When querying for one particular novel, is it a good idea to (briefly) tell an agent about other books I have written in the past or manuscripts I am working on at the moment?
Although those might be besides the question, I feel they might be relevant to an agent like yourself, who is interested in representing careers, not books.
You don't have enough room in a query for much information other than what this particular book is about. 250 words total, remember?
However.
I am interested in what you've written before but only if you've published it. That's where your website comes in handy. You post a list of your previous writing (and links to it if you want people to read it or buy it) and have a tab on your website that says "Books" or "Works" so I can click on it and take a look.
In your query, you put your website address underneath your name in the signature.
Example:
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Felix Buttonweazer
ButtonweazersRus.nyc
@ButtonWeazer
1-800-Wea-ZERS
123 Duck Soup Circle
Fredonia, NY 14063
At the query stage I'm ONLY interested in this one book right now. If I've read the full and liked it, you can count on a quiz about your previous work.
3 comments:
Dear Janet,
The website you cited, as that of my dear husband Felix Buttonweazer, is incorrect. And, I know this because Felix does not even have a website, yet. We have been discussing the advisability of building one but with all the little Buttonweazers running around, we hardly have time to read your blog, let alone build a site and make more Buttonweazer babies, (that was not me delivering on a subway in Philadelphia on Christmas day). I prefer mangers.
Anyway, Felix and I believe it’s time, my dear friend, for his own blog. I googled Felix Buttonweazer and you know what I found, more you than him. Please build one for him.
My friends think you are married to Felix instead of me. And, I know that is not true for two reasons: labor and all the little Buttonweazer boys and girls do not read. They use books to build forts.
Respectively yours,
Betty, with 2Ts, Buttonweazer
Ha, Carolynn. That was great.
To the original poster, I have never, ever, in lo these many years seen an agent who wants to hear about anything else you've written unless it's legitimately published and selling well.
I have a poor neglected website. I need to start blogging again and update some information. I haven't been linking it in my query, but I should.
I swear queries are going to drive me crazy. I have a 40% request rate off my current query, but it's longer than 250 words. Time to start cutting words again. Again! The story of my life.
Totally off topic, but when I'm querying, this is kind of what it feels like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8
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