My Querying Journey to Representation 2.0

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving! 

In the spirit of gratitude, that my second querying journey is finally over after 3+ years, I thought I’d share my journey, my stats, and my number one tip to find a literary agent in the current publishing landscape. Because querying can be so demoralizing.

But it doesn’t have to be!

I first dreamed up the idea for a new middle grade book in 2014. However, I tucked it away for a future story and continued to focus on the Crimson Five series instead. Then in the Spring of 2019, once I turned in the final edited pass pages of Pop the Bronze Balloon (the final book), I moved on to my next project: a whimsical but very grounded middle grade sci-fi with heart.

I pulled out my old notes. It was pretty much a title, three characters, and a few plot points. Not a lot but it was enough to get me thinking—which is what I did for most of the summer. Every once in a while, I added worldbuilding ideas, more characters and descriptions, and details surrounding the conflict and stakes.  Then, a few months later, in Fall of 2019, I began drafting. It was the most fun I’ve had writing a story—so refreshing to tell a tale that was completely new, set in a land that even the wildest corner of my imagination was impressed with! My most ambitious book by far! 

I completed the draft in June of 2020, almost exactly around the time that my literary agent left agenting and we parted ways. The manuscript at that time was 50,000 words. 

Knowing that I couldn’t sign with a new agent without a completed manuscript, I spent the next six months revising. By then, the manuscript had crept up to almost 78,000 words! I knew it was too long, but I convinced myself that there was a market for longer, upper middle grade sci-fi/fantasy. I mean, look at Harry Potter and Keeper of the Lost Cities, right? 

In early 2021, with a newly revised manuscript, I began querying way too early. A rookie mistake and I knew it. With no requests after 20 queries, I dove back into revisions. I worked with two of my trusted critique partners and implemented their much-needed feedback.

I queried again at the end 2021 and out of those 30 queries, I had only two full requests but neither panned out. I was so frustrated that querying wasn’t easier this time around and realized (from social media and blog articles on the topic), that middle grade was taking a hit. I also realized my sky-high wordcount was probably getting my manuscript rejected.  

But there was something else that was nagging at me about this manuscript. I realized the POV needed to be changed. There was no particular reason why. It just felt necessary.

So, in 2022, I embarked on a massive revision. I changed the entire manuscript from 1st person to 3rd. It was a huge undertaking but a major improvement to the story. However, the manuscript was still too long so I cut about 11,000 words and saved them for a sequel. With the manuscript now at about 67,000 words (the same length as my other three published books) I began querying again. From Summer 2022 to Fall 2023, I queried 25 more agents and got three more requests. Still not great stats. 

I teamed up with a new critique partner from my local writing group, Sarah Mead. Her fresh perspective and feedback were invaluable. The word count didn’t change but my opening chapter did—many times. She cheered me on and gave me the encouragement I needed to not give up on this story and I didn’t.

Ultimately, however, I realized that although agents seemed to like the story, the wordcount was still too high. The call for shorter middle grade was still ringing out all over social media. In fact, it seemed to be getting even louder. Whereas 65,000 words used to be the high end of normal, it no longer was. I panicked/ struggled with how to make this story, with a big concept and vast worldbuilding, shorter. But my thoughts on how to rework it would have to wait.

2024 was a pause on writing and querying for me. After a long illness, I lost my mom the first week in January and then my daughter got married in September. Suffice it to say, family took center stage for most of this year. It was a rollercoaster of emotions and I didn’t have the bandwidth to focus on my manuscript. With one exception. 

In April of 2024, Sarah and I attended a Writer’s Day Conference in Buffalo. The panels and speakers were amazing and we met great writers too. I pitched to two agents and both requested the full manuscript. However, one of them—a very well-known and respected agent used our pitching time to tell me the grave state of middle grade publishing. To say I was dismayed is an understatement. 

After submitting the full to both, I only heard back from Mr. Doom and Gloom. However, despite his bleak publishing update, he did say that it wasn’t my word count, pitch, premise, writing, or voice that was keeping me from landing an agent. It was the mere fact that middle grade is not currently selling. He said to keep at it because, the story is great, I’ve nailed the middle grade voice, and the tide will turn eventually. Hmm. High praise for sure. 

So, with a wedding to help plan, I set the manuscript aside again. But that changed in October!

I reconnected with my critique partner, Sarah and revamped the first act setting. It made a world of difference and gave the plot a unique twist. Amidst more social media noise reinforcing the call from literary agents for shorter middle grade, I began brainstorming ways to either cut (even more) scenes to decrease the word count or separate the current manuscript into two books—potentially using the 11,000 words I had saved for a sequel. 

The time away had given me a new perspective and with a fresh eye, during the second week in October, I re-read the entire manuscript and instantly remembered why I love this story and believe in it so much. 

And that’s where my querying journey ends. In case you missed my previous post, which you can read here, on the 29thof October, I reconnected with my former literary agent, Rebecca Angus. Her return to agenting, this time with Howland Literary, led to a call I didn’t expect to have this year! After a long chat, she offered representation—again! Call it fate, call it luck, call it whatever you like. I call it an unexpected blessing!

Querying is hard. The odds are not good, but they aren’t impossible. However, as you can see from my journey, I didn’t sign with my agent either time by querying. It was all through social media. So, is that my best tip for finding an agent? Nope. My tip is this:

Go to an online or in-person conference. I know they can be expensive and this option is not realistic for everyone. It certainly wasn’t for me for a very long time. But with online options available now, and the chance to pitch to an agent directly, I think that’s your best chance. My experience at the Writing Day Conference was a great one. Had Rebecca not come back to agenting, I would have already signed up for another one. They are offered all over the country and throughout the entire year. At the very least, take a look. Maybe one of them will be a good option for you!

So, what other advice do I have for you, my querying writer friends? I guess it would have to be: Don’t give up. Sometimes the best things happen when you least expect them to, in ways that you would never dream of. If it happened for me, it can happen for you. You just have to be patient and believe in what you are working on!

I have never ever given up on this story. I love it way too much! And now, with my manuscript currently sitting at 67,000 words, I have an agent to advise me! My gut is telling me that I will spend the rest of this year, and the beginning of 2025, turning the manuscript into two books. There is a natural place to split it so it wouldn’t be too hard to do. But, at this point I’m waiting for my edit letter, our next call, and our brainstorming session to know for sure. I’ll keep you posted! 

Until then, I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you for sharing this journey with me!