M.K. Williams | When is it time to revise the Query Package? Query Process and Hiring a Query Coach @1MKWilliams | Uploaded April 2023 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
I mentioned in the query updates video about how I stopped and revised my query package after the first round of 24 queries didn’t result in more than 2 full requests.
I didn’t send all 24 out at once. I had my tiers of agents who used Query Manager and were responding quickly, like 1-2 day turnaround quickly first. What’s great about agents who use Query Manager is I can see all the queries they get (not the actual query but the genre, length, if it was responded to) with QT Premium. So from the first seven or so I could see that 5 of those agents skipped my query. This could mean two things, either it got lost in the ether of the internet, OR they liked the query, it piqued their interest, and they were saving the sample pages to go back and read later.
This certainly leads to more obsessive checking as I can see if they are working their way through their “maybes” or “skips.”
So after those first seven, one of which asked for the full manuscript, I had a good idea that my query letter was good. I sent out a few more than a few more based on response rates and started to see more skips, but ultimately agents were passing. So the query letter was still getting me on a skip or maybe list, but good enough to catch their attention in a sea of queries. But maybe the sample pages weren’t landing. Maybe there was a disconnect between what I was selling in the query and what they were reading in the pages, maybe it didn’t grip them enough.
So as more of the longer response time, rejections came in (again, rejection sucks, but it's better than silence) I was a little daunted at the idea of sending more queries. Because maybe nothing was wrong and this just wasn’t the best fit for these agents, or maybe I misspelled my own name or some other glaring error or the whole thing needed to be redone.
I’m planning to start query round 2 once I have incorporated this next feedback and see how that hoes. Having a professional give this a look after critique partners helped to shape it is giving me a lot of confidence going into round two. (Unless I get an offer in the meantime in which case, I’m still happy!)
I wanted to share my experience working with Alyssa, with having the testing mindset on my query package and knowing when to ask for help because I’m guessing a lot of authors in the querying trenches feel the same way. You can only revise and revise and revise this short letter so many times before you go bonkers over which article or comma to place here or there. I obviously believe in working with coaches, I am a coach. Alyssa did a great job communicating, she was on time with her deliverables, and she is encouraging.
Alyssa’s Channel: youtube.com/@AlyssaMatesic
Alyssa's Website: alyssamatesic.com
My video on her channel: youtube.com/watch?v=vwh1ql_AB3A&t=96s
Her video on my channel: youtube.com/watch?v=BTk9CeCHexk
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCjvBO4kjuBSYe6Bi3RYQAQA/join
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☕️Buy Me A Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/1mkwilliams
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Author Your Ambition Merch on Etsy:
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Need help with your book?
📞You can actually do 1-on-1 coaching with me, learn more about the services available here: calendly.com/1mkwilliamsauthor/author-coach-consultation
Need help with your author business?
📈 You can book time with me to go over your author business and overcome your current roadblocks: calendly.com/1mkwilliamsauthor/author-biz
Partnership Opportunities:
Interested in working together to collaborate on an upcoming video? Let's connect: authoryourambition.com/partnership-opportunities
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you, but it can help me continue to create and put out more content. Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!
I mentioned in the query updates video about how I stopped and revised my query package after the first round of 24 queries didn’t result in more than 2 full requests.
I didn’t send all 24 out at once. I had my tiers of agents who used Query Manager and were responding quickly, like 1-2 day turnaround quickly first. What’s great about agents who use Query Manager is I can see all the queries they get (not the actual query but the genre, length, if it was responded to) with QT Premium. So from the first seven or so I could see that 5 of those agents skipped my query. This could mean two things, either it got lost in the ether of the internet, OR they liked the query, it piqued their interest, and they were saving the sample pages to go back and read later.
This certainly leads to more obsessive checking as I can see if they are working their way through their “maybes” or “skips.”
So after those first seven, one of which asked for the full manuscript, I had a good idea that my query letter was good. I sent out a few more than a few more based on response rates and started to see more skips, but ultimately agents were passing. So the query letter was still getting me on a skip or maybe list, but good enough to catch their attention in a sea of queries. But maybe the sample pages weren’t landing. Maybe there was a disconnect between what I was selling in the query and what they were reading in the pages, maybe it didn’t grip them enough.
So as more of the longer response time, rejections came in (again, rejection sucks, but it's better than silence) I was a little daunted at the idea of sending more queries. Because maybe nothing was wrong and this just wasn’t the best fit for these agents, or maybe I misspelled my own name or some other glaring error or the whole thing needed to be redone.
I’m planning to start query round 2 once I have incorporated this next feedback and see how that hoes. Having a professional give this a look after critique partners helped to shape it is giving me a lot of confidence going into round two. (Unless I get an offer in the meantime in which case, I’m still happy!)
I wanted to share my experience working with Alyssa, with having the testing mindset on my query package and knowing when to ask for help because I’m guessing a lot of authors in the querying trenches feel the same way. You can only revise and revise and revise this short letter so many times before you go bonkers over which article or comma to place here or there. I obviously believe in working with coaches, I am a coach. Alyssa did a great job communicating, she was on time with her deliverables, and she is encouraging.
Alyssa’s Channel: youtube.com/@AlyssaMatesic
Alyssa's Website: alyssamatesic.com
My video on her channel: youtube.com/watch?v=vwh1ql_AB3A&t=96s
Her video on my channel: youtube.com/watch?v=BTk9CeCHexk
Join this channel to get access to perks:
youtube.com/channel/UCjvBO4kjuBSYe6Bi3RYQAQA/join
Music from: bensound.com/ E.R.F.
How You Can Support This Channel and My Work:
👍Like, Subscribe, and Comment on this video!
✉️Subscribe to my monthly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/52c7cd246b5b/authoryourambition
➕Follow me on my other channels: FB | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
facebook.com/1mkwilliams
twitter.com/1mkwilliams
instagram.com/1mkwilliams
goodreads.com/author/show/14420756.M_K_Williams
☕️Buy Me A Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/1mkwilliams
📚Check out my books and purchase them or request them at your library: 1mkwilliams.com or payhip.com/MKWilliamsPublishingLLC
Author Your Ambition Merch on Etsy:
📖etsy.com/shop/AuthorYourAmbition
Need help with your book?
📞You can actually do 1-on-1 coaching with me, learn more about the services available here: calendly.com/1mkwilliamsauthor/author-coach-consultation
Need help with your author business?
📈 You can book time with me to go over your author business and overcome your current roadblocks: calendly.com/1mkwilliamsauthor/author-biz
Partnership Opportunities:
Interested in working together to collaborate on an upcoming video? Let's connect: authoryourambition.com/partnership-opportunities
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you, but it can help me continue to create and put out more content. Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!
