We know. You ask this all of the time at those conferences. What is it that you are looking for in a submission? Every time, we all answer it the same way. "We want a great story with great characters and a great plot."
Of course we do. Doesn't every reader want that? Heck yes! I don't want to just find a book that is totally stupid. I want something that is great.
But the reality is, we want a lot more, and it is your job to do your research before you start "mass mailing" your submissions out to everyone you can find who is breathing, unless of course you like to get rejection letters.
Now, before you start yelling at me saying that this is just another hoop you have to jump through, or another way we are all being "gate keepers" or some hidden secret, I want to stop you right now and tell you that this is nothing different than when you go out and want to find a decent job, and that is where I want to start.
Let me use teachers for an example. If I want to get a teaching job, I want to find a district and a school that A) has an opening that I am qualified for; B) is in a district that has a work environment that fits what I am looking for; C) has a school with an environment and climate that fits what I am looking for; D) has students and an infrastructure that would make working there a pleasure and not feel like I am working in a prison. In other words, I have to do my research. I don't just apply for every job and just assume that every school and every district is 100% identical. You know and I know that is not true at all.
And the same is true with every agent, agency and publisher out there. Although we all do essentially the same thing, the climate, work environment and how we do business IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
We do not hide this. You can find out a lot about the agents and editors by taking the time (Darn you Scott for using that phrase again) and do you research. We blog, we write articles, we are on social media, we attend conferences, we are out there in public. If you only know a name and an address, then you don't know squat about us.
And that is a BIG MISTAKE!
How do I know you are not doing your research? Your query letters say it all. You tell me how much you know I love things that I have never once said I love. You talk about my extensive background in genres that I have never represented. The most obvious is when you submit projects that, while these might be romances or women's fiction projects, are storylines that I have openly said I just do not like (hint, I am not a big fan of stories around groupies following bands and singers, bakery stories, and road trips for Women's fiction). And yet, you send these to me saying how much I love the stories. Just recently, someone sent me a project saying that they knew I loved projects about real people but then sent me a project that was a Rom Con (even though in the social media post I referenced, I said I am NOT looking for Rom Cons). Hmmmmmm?
Look, do your research. Take an hour or so. Trust me. It will pay off. I promise you.
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