Query Statistics
- By: Jessica Faust | Date: Sep 16 2016
One of the best things about Query Manager is that it automatically keeps statistics for all of our queries and query responses, something I never really tracked before. Last week Beth attended the Colorado Gold Writers conference where she presented on rejection. In preparation she asked all of us to share our statistics. It was fascinating.
I thought about how to write this post and was planning to do a general breakdown. And then I thought, “nah” give them all the details. So here goes. These are BookEnds query statistics for the month of July, broken down by agent.
Jessica Faust
Queries received: 250
Queries rejected: 227
Requests for more material: 23
Average query response time: 4 days
Offers for representation: 0
Jessica Alvarez
Queries received: 106
Queries rejected: 99
Requests for more material: 7
Average query response time: 2 days
Offer for representation: 1
Kim Lionetti
Queries received: 108
Queries rejected: 87
Requests for more material: 21
Average query response time: 3 days
Offer for representation: 1
Beth Campbell
**Queries received: 227
Queries rejected: 122
Requests for more material: 3
Average query response time: 17 days
Offers for representation: 0
Tracy Marchini
Queries received: 170
Queries rejected: 157
Requests for more material: 11
Average query response time: 12 days
Offers for representation: 0
Moe Ferrara
**Queries received: 380
Queries rejected: 144
Requests for more material: 13
Average query response time: 40 days
Offers for representation: 0
When looking over these statistics keep in mind that timing can change things dramatically. Vacations, client work, negotiations and general daily tasks can slow things down at any point. That being said, I think this is a fairly accurate snapshot of the monthly queries of an agent and how each of us responds.
**Note that at the time of writing not all queries were answered.
I must say, my spirits are somewhat lifted LOL. We writers imagine (or hear very often) that agents get like 500+ queries a week, so seeing that it’s actually two hundred something a month brings certain relief. Sure, I imagine there are months and months, but still. I know quite a few authors who will appreciate this post, so I’m sharing it on facebook. This is enlightening information, thank you!
This is fascinating. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for sharing, ladies. I’m curious, are the offers of rep from those received that month? I would have thought that unlikely. I’m also curious about what genres you are receiving your queries in, as in what’s popular at the moment?
My offer of rep actually was for a query that was received that same month. I was really excited by the query and read it as soon as it landed in my inbox. But that’s certainly not the way it always happens. The offer was on a YA contemporary. I’m happy to say she signed!! 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Kim. And congratulations to the signee =)
My offer of rep was also for a query that was received that month. Like Kim, I was excited by the query and read quickly, but it doesn’t often work that way. That particular project was a contemporary inspirational romance.
As far as genres I’m receiving, this is what Query Manager reported in July. Bear in mind, though, that these are genres that the writers selected when submitting, so there may be some overlap between genres (like, commercial fiction might be women’s fiction or vice versa).
Commercial 2
Contemporary 2
Crime/Detective/Police 5
Erotica 6
Historical 2
Inspirational 3
Mystery 8
New Adult 4
Romance 13
Romance : Category 5
Romance : Contemporary 17
Romance : Historical 10
Romance : Thriller/Suspense 15
Suspense 5
Thriller 3
Women’s Fiction 10
Totals 110
Hi Jessica, thanks for replying (and the time you took doing the breakdowns of genre).
It’s interesting that both your and Kim’s offers were received the same month. I guess that’s what you want – an excited agent!
The breakdown of genres is interesting. Fairly even spread except for romance which is the most popular by far.
Thank you for this post! The ‘Data Explorer’ section of Query Tracker is the most intriguing to me- it satisfies my hunger for details & updates while waiting for a response. Seeing the activity other submissions have had with an agent I’ve queried, especially which genres seem to get more action from one agent or another, is fabulous.