Pairing experienced queriers
with those just starting out
My experience when querying radically changed when I found support from other writers who had gone through the process before me. It can be a difficult process to navigate, both logistically and emotionally.
My goal is to pay forward the support and guidance I received. While I try to do this on an individual basis, I wanted to set up something more structured and recruit other experienced queriers to help me so we can support as many writers as we can.
So, the Query Navigator Project was born! It is currently a relatively small-scale pilot project, but we hope to continue to build it over time.
How it works
Unlike writing mentorship programs, which focus on improving writing skill and developing & polishing a manuscript, this project is focused on what comes after: understanding and navigating the query process. It is designed to help writers interested in traditional publishing navigate the daunting, confusing, and often isolating experience of entering the query trenches.
Experienced queriers (Navigators) will be paired with newbie queriers for 3 months to provide support for the querying process.
It’s a query buddy system!
What Navigators do
During the 3 months of the program, Navigators commit to being a direct line of contact and providing support for…
- “Final touches” query package feedback (on already prepped materials)
- Questions about querying best practices
- Questions about how to choose or screen agents to query
- The “I feel like I should know this” or “I’m embarrassed I have to ask” type of questions
- “Is this normal?” questions
- Help interpreting submission guidelines
- Help determining whether a rejection is a form or not, and what any personalized feedback may mean
- Tips for organizing, tracking, and/or prioritizing queries
- When possible/applicable, connecting mentee to other writers or resources
- Overall support, encouragement, and commiseration!
Navigators and queriers will also have access a private Discord server where they can help each other and share resources/information. At the end of the 3 months, the formal portion of the program is ended; Navigators may choose to continue to be available or wrap things up.
Who can take part?
Requirements for Navigators
- Have queried a fiction manuscript for at least 1 year or 1 book in the past 3 years
- Able to be reasonably available to mentee (e.g., responding within a few days, as time zones and lives permit)
- Some experience critiquing or giving feedback in a way that is both constructive and kind
- Willingness to be encouraging and supportive (no matter how jaded they may feel about querying/publishing)
Requirements for Queriers
- Plan to actively query during the 3-month period of their participation in the project
- Have read query material resources and have a grasp on querying basics. For query letters, two places to start are this guide to writing one and these examples of successful letters. For synopsis, we recommend this guide and this guide.
- Have a completed fiction manuscript with a word count within industry norms for your audience/genre, which has gone through beta readers, revisions, and is ready to send out
- Have a completed query letter of 400 words or less, preferably with some feedback from other writers incorporated*
- Have a completed synopsis of 1000 words or less, preferably with some feedback from other writers incorporated*
*Navigators will help review their Querier’s materials. However, the Navigator should not be the first ever person to review of your materials. They should act in more of a “final checks” capacity. For Queriers who need help finding people to get feedback from, we will have a Query Blitz in the first week of our session to get feedback and practice giving it.
What will we do for 3 months?
Most of the 3 months will be fairly unstructured, with Navigators and Queriers checking in with each other on their own schedule through their preferred means of communication. However, we will have a few events and check-ins for the whole cohort:
Query Blitz – In the first week of our session, Queriers can share their query materials on the group Discord to get feedback and practice giving it.
Reflection Check-Ins – At our 1-month and 2-month mark, we’ll have a group check-in. Queriers will be asked to share something they’ve learned that they found useful or surprising, or that they think others may find helpful to know. Note: Reflection Check-Ins are not about query success/status or reporting back how querying is going, number of requests, etc. These check-ins are about sharing knowledge of the query process itself.
How do I apply?
Navigator sign-ups are now closed. Querier applications will open on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 5pm GMT/12pm EST/9am PST.
Navigator Sign-Up Link: https://bit.ly/QueryNav
Querier Application Link: https://bit.ly/Queriers
FAQ
When signing up, you will be asked to share what genre and age/audience you write. You may also share any marginalized or underrepresented identities you hold, if you would prefer to match with someone who shares those identities (to the best of our ability). Navigators and Queriers will be matched based on those characteristics.
Navigators will get to choose from their potential matches who they feel would be the best fit. Queriers will be sent the information of who they matched with. If they do not want to work with that Navigator, they may request at change with no explanation needed.
Nope! Navigators can be agented or unagented! Their contribution to this project is not based on having an agent, but having valuable experience with the querying process.
This project is new and still being developed, so currently, we are only working with fiction writers. We hope to expand to include non-fiction writers in the future!
Getting a manuscript ready to query looks different to everyone but will often include: revising it yourself, seeking feedback from beta readers or critique partners, implementing feedback, potentially sending a new draft to more beta readers or critique partners, etc. Once you feel that you have done everything in your power to make your story the best it can possibly be and you’re happy with it, that’s when you’re ready to polish up your query package and start querying! If you’ve done all of that, you’re ready for this program. Remember that navigators will not be reading your full manuscript or offering feedback on it, so make sure it’s ready to go before you sign up for this program!
Yes. We think we’d be best able to help people who haven’t started querying or have sent fewer than 50 queries, but you can decide for yourself whether you feel this program would be beneficial for you.
Our goal is to start you off on the best footing. General best practice recommends having a query letter that is 250-300 words. However, we know it can be hard to get your letter that short, and our Navigators are happy to help you trim down your letter. However, we do want you to have put in your best effort to write a concise query letter.
Synopsis length requirements vary by agent or agency, but having a synopsis of 1000 words or less gives you a good starting point for success. As with the query letters, our Navigators can provide feedback to help trim down your synopsis if needed, but we’d like to see your best effort to start out.
That’s okay! In fact, it’s very rare for someone to find an agent after querying for only 3 months. However, the goal of this program is to familiarize you with the querying process and set you up to continue on your own. To be respectful of our Navigators’ volunteered time and allow us to help as many writers as possible, we’ve limited the term for the project to 3 months. We hope during that time, you’ll learn skills and strategies you can carry forward and find a community of other writers you can continue to connect with as you continue on your query journey.
Nope! This is entirely free. Our Navigators are all volunteers, and there is no cost for queriers to take part!