What TO DO when querying a novel

To finish my series on dos and don'ts of querying, here are some tips on what worked when I was querying in 2008 for my current agent. In this case, I had learned from my slapdash experience with my first novel.

So for my third novel (the one that landed me current agent, but not the book we sold first), I actually did something pretty crazy for a writer. Ready?

I finished the first draft it in March 2008. Then I worked with a freelance editor to refine it. By May 2008 it was ready. So rather t...