Querying BookEnds

  • By: Jessica Faust | Date: Mar 28 2017

Roughly a year ago, BookEnds became the inaugural agency for Query Manager and it was one of the best decisions we ever made. Query Manager is the sister database to Query Tracker, a website every querying author should know about.

Over the course of the past year (or so), the founder of Query Manager has been extremely kind and patient, working closely with us to develop an agent query database that agents can actually use and benefit from. Together we’ve worked to make the query process as simple as possible for authors and as useful as possible for agents.

On the author’s end you receive a separate form for each agent you want to query. My form can be accessed here, forms for the rest of BookEnds can be found through the links on our website. Once the form is filled out you receive an email letting you know your query arrived safety, and other emails giving you status updates. The very best thing about Query Manager is it’s virtually impossible to lose a submission or a query (something that often happened with email).

From our end, we’re able to easily track the queries or submissions we haven’t yet answered, and archive everything we have. That way we can easily refer back to them if necessary. In the past, I never saved old queries or submissions. I just didn’t have the space. With Query Manager, I also get to see who else at BookEnds you’ve queried, either with other books or this book. So be extra careful about submitting to all of us at once. We see what you’re doing. We also see how you think you cleverly label the genre of your book, thinking you can slip your SFF by an agent who doesn’t represent SFF.

The most fun we have with Query Manager however, is tracking statistics. Here’s a sample of what my queries have looked like since we started.

Every time I log into Query Manager I’m relieved with how easy and reliable it is. I’m also pleased that I can respond to queries from any of my devices. If you’re an agent, or publisher, I strongly recommend you look into this. If you’re an author, feel confident anytime you submit through Query Manager.

15 responses to “Querying BookEnds”

  1. Avatar Ana Calin says:

    I liked Query Manager, too, as an author. Submittable is great for us authors, too, but I don’t know it makes things as easy for agents and publishers. I got an acceptance letter through Sumbittable and one through Query Tracker, so I must say I’m in love with both.

  2. Avatar Mony Mehrotra says:

    Thanks Jessica. Great info. I’m working on my first fiction piece and am wondering…do you prefer complete works or are you comfortable reviewing partials? Trying to figure this amazing world out….

    • Jessica Faust Jessica Faust says:

      With a first fiction you’ll need to complete it. Best of luck and I hope the blog helps in your new adventure.

    • Avatar Mike Manley says:

      I need assistance with my query form. I’ve been everywhere but no one seems to know how to paste the first 3 chapters of my mega thriller, International FTA

      • Not all BookEnds agents ask for sample submissions. If they do, there should be a place to add that separate from a cut and paste. I hope that helps.

  3. Avatar AJ Blythe says:

    Jessica, I’m curious, does Query Manager make it easier for current NORMAN (no response means no) agents to send a rejection? If it did, I think most authors would be desperate for this to be adopted industry wide!

    I like to see agent stats. Not sure why, because they are usually quite depressing for any un-agented author looking for an agent. I think it’s because I focus on the success numbers and figure if they can do it so can I. I’d love to see a future blog post along the lines of “top 10 reasons why [BookEnds or BookEnds agent] rejected you”

    • Jessica Faust Jessica Faust says:

      I think it’s always been easy, honestly, for NORMAN agents to reject. But yes, this should make it even easier.

      Great blog idea. Keep an eye out.

  4. Avatar Emily James says:

    Woah. Don’t query in December. Only a 6% request rate, less than half of the other months.

    • Jessica Faust Jessica Faust says:

      Well, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t query. It could also mean that, since we’re closed in December, those queries sat until January.

  5. Avatar Young says:

    On QueryTracker an author can see query statistics for each agent. Does QueryManager give agents similar statistics for each author? Can an agent find out that the same query has already been rejected by a dozen other agencies?

    • Jessica Faust Jessica Faust says:

      We can see if the same query or the same author has queried other agents at BookEnds, but not other agencies.

  6. This week in books 4/7/17 says:

    […] Jessica Faust at BookEnds wrote a very interesting post about her use of the service Query Manager, which is taking some of the pain out of reading and responding to queries. Authors, have you used […]

  7. This week in books 4/7/17 - Nathan Bransford says:

    […] Jessica Faust at BookEnds wrote a very interesting post about her use of the service Query Manager, which is taking some of the pain out of reading and responding to queries. Authors, have you used […]

  8. Avatar Micah Iroegbu aka Mike Manley says:

    I wrote one of the best thriller novels in the world , International FTA but the publisher, Authorhouse ripped me off.. They took my money for a press release that was never done. I need you as much as you need me.
    Check it out to confirm what I claim. Nothing but love from my readers. In fact, I guarantee it’s suc