I've had a break from my first draft, I notice lots that I didn't notice at first."
If you do go with an automated submissions form, maybe a "think before you submit" post/warning would be helpful.
BTW, I don't normally participate in this game, but today's word verification is "natesec", which is kinda on-topic. Nathan needs a secretary! XD
Chazley Dotson says
Nathan, what is your query response process like now? I mean, people have recommended form rejections and only reading the first paragraph to start with, but I assume you already do something like that. Also, could you let us know if we come up with any ideas that help you?
K. M. Walton says
I know I'm commenting late in the game but honestly, you are only one person. I would only respond to queries that follow your guidelines and send nothing to those who didn't. Again, you are only one guy and there are only so many hours in a day.
Vegas Linda Lou says
Your followers are probably going to hate me for suggesting this, but if you're looking for more time in your schedule, you might consider cutting back on your blog activity. You've already made a name for yourself, and at this point I think you could cut back to posting twice a week. Between your posts and the forum, your site offers an amazing amount of valuable information. Considering the service you've already provided, you could ease back without an iota of guilt.
Meghan says
I also think that you could just delete the submissions that don't follow your guidelines. Your blog site says precisely how you want the queries organized and if they haven't taken the time to do the research, I'm not sure they would be dedicated enough to promote their own book.
Cushnoc says
I agree with All Adither's comment–your response time could be at least twice as long and we'd still really appreciate it. Maybe even three times (at least for query letters). And I like your idea to only respond to queries that follow guidelines–as long as you include a warning to that effect along with your guidelines.
Good luck!
Anonymous says
I think, for the sake of my own sanity, I'd be really tough with the basics on queries. I'd insist in my query guidelines that all subject lines have a certain subject, such as "I have read your query guidelines", and setup rules in my e-mail program (Outlook, Thunderbird, whichever) to send these to a 'to-read' folder. Anything else, I'd be brutal and delete… If folks read your query guidelines, then they'd know to include it 🙂
Well, I'd like to think that's what I'd do… I might feel too guilty.
You DO have really short response times, but I think maybe that's a good thing–it'd stop you from ever going crazy about the massive backlog you'd otherwise accrue.
otherside89girl says
I would definitely say only respond to the ones that follow the submission guidelines. If they are already wasting your time by making you read the email, no need for you to waste more of it by responding.
The people who are serious about their queries are the ones who have taken the time to read your rules!
Christi Goddard says
This is probably less friendly than you'd like to hear, but if they don't submit to your guidelines, then they should be auto-rejects. So many of us are trying really hard, reading all the guidelines, researching agents for a good fit, and do you really want to work with someone who thinks they are so special that THEY don't have to follow guidelines set up to make YOUR life easier? It's the first sign of disrespect, personally.
Yes, some edge in extra pages, or offer up more bio info than you need, but blatant disregard and poorly thought out query letters are a red flag of an author who doesn't want to try hard, and who wants a client who doesn't push themselves to be better?
ami says
New concept:
Query gladiator.
Non-referred queries submit excerpts to the Roman – er, commenter forum. Commenters have the opportunity to vote (thumbs up/down) or rate (1-5) each query, perhaps in batches. Queries that 'survive' the trial by fire make the short list for review by Emperor, er. Agent Nathan B. Who can grant freedom (from query prison) or not.
Kay says
Sorry. I fell into that "extra bad" category a couple of months ago.
If it were me, I would delete the emails where queriers are trying to bribe you with wine and salsa.
You're too nice, Nathan. That's why people show up at your work incognito-style and try to get you to take their queries.
Be mean! ERRRG!
Kidding. Thanks for being so nice with my horrible, horrible query…I would still delete the wine and salsa emails, though.
Nathan Bransford says
Wow, what great responses! Sorry if I missed some questions, but here are some responses:
– I've thought a lot about an Internet form submission, but truthfully I learn a lot by how someone sends a query. Make it too easy to follow my guidelines and the people who do follow lose their advantage. Since the people who take the time to learn/follow guidelines also (but not always) tend to be the people who take the time to learn craft, revise, and are patient in general (mandatory) I wouldn't want to diminish the advantage people get for following guidelines.
– To those who have suggested an intern or assistant: one reason I asked for suggestions besides that one is that as I was writing the post I was envisioning everyone saying "get an assistant." I've considered an intern, and it may be something I do in the future, but I prefer to read all the queries. That's still the ideal scenario for me, and it's tough to give up that control (though I may need to at some point).
– To those who suggested multiple forms – I actually have that and will blog about it soon. I pick and choose from a series of canned responses. Changed my life.
– To those who suggested I go out and contact writers myself – I definitely do this, quite often actually, though I think you'd be surprised at what a needle-in-the-haystack type of process this is. Not everyone who could write a great book wants to or has a project ready to go.
– JEM – I've posted query stats elsewhere. It's a small fraction, but it's not random either. It's not the lottery.
– anon@4:27 and VegasLindaLou: if my goal were to reduce the number of queries I get I'd stop or cut back on blogging, but that's not my objective. I'm trying to cast a wide net. I spend about half an hour per blog post and write them in advance so when I'm very busy I don't feel pressure to write them (I wrote today's post about a month ago). I do read all comments, but it really doesn't take that long. They're usually pretty short. Responding to a question usually takes less than 30 seconds (well, except when I respond all at once like this comment). Blogging has been the biggest boon to finding great writers out of anything I've done as an agent, so stopping it would be counterproductive to the ultimate goal.
kelly-
If you didn't receive a response it means I didn't receive it. Please re-send.
Ultimately, while I'm still able to stay on top of things now, if I'm still going to read all queries I think step 1 would be to stop responding to those way outside the guidelines and step 2 would be a combo of auto-reply/no response may be the way I have to go. I'm not there yet and hope it doesn't come to that but we'll see.
Thanks again to everyone who has weighed in! There are some really great ideas that I'll be mulling over.
Nicole L Rivera says
Those are tough questions. Not being an agent, but able to sympathize with not having enough time this what I would do:
1.Do not respond to queries that do not follow submission guidelines. (If they don't follow them for the query they won't follow them for proposals)
2. Keep response time at 24 hours so you don't get overwhelmed.
3. Schedule a specific time limit per day you are willing to dedicate to queries and stick to it, even it you may have to go past your 24 hour deadline.
I'm not saying this is the right solution, but it's a start. 🙂
Bethany Brengan says
I was an Acquisitions Editor at a small publisher, and while my query load was *nothing* compared to yours, I'm getting PTSD flashbacks just reading your post.
I think we all want you to do whatever is necessary to keep your sanity. I suspect that using web-forms is only going to increase your query numbers–unless you have some auto-rejection process built-in (as has been suggested). But I'm not sure I could trust a computer-process to see the possibilities that are (occasionally/rarely/mythically) found in seemingly inappropriate queries.
Your choices seem to be variations on A) don't respond to/read everything, or B) give yourself more time. I like owlandsparrow's idea about only responding within 24 hours to the queries you know you're rejecting, and giving yourself more time on the "possibles."
I also find myself wondering how often you personalize your rejections, instead of using your perfected and vaguely-encouraging form rejection. (I only bring this up because it was one of my problems. I wanted to help every writer who submitted to get better. But I'm not assuming you share all my neuroses.)
Kendra says
I'm a real fan of the auto-response for lit agents, I know the Angela Rinaldi Lit agency use this, but it depends on the individual agent, their professional preferences and their guidelines overview.
Debra L. Schubert says
Nathan, I agree w/your last comment about not responding to those way outside the guidelines. Your submission requirements are clearly stated. If someone isn't inclined to read them, you shouldn't feel inclined to respond. IMHO, of course. 😉
Sommer Leigh says
I believe that an agent's time is gold and if someone is investing themselves into this world and this line of work, they need to appreciate agents enough to read guidelines and adhere to them. If they can't take the time to query an agent the way an agent requests, why should the agent take the time from other more Take-Me-Seriously author hopefuls?
Maybe I don't have a soft enough underbelly, but I probably wouldn't respond to people who have carelessly disregarded all of my guidelines and maybe consider form rejections at most.
I might even consider, like some other suggestions have said, creating an auto-response for my email box that says thank you for submitting, here's a link to my blog where I post my query response dates and if your submission date has passed but you haven't heard from me, I wish you the best of luck in your pursuits but we weren't a good fit. Or whatever nice thing you want to say. Then you can tailor who and how you respond to submissions and those that completely disregarded you as a professional will get as much attention as they saw fit to give you.
Anonymous says
I would write a short response to the effect of "Does not follow guidelines, see URL." Then I would save it so I could insert it into my replies with a keystroke. Also, I would stop reading when the query doesn't follow the guidelines. I wouldn't go on to read their five pages.
Adrianne
Mina says
Nathan, if you are still reading (I stopped around response 85), stop giving time to these comments and go back to readng the queries.
Patrice says
Set your inbox to accept a certain number of queries per day. When the limit's reached, cut us off. Those who have taken the time to perfect their queries and who have really researched you specifically will try again tomorrow. Like when you try to leave a voicemail, but the mailbox is full. If it's important, you call back.
DMBeucler says
Have you thought about having a coding system in the email subject line for your queriers? Submissions have to read "Query: Genre length" and the rest of the email would be as normal.
If people aren't following that guideline you can delete unread and if someone made an error they can just resubmit with no harm but a little lost time. You would also be able to see directly if the novel is too long or to short for a market at a glance or if it's something you don't represent and deal with those queries quickly and spend the lion's share of your time on the researched queries. This is the only really helpful if you get most of your queries via email (I am not at a querying stage so I haven't checked).
I'd post the rules for a set time (like 6 weeks) and once you have your implementation date an automated response stating that the guidelines weren't met and linking to your guidelines. I don't know what sort of email program you use but if it is exclusively for queries you might be able to filter them into categories by genre for further organizational bliss.
Kaitlyne says
Someone might have mentioned this already, but I saw a suggestion yesterday on another blog to make a particular word be required in the subject line in order to filter out everyone who didn't do their homework and read the submission requirements. Something other than just, "Query" of course.
I actually thought that was a great idea. I imagine most of the people who are sending you the really bad queries are those who haven't bothered to research your guidelines, and it would probably knock out quite a few of them. Good luck.
Josin L. McQuein says
The suggestion of coded subject lines isn't a bad one.
Pick an unusual word to have included in the subject line (which means you know people have read your guidelines). Anything without that word gets zapped by your spam filter.
There's an editor who does this, even for snail mail. Submissions are supposed to come with "SQUID" written somewhere on the envelope.
Maggie says
I completely understand not wanting to give up control and wanting to make the call yourself on whether something is good or not rather than letting an assistant or intern do it. Maybe, though, instead of letting an assistant make value judgments, could you possibly just let them weed out the obviously wacky queries and pass on anything remotely serious to you?
Like if you get a query opening with, "My book is wayyyyy better than Hary Potter and your stupid if you dont want it," could that one be auto-rejected by an assistant before you even have to deal with it? (and I really hope that this is an extreme example and you do not actually get queries that read like that…)
I'm not sure, but judging by what I've seen on some agent blogs, just bypassing the real crazies could save you a chunk of time!
Mira says
Oh cool. I love ideas and I'm good at thinking of LOTS of them. Can't vouch for the quality, but glad you asked, Nathan. 🙂
And I believe this is a real problem, Nathan, and likely to get worse, so you have my support! You deserve to find ways to ease your workload so it's manageable within the time you get paid!
But first, I thought Ryan's comment was lovely, and Alyson Greene's comment was really funny, and Ink's poem was….. lol.
In terms of not following guidelines there may be innocent reasons people don't follow them – like maybe they got your name out of a book and didn't go to your blog or something…..I don't know.
But maybe they can WRITE.
After all, you an teach someone to follow instructions. You can't teach them to write.
So, I hope you'll still read them. You never know when that diamond in the rough will come in a non-guideline following package.
Okay, the actual ideas on another post, this one is too long already.
beebee723 says
I agree with many comments that say that you're amazing in that you get back to queriers within 24 hours. Most other agent take weeks longer than that. I also think you should state in your guidelines that queries that don't adhere to your guidelines won't be read, and stick to that. If someone can't follow your guidlines, you probably don't want them as a client, because they probably can't write or follow directions.
I also wonder, as did Kate, that your replys within 24 hours may send the person being rejected the message that you didn't take much time with their query. Maybe you could sort them into 3 piles: Probables, Possibles and Non-Guideline Submissiions. Send the rejctions to the non-guidelines ones within 24 hours.
then read the Probables and request partials of fulls, and then read the Possibles when you have time. Consider an auto-response to everyone saying you got it and you will get back to them soon. That buys you a little time. Just some thoughts. Good question, BTW.
Bee