How to Track Your Fiction Queries

Whether you are searching for agents or editors, keeping track of the queries you send out is important. Writing may be full of creativity; but it is still a business. You should always know who you have queried and any details. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Completed Manuscript
• Use of Internet
• Excel program
• Paper and Pencil

1. Using an Excel program on your computer, you can set up a folder that will help you keep track who has your query and more. Things to include in a tracking list would be:
   
   1. Name of Agent/Editor
   2. Name of Agency/Publishing House
   3. Form of contact (email or snail mail)
   4. Date you sent out
   5. What you sent out (some request only a query others ask for a synopsis and sometimes for the first chapter)
   6. Create a spot for reply or result (did they reject it, or ask for more?)
   
   I also like to leave a spot for notes where I can add any tidbit of extra information I've learned about an agent or editor such as who they represent, or what their favorite books are. This may not seem important; but it helps in finding a connection and making your query letters more personable.
   
   Excel is a great way to create any heading you find helpful and lets you highlight rows that perhaps you want highlight to bring to your attention such as who has a full or partial of your manuscript.
2. Querytracker.com is a website that has a searchable data base of agents and assists you in tracking when you contacted the agents. This site is free and also relies on its users to help keep information current.
3. The Old-Fashioned Way Old-fashioned pen and paper can do the job just as well. Using the headings I mentioned above, you can make your own chart using a notebook. You can easily adapt your chart to have the headings you choose and put as much or little information as you want on it.

Tips & Warnings

• There are other online sites that can help track so do a search; but some do charge a fee.
• Once you receive a response and it is a rejection, don't remove them from the list. Writers will receive many rejections over the course of time and you may need to go back and refer to your list time and time again.
• Resist the urge to contact agents and editors the minute the time frame they gave you is up. Allow a few more weeks after their said turn around time and then by all means follow-up with an email.