My first month querying as a debut author: Here’s what I learned.
After years of the first Aethermere book bouncing around inside my brain, I finally, finally, finished my manuscript. And by finished, I mean, every five seconds, I think about one small tweak or one word I forgot. And then, as every author does, I climbed into the query trenches with my comrades for some old-fashioned baptism by fire.
Truth be told, I wrote this book as a passion project and never for a second thought, “This will be good enough to publish someday.” Then, the closer I got to finishing, the less preposterous it seemed. Of course, I went on TikTok and queried some small publishing houses and learned (thankfully not the hard way) that they aren’t all what they appear.
Then I found a few professional accounts where I learned about sites like QueryTracker and Manuscript Wish List. And there, my friends, is where I realized what I’d gotten into.
If you’ve ever done online dating, and I have (no, I will not be taking questions), you know the feeling of being rejected or going on a date or two and it not working out. Even if you weren’t 100% sold on the person, it’s still a sting to the ego.
The query process feels like that, but instead, it’s a project you’ve agonized over for months or even years. Not saying it’s worse or better, of course I’m not. But it’s something you thought about 24/7. You’ve written notes on napkins so you wouldn’t forget a plot point. You’ve neglected your laundry or foregone social engagements. It’s a sacrifice, and it consumes you.
And then you have to casually put it in front of the world like you haven’t crashed out for the past year, spent a month on one scene, or renamed a character at four AM the day before sending a query.
That type of vulnerability isn’t for the weak. So if you’re out there in the trenches, know I’m there suffering right beside you and cheering you on. And sending you virtual margaritas.
I do want to take a serious moment to flag a few things that I’m glad I learned early on, in case someone reading this did not:
Research the publishing house before you sign anything. Google them and search for any complaints or red flags. Pay attention to their website. How many books have they published? Are they marketing their books on social media? Do they have an actual team of people, or is it a hamster on a wheel reading queries?
Confirm that people are who they say they are. There are TONS of scammers out there. And they honestly seem legit. I’ve had emails from literary agents and publishers with legitimate-looking email addresses asking for my manuscript, who said, “No, that wasn’t me.” ASK before sending anything. I don’t know what scammers do with manuscripts but they can pry mine from my dead, lifeless Cinnabon-coated fingers.
Look at the genres agents or publishers are looking for before you query. This is usually available on QueryTracker or their website. Manuscript Wishlist exists for this purpose. Don’t query people outside of their desired genre; it just gums up mailboxes and cuts into the agent eating their midnight burrito.
Have a list of comp titles ready. I was really unsure about this, so I just started reading titles in my genre that I could find on Kindle Unlimited or, at the VERY least, reading synopses. I’m not going to make a blanket statement to always have comp titles in your query, but it seems to be something that’s expected when submitting.
Format and grammar check your s***. Honestly though. Grammarly is free. If you can afford it, get just a plain old proofreading editor. There’s a bunch out there. I’m not one to send people to TikTok, but you can find someone good if you dig. These are the formatting requirements I’m using, but pay attention to agents because they may have specific requests.
Key Formatting Guidelines
File Format: Submit as .doc or .docx.
Paragraphs: Use a 0.5-inch indent for the first line of each paragraph, without extra spaces between paragraphs.
Font: Times New Roman, 12-point.
Alignment: Left-justified.
Spacing: Double-spaced throughout, with only one space between sentences.
Headers: Include a header with your last name, title, and page number in the top right corner.
Title Page: Center your name and contact information at the top left, with the manuscript title (all caps) and byline centered in the middle of the page.
Chapter Breaks: Begin new chapters about one-third of the way down the page.
Scene Breaks: Use a single centered hash mark ("#") or three asterisks ("***").
Special Characters: Use italics for emphasized words, not underlining.
*I made the mistake of justifying my first few submissions because I just didn’t know. I did still get one Offer of Rep but later found out that it’s not industry standard.
**If you want to get really fancy, summon the grammar gods and make a sacrifice (maybe one of those empty notebooks you have lying around—you heard me). I can neither confirm nor deny this as my method. And by sacrifice, I mean open it and use it, which somehow is worse.
Keep working on things when you feel like you’re waiting. It will make you feel productive and less anxious. I worked on book cover ideas and an inside cover map. Then I organized all my Notion boards.
Finally and equally important, take time to step away when you can. Touch some grass, snuggle your dog. Get some dopamine in that cortisol-riddled writing brain. Eat something. Drink some water. You’re not abandoning your project, you’re doing the best thing for it—taking care of you.
Disclaimer: I don’t use AI to write my blogs. I sit and suffer as the writing gods intended. Yes, I use em dashes and hyperbolic language, but I was doing it before the robots did. So was Shakespeare. So stop the witch hunt, please, respectfully. Find something better to do, like reading more of my blogs or knitting.
