Tips for Creating or Updating an Agent Profile
Agent Query offers the following advice and recommendations to literary agents
attempting to properly create or update their AQ database profile.
Genres Represented
Our genres represented category is separated into two sub-categories: fiction and
nonfiction. Feel free to checkbox all the fiction and nonfiction genres that
you represent. However, we recommend that you don’t over-exaggerate your
interests. Simply be honest and realistic. If you
like literary fiction, but don’t really sell much of it, then don’t checkmark
it. Otherwise, you will get queries for literary fiction—it’s that simple.
Facts & Tid-Bits
This section often includes previous publishing experience such as former
employment as an editor at a major publishing company. We also list books
written by agents in this section. Furthermore, feel free to disclose any
hobbies, personal interests, or special traits in this section.
Special Interest
Really interested in chick lit, but only if there's a love story? Tell us and we’ll put this in your special
interests. What about new age nonfiction, especially related to Buddhism? Let us know,
and feel free to be as specific as you like. We aim to keep this section as
specific and accurate as possible because it helps writers zero in on the right
agents for their book.
Does Not Represent
Stop inappropriate queries by listing exactly what you don’t represent. Feel
free to go hog-wild and list everything you’re not interested in. We’ll make
sure the word on the street gets out.
Submission Preferences?
Some agencies are moving towards “paperless” offices and they prefer email
queries over snail mail slush. If this is you, be sure to check your submission
preference as “email”. If you hate to receive email queries, be sure to submit
your submission preference as “snail mail.” If you don’t really mind either,
but you prefer one over the other, checkmark your preference and clarify your
position in the submission guidelines section.
Accepts Email Queries?
This is self-explanatory. But we often get the question from agents, “If I
don’t accept email queries, why do you still list my email address?” The answer
is simple: an email address is a contact fact—same as a phone number or mailing
address—and we aim to provide complete and accurate information. In rare cases,
we do honor requests to remove email addresses from agents’ profiles, but we
prefer to give our writers the benefit of the doubt. If they see that you don’t
accept email queries, we expect them to be courteous and professional by
querying via snail mail.
Actively Seeking New Clients?
We all know that agents are always looking for new clients, but this question
is really code for: are you accepting unsolicited queries? Are you
actually reviewing unsolicited queries from the slush pile with the eye
of catching something that sparks your interest? If you are, great. Let us
know, and your profile will be tagged as “Actively Accepting New Clients.” If
you aren’t, tell us, and we’ll note this in your profile. We really believe if
writers know that you don’t want to be queried, they won’t waste their money or
time—or yours.
Please List Titles/Authors of Books You’ve Represented
We offer this section as a way to conveniently show writers the types of books
you represent. Listing titles sold is a concise way for writers to determine if
you might be the right agent for their book. For this reason, we tend to stray
away from listing your most recent sales, especially if they haven't gone to print
yet. We let Publishers Lunch report most recent sales. We prefer, instead, to list
books that have gone to print and are available for review at Amazon.com. Such
books provide more information to a writer about your sales history and the
types of books you represent than a one-sentence blurb in the trades about a book that you sold for a high-six-figure advance.
That kind of information just turns writers into frenzied copycats.
Please list Former Literary Agencies
We like listing previous agency affiliations because it helps us verify your identity as well as provides a
clear picture of your experience as a literary agent. While we don’t require
you to fill in this information, we encourage you to do so, especially if
you’ve recently moved from one agency to another.
Questions? Feel free to email us at mail@agentquery.com.
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