My Favorite Writing Tools (Plus: A Craft!)

pencil on white smartcase near eyeglasses
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Today I wanted to share some of the writing tools I’ve discovered over the years, tools that have helped me along on my writing journey. Lest this post become unwieldy, I’ve limited myself (for now) to four different types of tools, a writing blog, submission tracker, software, and hardware. I incorporate all of these in my regular writing routine.

Note: None of this is sponsored, I just really like these things.

Blog: Jane Friedman

I’ve mentioned this one several times on my site, but it bears repeating because it’s one of my go-tos for writing resources and how-to articles. From basics like how to write a query letter to deep dives into craft topics, there is something for writers of every level. I look forward to the digest email every Sunday.

Visit Jane Friedman’s blog here and see for yourself.

The Pros! You’ll learn a lot.

The Cons? Reading takes time, I guess?

Bonus recommendation! I recently read Jane’s book The Business of Being a Writer. While it is dense, it’s not necessarily meant to be read cover to cover. Pick and choose the topics most interesting to you based on the kind of writer you are (academic, literary, short fiction, novels, commercial) and the stage you’re at in your career (e.g. What is a query letter? How to make best use of a publicist prior to book launch).

Submission Tracker: QueryTracker and The Submission Grinder

If you’re submitting to literary agents, QueryTracker is your best friend. I use it both to find agents and to track my submissions. It’s also linked to QueryManager, which many agents use, so sometimes it will log and track submissions automatically. I do pay for the premium account, which costs $25 a year, but that is absolutely not necessary; the free version gives you plenty of functionality and I got along with it for years without feeling like I was missing out. Since I’ve already discussed QueryTracker on this site, so you can read more about it in this post: How to Find a Literary Agent.

If you’re more inclined towards short stories or poetry, The Submission Grinder is my preferred tracker. They’re a little old school, but their search function is great at sorting magazines by genre, whether they pay, accept simultaneous submissions, and more. This is where I go to find new markets to submit to. ChillSubs has a lot of cool options and a sleeker design, but they’re still developing and their database isn’t as robust as the Submission Grinder’s is, so for now I’m sticking with what works.

Check out The Submission Grinder here.

Software: Scrivener

I’m typically the last person to try a new product, especially if it costs money or, worse, it’s popular! Maybe I’m a geriatric in a young person’s body, but what’s wrong with doing things the old way, so long as they work? Friends, I thought the same about Scrivener, and boy was I wrong.

Do you absolutely need it? No. You can get by with simpler word processors like Microsoft Word, Mac’s Pages, a free software like OpenOffice, or even older methods of writing like typewriters or a notebook and pen. However, after using Scrivener for two years, it’s something I recommend to any writer who has more than a two-second conversation with me.

What is it? Scrivener is a word processor, but it’s also a means of organizing your thoughts, plot, research, and more.

What are the Pros? Instead of opening multiple word documents (WIP, character names, character timeline, outline, etc.), it’s all in a single convenient place, easily searchable too, if you can’t remember where you’ve put something. With the ability to save each draft of a scene, color coding, keywords, a phenomenal “corkboard” for organizing the plot, and windows for notes and scene synopsis, the pros are many.

What about the Cons? Most notably, it costs money, (a one time $60 expense) although it’s way less than you’ll end up spending on a program like Microsoft Word and the publisher usually offers a discount for anyone who finishes NaNoWriMo or Camp NaNoWriMo. I think I paid $30 or $40 for mine.

The real, if temporary, drawback is that it has a learning curve. It’s not like any other word processor you’ve used and there are so many tools at your disposal that take time to get used to.

My suggestion? Download the 30 day free trial and go through the tutorial a few times to get the feel of it. Give yourself a period of time to experiment without the pressure of working on your WIP. I’m sure, like me, you’ll end the month wondering how you ever got along without it.

Get a 30 day trial of Scrivener here or wait until November to get the discount.

Hardware: A Notebook (Craft Time!)

One of the most basic tools in a writer’s arsenal is a notebook to carry around and jot observations, ideas, snatches of dialogue, or (let’s be real) a grocery list.

This is a super simple pocket notebook that anyone can make with materials you probably already have around the house.

Materials
14 sheets of 8.5×11 printer paper or lined notebook paper
1 sheet 8.5×11 cardstock (any color) or similar, like an old birthday card with a nice front
scissors or paper cutter
ruler
pencil
awl, needle, or something with a sharp point
string like embroidery thread, cotton string, yarn, even birthday ribbon

Instructions
1. Take your printer paper and cut it in half so you end up with sheets 8.5″ wide and 5.5″ tall. Do the same with your cardstock or cut your greeting card to the same size.

2. Fold your sheets in half so the folded paper is 4.25″ wide and 5.5″ tall.

3. Using a ruler and pencil, mark on your paper where your holes are going to go. I’d recommend a minimum of three, for stability. My preference is six holes. Starting from the bottom of my paper, I make my first hole 1″ up, then every 3/4″ from there. Use the same measurements to mark holes on your cardstock.

4. Use something sharp to poke the holes in the paper and the cardstock. I used a sewing pin before I bought an awl. Just make sure you put something underneath the paper to protect your table!

5. Run your thread through the holes to bind. You may need a needle for this, or a piece of tape wrapped around the end of the string depending on what material you’re using. This got a little confusing so I made a little diagram:

To hide my knot, I start on the outside of the folded paper, passing through the bottom hole (step A). Come back out through the second hole, this time through the cardstock as well. Keep going in and out, passing through all the layers. When you get to the top hole, go back through in the opposite direction (step B), making sure the thread is pulled tight. Tie your knot at the bottom (step C).

6. You have a notebook! You can draw or color on the outside if you like, or just shove it into your pocket and go out to find writing inspiration.

Here’s my latest version.

In Conclusion…

Maybe you’re now a diehard Scrivener user. Maybe all you got out of this post was a cool new notebook. Either way, hopefully something on this list was helpful to you.

Happy writing!

How to Publish Your Novel: How to Write a Synopsis

Years ago, when I first thought I might become a published author someday, I started researching how to achieve my goals. What I found was completely overwhelming. I needed an agent, but there were thousands of them. Each of them wanted different documents I had never heard of. Query? Synopsis? What?

In this series, I’m going to share what I found and break down how to publish your novel. I’ll cover a the difference between the types of publishing currently available, writing a query letter, writing a synopsis, and finding the ideal agent to query. The process can seem overwhelming, but I hope to offer some clarity and simplicity so you can approach publishing with confidence.

Welcome to Part 5: How to Write a Synopsis. Catch up on previous sections here:
Part 1: Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
Part 2: How to Find a Literary Agent
Part 3: How to Find the Best Literary Agents
Part 4: How to Write a Query Letter

What is a Synopsis?

There are several parts to the query package including the query letter, synopsis, and manuscript pages. The query letter, which I covered in the last post, is basically a cover letter and includes a short blurb about your book. The blurb is like something you’d read on the back of a book: it gives you the gist of the main character and the obstacles they’re going to have to overcome. The blurb is often cliff-hangery, enticing someone to read more.

The synopsis is the opposite of that. It outlines your novel from start to finish and includes ALL the spoilers. A synopsis reveals every major twist and even describes the ending.

Every agent will need a synopsis at some point in the publication process. Many agents prefer to read manuscripts without spoilers, but a synopsis might entice them to keep reading if they reach a slow part. (It might also cause them to stop reading, but in that case, they wouldn’t have been a good fit anyway).

Even if an agent never opens up your synopsis, they’ll need it to send to editors at publishing houses; the editors will need it for the marketing department and cover design; and, in the future, hopefully others in audio, foreign, and film rights will need it too.

If an agent requests a synopsis as part of the query package and you don’t send one, it reflects poorly on you and your work ethic. There are plenty of other writers who will send in the requested documents, so give yourself the best chance and send in a great synopsis.

Format of a Synopsis

Formatting: A synopsis is always written in present tense, third person point of view, regardless of the tense and POV of your novel. Additionally, people and places, when mentioned for the first time, are often written in ALL CAPS.

Length: This varies by agent. The general consensus is to stick to two- to four-pages, single spaced, but many agents will ask for a single page (also single spaced). While you’re working on your synopsis, you might want to consider writing both a one page version (500 words) and a longer version (1000+ words).

Voice: Though a synopsis should be succinct, don’t be afraid to convey the voice of your novel and your character’s emotions.

Content: A synopsis should cover the entire book, beginning to end. You shouldn’t include every single plot point and all the minor characters, but don’t leave out major plot twists or the ending.

How to Write a Synopsis

A synopsis can be so daunting to start because it seems impossible to distill a 400-page book down to a single page. One of the simplest, clearest methods I’ve come across is the Fairy Tale method. With this formula, the synopsis is structured as follows:

  • Once upon a time there was a… (introduction to protagonist)
  • Every day [this] happened, until… (normal life and inciting incident)
  • Because of that… (fun and games)
  • Because of that… (repeat this one as necessary)
  • Until, finally… (climax)
  • And ever since that day… (resolution)

Of course, we’re not actually going to use this fairy tale language, just the structure.

Start the synopsis with your main character(s); give a brief description of who they are and their motivations in one to two sentences and move right into the inciting incident. What gets the protagonist involved in the plot? It should be clear right away what the protagonist’s goal is and what the stakes are if they don’t achieve that goal.

If your novel is science fiction, fantasy, or historical, or has an otherwise complex world, it may be necessary to include a sentence or two about important aspects of the world, but only if it’s crucial to understanding the plot.

Moving into the fun and games section, cover only the main plot points and the bare minimum of characters needed to understand. Don’t include B plots or side characters, no matter how beloved they are to you. While it’s important to keep the plot moving here, a great synopsis will also convey the protagonist’s emotions and hint as to how they change over the course of the story.

Tip: Using all caps the first time you introduce new characters or places is standard practice, but it can be doubly helpful here, because you can see how many names you have. Try to keep it to about five named characters or less, otherwise things will get too complicated.

Last, indicate how the conflicts are solved and how the character has grown. Do not withhold the ending! Agents are expecting to see spoilers in the synopsis.

This format can (and should) result in a pretty sparse document. For a longer synopsis, you can add a few more details, but still try to keep your writing spare and avoid including a laundry list of characters. However, a synopsis shouldn’t be boring or read like a technical manual. Add some flavor and include the character’s emotions throughout.

Now that you’ve written a succinct, compelling synopsis, it’s time to put everything together and submit to agents! In the next post, I’ll go over how to create an efficient submission package that will streamline your querying process and ensure you always submit the right documents to the right agents.

References and Further Reading

This is only a brief overview of how to write a great synopsis. See the resources below for more details about what and what not to include in your document.

BookEnds Literary Agency, How, When & Why to Write a Synopsis (YouTube video)
Jane Friedman, How to Write a Novel Synopsis
MasterClass, How to Write a Novel Synopsis: Step-by-Step Guide
Writer’s Digest, Learn How to Write a Synopsis Like a Pro

How to Publish Your Novel: How to Write a Query Letter

Years ago, when I first thought I might become a published author someday, I started researching how to achieve my goals. What I found was completely overwhelming. I needed an agent, but there were thousands of them. Each of them wanted different documents I had never heard of. Query? Synopsis? What?

In this series, I’m going to share what I found and break down how to publish your novel. I’ll cover a the difference between the types of publishing currently available, writing a query letter, writing a synopsis, and finding the ideal agent to query. The process can seem overwhelming, but I hope to offer some clarity and simplicity so you can approach publishing with confidence.

Welcome to Part 4: Query Letters. Catch up on previous sections here:
Part 1: Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
Part 2: Finding an Agent
Part 3: Finding the Best Literary Agents

Query Letters

You’ve compiled a list of agents and whittled it down to the ones you think are the best fit for your manuscript. But they want all sorts of documents and one of them is something called a query letter.

A query letter is basically a cover letter and it is your first chance to introduce your book to an agent. However, because it is usually the first (and sometimes only) thing an agent reads, it has to pack a punch in very few words.

There are a few basic sections that make up most query letters:

  • A personalized introduction
  • Manuscript stats / comp titles
  • A short description of the manuscript aka the “query blurb”
  • Any relevant personal information

Let’s write a query letter based on these four parts.

The Introduction

You’ve done your research and selected agents who may be a good fit for you. When writing the introduction, focus on what made you choose that particular agent.

For example:

Dear Ms. Tome, [This should always be the agent’s name and never “Dear Agent”]

On your website, you mention seeking sweeping, epic fantasies with a focus on female friendships and questions about morality.

This is a made up query about a fake book, but the gist is that you’ve picked this agent for a reason, and you should let them know what it is. This shows two things: that you think they’re a good fit (and so should they) and that you’ve done your research.

Manuscript Stats

In this particular letter, I would put the manuscript stats (genre, audience, word count) right after the introduction, but it could also go at the end of the letter, after the query blurb. Put it wherever it seems to fit.

My adult fantasy novel, DRAGON SKY (100,000) focuses on unlikely female friends who struggle with right and wrong. It is the first in a planned trilogy.

Include the word count in parentheses after the title. Note that this had better fit into the standard word count range for your genre as anything outside that range could be an automatic rejection. There is a handy word count guide here.

If the book is the first in a planned series, include that in this paragraph. You can also include comp titles here. No need to say that the manuscript is complete–it had better be, if you’re querying agents!

Comp Titles

Comp titles are usually included in the paragraph with the manuscript details, but it gets its own section in this article because there are a several important things to know. Comparison titles will give the agent an idea of similar books and, specifically, if you were in a bookstore, what books might you expect to find on the shelf next to yours.

A good comp title will be no more than five years old from the time of querying. Ideally, it will be no more than three years. Yes, that makes things difficult, but as a writer you should constantly be reading in (and out of) your genre, especially new books. If your comp is a series, the important date to note would be the publication date of the first book in the series.

Please, please, don’t list Stephen King as a comp. No one is comparable to Stephen King. Same goes for J.K. Rowling and other uber-famous authors.

Comps should be in your genre. Ideally they will also be in your age group (middle grade, YA, adult, etc.). While it’s possible to list a book of a different age group as a comp, you should endeavor to make sure the other comp(s) are within your age group. You can comp other media, like movies or shows, but again, the other comps should be recent books in your genre and age group.

When including comps in the query letter, you can write something like:

DRAGON SKY will appeal to those who enjoy the strong friendships of TETHERED by Jo Brooks and the mystical worldbuilding of HEAT OF THE MOMENT by Sherie Amil.

Or,

TETHERED by Jo Brooks meets HEAT OF THE MOMENT by Sherie Amil in my adult fantasy novel DRAGON SKY (100,000).

Query Blurb

The “blurb” comes next and should read like the back cover or inside flap of a published book. There are a lot of resources that explain how to write a great query blurb, including Query Shark, Jane Friedman, and the BookEnds Literary Agency YouTube channel, so I won’t go into excessive detail here.

In the wise words of Query Shark, the agent needs to know only a few things:

  • Who is the main character?
  • What do they want?
  • What’s stopping them from getting it?
  • What choices must they make?
  • What’s at stake with those choices?

A query should convey this information within 200-350 words. Blurbs are always written in third person, present tense, regardless of the POV or tense of the book. Ideally, the blurb will have a similar tone as your book (i.e. a serious book shouldn’t have a jokey, lighthearted query and vice versa) and will convey an idea of the world, without going into too much depth.

Dragontamer Jarga Thistlemane has a problem. The dragon in her care escaped from its cage last night and Jarga has no idea where it is. If she doesn’t find it by week’s end, Jarga’s boss will fire her. Jarga needs this job to pay off her family’s debt, but that’s not the worst of it: the dragon’s owner is Kael Zephith, the most ruthless noble in the city. If he learns his dragon is missing, he’ll do far worse things to Jarga than take her job.

Jarga sets out to find the dragon, but everything goes wrong from the beginning. First, her annoying neighbor Sorrel insists on “helping” and comes along for the journey. Then, the two are pursued by the murderous local gang. Jarga soon learns that Sorrel stole information from the gang. Information that could lead to Jarga’s missing dragon. Information that could incite the wrath of Kael Zephith.

Jarga and Sorrel must work together to evade the gang and find the dragon before Kael Zephith finds out–or finds them.

Keep things short and simple. Two or three paragraphs will never be enough to convey the complexity of an entire novel, so distill it down. Don’t include more than two or three named characters and focus on one main plotline.

I highly recommend checking out the resources above for in-depth articles about writing great query blurbs.

The Author Bio

This can be an agonizing paragraph for writers who don’t have publications, but it doesn’t have to be.

[To be clear, by “publications,” I mean that an editor of a literary journal accepted your work–this can’t be something that you posted to your website or social media, and it’s not something you paid to have online. For example, I once paid a fee to enter a writing contest and all the stories submitted to that contest were later posted on the website. I do not count this as an authentic publication since I was not “chosen” by the editor. Academic or non-literary writing does not qualify unless it is directly related to the story you’re writing. (E.g. you published an academic paper about the rise of the Ottoman Empire and your story is about the rise of the Ottoman Empire.)]

If you’ve been published–great! You can definitely include that. If not, don’t sweat it. Not having publications isn’t as big a deal as writers think.

There are a few ways to approach the bio section of the query.

Leave it out! That’s right; just forgo it entirely. There is a caveat to this. If an agent specifically requests that you include a bio in the query letter, I would prioritize following those instructions. Additionally, agents using Query Manager are increasingly including a bio section in their forms. You should plan for this eventuality.

To deal with this, just write a few short sentences about yourself. Where you live, perhaps, or what your job is–bonus points if it’s something weird or unique. Do you have any strange hobbies or skills? Be honest here; it’s great if you can catch an agent’s eye, but they’re not going to request your manuscript just because you’re a skydiving wedding officiant. Again, if your job/hobbies is directly relevant to the story you’re writing, include it!

I received my degree in aeronautics from Griffith College in the 1980s. I live in Misthaven, CT where I have worked as a horse tamer for the past 20 years.

Closing

Don’t overthink it.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Loren Glider

Putting it All Together

Based on what I’ve written above, we end up with a query letter that looks something like this:

Dear Ms. Tome,

On your website, you mention seeking sweeping, epic fantasies with a focus on female friendships and questions about morality. TETHERED by Jo Brooks meets HEAT OF THE MOMENT by Sherie Amil in my adult fantasy novel DRAGON SKY (100,000). DRAGON SKY focuses on unlikely female friends who struggle with right and wrong. It is the first in a planned trilogy.

Dragontamer Jarga Thistlemane has a problem. The dragon in her care escaped from its cage last night and Jarga has no idea where it is. If she doesn’t find it by week’s end, Jarga’s boss will fire her. Jarga needs this job to pay off her family’s debt, but that’s not the worst of it: the dragon’s owner is Kael Zephith, the most ruthless noble in the city. If he learns his dragon is missing, he’ll do far worse to Jarga than take her job.

Jarga sets out to find the dragon, but everything goes wrong from the beginning. First, her annoying neighbor Sorrel insists on “helping” and comes along for the journey. Then, the two are pursued by the murderous local gang. Jarga soon learns that Sorrel stole information from the gang. Information that could lead to Jarga’s missing dragon. Information that could incite the wrath of Kael Zephith.

Jarga and Sorrel must work together to evade the gang and find the dragon before Kael Zephith finds out–or finds them.

I received my degree in aeronautics from Griffith College in the 1980s. I live in Misthaven, CT where I have worked as a horse tamer for the past 20 years.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Loren Glider

Final Thoughts

I find it helpful to write three (or more!) queries from scratch over the course of a few days. This can help you think outside the box and loosen you up. The first version is almost never the best version, so keep trying.

Take inspiration from the back cover copy of your favorite novels, as well as recently released novels to see what’s fresh.

Have multiple people read your query blurb and give feedback. Where were they confused? What did they find interesting?

And lastly, follow an agent’s submission guidelines. If they want a bio, include it. If they want the manuscript stats at the bottom instead of the top, move it. If they want a one paragraph blurb instead of three… well, get cutting!

Next Steps…

Believe it or not, the query letter was the easy part. Buckle up for the next post, “Synopsis,” where I’ll cover what agents expect and how to write one.

References and Further Reading

Query Shark
Jane Friedman
BookEnds Literary Agency YouTube Channel
Queries, Qualms, and Quirks
Quite The Query

How to Publish Your Novel: Finding the Best Literary Agents

2 Comments

This article was updated 2/2/2023

Years ago, when I first thought I might become a published author someday, I started researching how to achieve my goals. What I found was completely overwhelming. I needed an agent, but there were thousands of them. Each of them wanted different documents I had never heard of. Query? Synopsis? What?

In this series, I’m going to share what I found and break down how to publish your novel. I’ll cover a the difference between the types of publishing currently available, writing a query letter, writing a synopsis, and finding the ideal agent to query. The process can seem overwhelming, but I hope to offer some clarity and simplicity so you can approach publishing with confidence.

Welcome to Part 3: Finding the Best Literary Agents. Catch up on previous sections here:
Part 1: Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
Part 2: Finding an Agent

Or, skip ahead:
Part 4: How to Write a Query Letter

Literary Agents:
How Do I Find THE One?!

If you read last week’s post, you’ve now poked around the internet and found lists of literary agents. Many, many agents. But you do you find THE agent for you?

This is the research method that works best for me. There is no “right” way, so take what you like and develop your own system. My system has evolved over the years and I currently use both QueryTracker and a spreadsheet to organize things in the way that makes the most sense to me.

Start a Preliminary List

Let’s get a rough list of potential agents together. Open a new document in Excel, Google Sheets, whatever spreadsheet program that works for you.

Ready?

I label the columns as such: Fit, Agency, Agent, Website, Notes, Query Method, Synopsis, Pages, and Response Time. That seems like a lot, but I want to save myself from having to look up information later–a lesson learned the hard way.

In the last post, I covered finding potential agents online. I start with QueryTracker, choosing my genre from the sidebar to find which agents represent the kind of story I’m writing. Don’t pay too much attention to who is open or closed to submissions at this stage. It changes so often, it’s not worth focusing on right now. (QueryTracker has simple videos about how to get started if you need help).

QueryTracker currently lists 355 agents who represent fantasy. Some of these are out of my country, so I’m going to ignore those, because I want a US agent. That brings the number down a little, but there are still too many to look at. You can research every single one, if you like, but I prefer to start with the more well-known agencies, or agencies that have a lot of agents representing my genre. I know that will save me a step later, because I can go to one website to get information for multiple agents.

Start filling in your table. Write the agency name under “Agency” and the specific agent under “Agent.” If more than one agent is listed for each agency, feel free to write them on a new line or just leave that cell open. If there’s a website, copy that down as well.

You now have a chart that looks something like this:

When you have a decent number of agents/agencies to look at, say 20 or 30, it’s time to dig in.

Fill in the Blanks

Starting at the top, visit the first agency website. What you’re looking for is a list of agents and what types of manuscripts they want. Some websites have this information in a section called “agents,” some have it in “submissions,” or “about.” Some have it in multiple places! Scour the website. The whole thing. In your spreadsheet, start filling in some of the other columns–but only for agents who seem like a good fit.

Under “Notes,” jot some things the agent likes. Sweeping, epic fantasies. Mystery with a bit of romance. Stories about families. Corgis. Whatever seems relevant to your manuscript.

They will also have a preferred query method, typically email or Query Manager, which I note under “Query Method.” Note whether they like to receive a synopsis (Y/N). If they want the first several pages of your novel, how many? If there’s information on response time, put that in, too. It will save you from wondering later.

Getting Organized

While you’re reading up on each agent, you’ll get a sense of their personality and preferences. You’ll also get a sense of whether this person may be right for you and your manuscript. Here’s where the “Fit” column of our spreadsheet comes in. Rank each agent from 1 (terrible fit) to 5 (absolutely amazing). I do keep a list of the ones who aren’t a good fit to avoid forgetting and trying to re-research them later.

Now your spreadsheet might look something like this:

By the end, you may have a list of 50 or more agents with varying ranks. It’s time to pare down the list.

But How Do I Find the Perfect Agent?

Start with agents ranked 4 or 5. Revisit their website.

We’re going to give each agent a secondary fit ranking. For example, if you noted someone was a 5, a perfect fit for your manuscript, and you find they’re still a perfect fit, mark them 5-5. Someone who’s “merely” an excellent fit might get a 5-4. This will help you organize batches of submissions.

If you have multiple agents from the same agency listed, you’re going to have to pick just one. You can save their information for later, but most agencies frown on duplicative submissions unless explicitly stated.

You now have a list of the 15-20 agents you think are the best possible fit for your manuscript.

Who Do I Submit to First?

Submissions should be done in rounds. Do a little rearranging of your list to create bundles of 5-10 agents each. Your first round of submissions might go to two agents with a 5 ranking and three with a 4 ranking. For example:

This is fairly arbitrary, but I would advise against putting all your top choices in the first round. That way, if you don’t get the responses you want initially, you can revise your submission documents and still have good-fit agents on the list.

What Happened to Using QueryTracker?

I thought that was a submission tracker, so why am I using an old-school spreadsheet?

It is. And it’s a great one. But the spreadsheet gives me a lot more space to write down individual preferences, including themes, story types, etc. I can search this later, if I want, or see at a glance what should be included in my submission package. I can also see who uses QueryManager and prioritize those, since they are more likely to respond to queries. Most importantly, I can separate my queries into batches to keep myself organized and on task.

At this point, I do go back into QueryTracker and select agents for my “To Query” list. I also mark “Do Not Query” for those I’ve researched who are a poor fit.

The Submission Package

Great. I’ve set up my list and separated the agents into a few rounds. But everyone seems to want different things!

They do…and they don’t. There are a few basic documents that most agents will want: a Query Letter, a Synopsis, and the first few pages of your book.

In the next post, “Query Letters,” I’ll go over what this is and how to write one that will catch an agent’s eye.

How to Publish Your Novel: Finding a Literary Agent

2 Comments

This article was updated 2/2/2023

Years ago, when I first thought I might become a published author someday, I started researching how to achieve my goals. What I found was completely overwhelming. I needed an agent, but there were thousands of them. Each of them wanted different documents I had never heard of. Query? Synopsis? What?

In this series, I’m going to share what I found and break down how to publish your novel. I’ll cover a the difference between the types of publishing currently available, writing a query letter, writing a synopsis, and finding the ideal agent to query. The process can seem overwhelming, but I hope to offer some clarity and simplicity so you can approach publishing with confidence.

Welcome to Part 2: Finding an Agent.
If you missed Part 1, catch up by reading Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing.
Or, skip ahead:
Finding the Best Literary Agents
How to Write a Query Letter

Literary Agents:
The Basics

So you’ve decided to publish your novel and have settled on the traditional publishing method as the best option.

Step One is to find a literary agent to represent you.

What is a literary agent anyway?

The shortest answer is that literary agents sell manuscripts to publishing houses. Most publishers don’t accept manuscripts from authors directly; they need to come through a middle man (middle person?)–the literary agent in this case. When you find an agent who likes your work, they will submit to publishers on your behalf, negotiate contracts, and will be your advocate in the publishing world. They love your book and want others to read it.

Literary Agents:
Where Do I Find One?!

I get what an agent is–now how on earth do I find one?!

Gone are the days of purchasing enormous, phonebook-like tomes listing every literary agent’s contact information. Thank goodness we have the internet.

The best resource, in my opinion, is QueryTracker. QueryTracker is an online database of agents that also has searching and tracking functions. I signed up for a free account, which allows me to add agents to my “To Query” list, see their response times, see submitter comments, and more. I can select a genre, e.g. “fantasy,” from the sidebar and see all the agents who represent fantasy (355 as of today’s writing).

Other resources include Poets and Writers, Writer’s Digest, or genre-specific websites that may list agents seeking manuscripts.

Organization Amid Chaos

So, you’ve done some research and found several lists of agents who likely represent your genre. But there are dozens and dozens of them! What are you supposed to do with all this information?

Don’t get overwhelmed. (Okay, allow yourself a moment to get overwhelmed, then pull yourself together!) Writing is hard work, and so is getting your manuscript published.

Compiling an ideal list of agents is going to take some time and focus. In next week’s post, “Organizing Submissions to Literary Agents” I’ll go over my method for sorting through all the information to find the best literary agent for your work. Done this way, it doesn’t seem so daunting after all.

How to Publish Your Novel: Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing

2 Comments

Years ago, when I first thought I might become a published author someday, I started researching how to achieve my goals. What I found was completely overwhelming. I needed an agent, but there were thousands of them. Each of them wanted different documents I had never heard of. Query? Synopsis? What?

In this series, I’m going to share what I found and break down how to publish your novel. I’ll cover a the difference between the types of publishing currently available, writing a query letter, writing a synopsis, and finding the ideal agent to query. The process can seem overwhelming, but I hope to offer some clarity and simplicity so you can approach publishing with confidence.

Self Publishing vs.
Traditional Publishing

There are currently two publishing methods:

  1. Self-publishing (a/k/a digital publishing / indie publishing / vanity publishing)
  2. Traditional publishing

What’s the difference?

Anyone can self-publish a novel. All you need is a completed manuscript (like it’s that easy!) and a modest amount of money to get started. Self publishing involves formatting your manuscript, designing a cover, and using a service (like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing) to produce your book in electronic format, paper format, or both. That’s the easy part. Next, you have to market your book to convince prospective buyers it’s worth a read.

If you want your book to appear in major bookstores, like Barnes and Noble, traditional publishing is the route for you. This method requires you to have a literary agent. Agents are not publishers, and most publishers won’t accept novels from authors without agents. (This rule of thumb may not apply to non-fiction books, but we’re only going to focus on fiction in this series.) Therefore, you’ll need to find an agent by sending a “query.” The best agent is one who loves your book as much as you do. They will be your champion and will do their best to sell your book to a publishing house. Agents do not get paid until you do; they typically charge a commission of 15% for domestic sales.

Let’s look at some pros and cons for the self-publishing and traditional publishing methods.

Self-Publishing (Digital)

Pros

  • Anyone can do it
  • Less hassle of finding an agent
  • More control

Cons

  • Costs time and money
  • No advance from publisher
  • You pay all expenses (copyediting, design of cover, marketing, etc.)
  • You do your own marketing
  • No paper copies of your book are produced (unless you pay for this option)

Traditional Publishing

Pros

  • Costs nothing but time
  • Advance paid by publisher
  • Publisher pays expenses (editing, design, marketing, printing, etc.)
  • National distribution
  • Publisher markets your book (with your help)

Cons

  • It can be difficult to get an agent
  • No guarantee of publication
  • Slow process (18 months or more)
  • Less control over process
  • Agent takes a cut

With both of these routes, there are pitfalls. Beware agents charging a “reading fee” or having you pay for editorial services. No agent will ask for any money from you up front. If they do, run! The same goes for self publishing services. You may need/want to pay up front for certain services (book cover design, for one), but do your research on individual companies. There are predatory services out there that take advantage of unwary authors. Reedsy has a great post about how to spot scams. Always do your due diligence.

Personally, I prefer the traditional publishing route. I would rather have someone more knowledgeable do the design, editing, publishing, and (some) marketing of my book so I can focus on writing the next one.

Let’s say you’ve decided the traditional publishing route is right for you. What’s next?

Finding an agent is first on the list and we’ll cover that in next week’s post, “Finding a Literary Agent.”

Or, if you want to skip ahead, see the other posts in this series:
Organizing Submissions to Literary Agents