Fifteen years of writing. Ten years of querying.
I would be lying if I said it’s been a smooth journey, or I always believed I would achieve representation; on the contrary, the more books I wrote, the more I realized how much of the querying process is luck. I could improve my prose with each manuscript, but landing in the right agent’s inbox at the right time…. ? The best way to counter my lack of control was to keep putting myself out there, to keep writing and querying. I’m not an innately gifted writer, nor am I eloquent with my words, but I’m persistent. I took breaks when I needed, and crafted stories when the mood struck. No schedule. No deadlines. I’ve written five books and queried three of them, including the manuscript that received two offers of representation—I’ll refer to it as TWB for this post. In the past, I’ve queried roughly 50 agents per project, though TWB was different.
I usually take 2-3 years to complete a manuscript. TWB was written in three months, a literal whirlwind. My son was almost a year old when I began outlining, so my writing time had dwindled and I was struggling to form a coherent thought, let alone draft anything. For the first time in my life I decided to write on my phone instead of my laptop. I wrote for 1-2 hours before the baby woke up in the morning, and 1-3 hours after he fell asleep at night. I didn’t force myself to stick to this schedule, but rather the compulsion to write struck during these times. I prefer to edit while I write, so I had a solid draft by the end of August. Three months and several critique partners later I submitted my first batch of queries in November 2024. I submitted my manuscript to Arianna at FinePrint Literary Management on December 4 and received a full request the same day. Two days later Arianna emailed me to schedule “The Call,” which we completed on December 16, 2024. Not only did Arianna read my manuscript in 24-hours, but when I sent her four pages of questions regarding her editorial style, subrights, submissions, etc., she replied with five pages of answers. With the holidays looming, I asked for three weeks instead of the standard two to make a decision. Responses came in a flurry. Most agents stepped aside due to time constraints, while others requested materials; ultimately, I received a second offer of representation from another amazing agent. Both agents’ presentations and subsequent conversations were phenomenal, so I had to base my decision on other factors, particularly agency sales and contracts. I signed with FinePrint Literary Management on January 6, 2025. My querying journey for TWB was fast, but that doesn’t account for the decade of rejections that came before it, as I floundered in the query trenches. If you’re in a similar position, years in and multiple shelved books later, know that I see you and I understand. Querying is a brutal process. If you’re just starting out, be aware some people immediately secure representation, while others struggle for years or change their minds entirely. It’s also important to remember securing an agent isn’t a guarantee of publication. Every path is valid. Stay true to yourself and follow your gut. Take breaks when you need to, and above all be kind. You never know where you might end up.
Here are my QueryTracker stats:
I’ll create a separate post with a breakdown of my query letter. In the meantime, feel free to reach out on Twitter/X or Bluesky if you have questions.
Tasha Livingstone 