Hit and Run Queries

When I first began querying, I made a fairly big production of it.  I had all my books of agents and publishers laid out, with the ones I'd chosen to query first highlighted.  I wrote the letters carefully, agonizing over each word and phrase.  My husband kindly made me address labels so that the envelopes looked professional.

I wasn't too disappointed when I received the first few rejections.  I knew that was pretty standard.  And some of the letters have actually been a little encouraging.

Lately, I've been less formal about the queries.  With the understanding that the more queries out there, the more likely one is to find the right agent, I've been working on getting letters out via email whenever I have a little bit of time.  I call them my hit and run queries.

I've stopped being quite so worried about everything being perfect, because I realize that when my letter reaches that right agent, perfection won't be necessarily required.  (I learned that from Query Shark.)

Probably the most discouraging part of my recent querying has been lack of response.  I know I'm not alone, since so many writers have shared this frustration.  Agents are being so inundated with queries that they simply don't respond to those they don't intend to pursue.  It's exasperating, but it's the way it is.

So I'll keep up my hit and runs, and keep the faith that pretty soon, one of them will hit pay dirt.