Here's an overview of how the process works. 

• You have to be ready to respond to any query you send out with a non-fiction proposal, fiction manuscript, completed script, sample columns, or whatever you are pitching.   The major exception is if your story is big news and you are selling life-story rights.  Then, people are probably calling you, and you don't need this service (though it might help find you an agent).

• The next step is to write your query or we can write it for you.  (About half our clients have us write it).  

  • If you are writing your query, you will get a link to a page with guidelines to follow.   Then, you send us your letter for a review, which includes suggestions for improving your letter, adding information, and a light editorial polish.   Should your letter need major changes or a rewrite, we'll suggest that.   This letter is extremely important, especially the subject line, because this is what will get the editor, agent, or producer to want to know more about your project.  Think of this query as a marketing letter, so even if you have done other types of writing, you may need help writing a good one. 

  • If you want us to write the query, send us 2-3 pages of information, including a synopsis or overview of your project, bio information, especially as related to this project, any previous publications or promotions, and how you hope to help promote your book.  You will get a draft of the query letter to review and make any additions and changes.   Then, your letter gets a final editorial polish, and if there are any major changes, you do a final review before the letter goes out.

• Once your query letter is finalized, we send your query by e-mail to the editors, agents, syndicates, or producers.  If it's a postal query, we send you a file with the merged names and addresses, so your letter is ready for you to print it out on your stationery; then you mail your letter with any additional supporting material.

• In selecting the recipients for your query, we can target editors and literary agents based on their interests and other criteria.  In the case of syndicates, producers, production companies, and film agents, your query is also targeted based on your type of project. 

• We regularly update our databases through various means, including reports of changes in personnel and deals in industry publications, test e-mails, and returns forwarded to us by many clients.  This regular updating is necessary, since every week there are changes in the industry, as people change jobs, companies move or go out of business, or people change e-mails or add spam filters.   Then, too, an editor or agent will occasionally advise us or a client that they don't want e-mails, are leaving the business, or are no longer interested in that type of project.

• If you want to exclude particular individuals or companies from getting your e-mail, we can do this based on the names or e-mails you provide (though sometimes people use other names or e-mail addresses).   We can exclude up to 10 contacts at no additional charge; thereafter there is a small charge to cover the extra time for making these exclusions.

• A question which often comes up is what happens if multiple editors or agents at the same company receive a query.  This situation generally only occurs for the larger publishers and agencies, when different editors or agents have similar interests, since at other publishers or agencies there is only one contact.   Typically, this is not an issue, since often only one editor or agent at a publisher or agency expresses interest.  The reason we include multiple editors and agents at the larger publishers, unless we are advised to direct all queries to a particular person, is there is no way to know in advance who will be interested in a particular project.  So rather than trying to select only one editor or agent from a company and getting no interest, we have found it works better to send to all the potentially interested editors or agents.  Then, if you get multiple responses, you can work out who will handle the project -- a great problem to have!  Generally, you can make this determination when you follow-up by letting the different editors or agents know who else in the publishing house or agency is interested.   Explain that you didn't know who to send your query to and ask to whom to send additional information.   Then, let the editors or agents decide who wants to handle the project.   As long as you are straight-forward about this initial multiple query, this is not a problem -- and several clients have found that having multiple interest from editors has led to a deal.

• We use a special software program to send out your e-mail under your own name and e-mail address, so all replies will come directly to you.   You will also receive a copy of your e-mail that has gone out (it's forwarded to you from our AOL or Yahoo e-mail account), along with a report listing of the names and companies of all of the editors, agents, or producers who have gotten your query.   This will help you keep track and follow-up with your responses.

• After your e-mail query goes out (generally on Sunday night through Thursday morning to avoid sending queries on the weekends), you will usually get a very quick response, sometimes within an hour or two, though most contacts respond within the first or second day.   The level of response will depend on your project.   Commonly, clients with books report about 10-20 positive responses, though some have gotten far more.  For example, a few clients with very strong projects got 50-60 responses; one even got 150 editors and agents expressing interest.   You can also expect many "thanks but not for me" responses.   In the case of children's books, there are fewer editors and agents, so about 5-10 positive responses is more typical.   In the case of producers and film agents, the market is much more competitive, so even though your query goes to a much larger number of contacts, about 10-15 positive responses is more usual.

• Once you get responses, be ready to respond with more information in a day or two.  An increasing number of editors, agents, and producers are open to e-mail submissions, but many will want you to send your proposal, manuscript, or script by regular mail.   Ask about preferences, and only send attachments if the person is willing for you to do so.   Many people will give you their address when they want more information by mail; otherwise, ask where to send your material.

• Another common question is whether you need an agent and whether to send queries to both publishers and agents or to both producers and agents.   It depends on your project and your ability to handle follow-up negotiations.   But generally, here are some recommendations:

  • If you have a nonfiction manuscript, it can work well to send it to both editors and agents at the same time.   The interest from editors can help you find an agent, and you can refer interested editors to your agent to follow-up.  This is what most of our clients do.  

  • If you have a fiction manuscript, unless you have been published before or already have a high profile, it is often best to first seek an agent, since it is much harder to pitch a fiction manuscript directly.  However, if you have a particularly strong topic and a background that lends itself to a strong promotion, doing both is effective.

  • If you have a script, it works well to send it to both producers and agents at the same time, which is what most clients do. 

• After you follow-up and send off your material, expect to wait a month or two for a decision.  While a few clients have reported getting an agent within a few days, and a few have sold their book to a publisher within a few weeks (including our sale of Do You Look Like Your Dog? to Broadway Books/Random house in three weeks), generally it takes longer.   It can take a few weeks for an editor or agent to read your material.  Then, even if an editor likes it, your proposal or novel will generally have to be presented to an editorial board or to the marketing department for an approval.  Or if you find an agent, the agent will still have to submit your book to publishers on your behalf, and after that the book goes through the same consideration process.   

• In short, PublishersandAgents can open the door for you.  But after this, your success depends on the strength of your proposal, novel, children's book, column, or script, along with other factors, such as current trends in the market.