The Modern Guide to Querying Literary Agents
From Rejection to Representation in 8 Steps
$46.38
- Paperback
240 pages
- Release Date
13 October 2026
Summary
“A practical and heartening guide for those navigating the book industry for the first time.” — *Publishers Weekly*
The confusion and guessing games of the querying process end here. From two industry experts who built and work with the tools literary agents use daily, a step-by-step, proven guide for turning queries into representation, backed by real data and exclusive insights from over four million queries.
For the first time ever, aspiring authors have ac…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781637749005 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1637749007 |
| Author: | Alyssa Matesic, Patrick McDonald |
| Publisher: | BenBella Books |
| Imprint: | Matt Holt Books |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 240 |
| Release Date: | 13 October 2026 |
| Weight: | 227g |
| Dimensions: | 152mm x 229mm |
Critics Review
“This informative guidebook should be required reading before any writer dives into the query trenches.”
—Anne Tibbets, Literary Agent, Donald Maass Literary Agency
“I wish I had The Modern Guide to Querying Literary Agents when I was querying! It’s an indispensable road map for writers navigating the querying process, with practical advice on everything from query letters to agent offers. I highly recommend it to any author pursuing traditional publishing!”
—Jessica Payne, Author, Somebody Worth Killing, Make Me Disappear, and Never Trust the Husband
“The book every querying author needs. This book breaks it down in an easily readable and instructive manner that anyone should be able to follow.”
— Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong, Literary Agent, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
“As an agent who is regularly looking for new voices, I’m so glad there is finally a guide that empowers writers to query with confidence and intention. The Modern Guide to Querying Literary Agents is grounded in a real understanding of how agents evaluate queries and how writers can employ actionable strategy in finding the right agent for their work.”
—Lori Galvin, Senior Agent, Aevitas Creative Management
“This is a comprehensive, practical, and concise look at the mechanics behind finding and getting the right literary agent for anyone out there wondering what the process is all about. I highly recommend it!”
—Harvey Klinger, President, Harvey Klinger Literary Agency, Inc.
Alyssa Matesic
Alyssa Matesic is an independent developmental book editor and publishing consultant who has held editorial roles at Henry Holt & Company, The Book Group literary agency, and Ballantine Books. She built one of the leading YouTube channels for aspiring traditionally published authors and shares writing and publishing insights to help authors at all stages of their careers through her popular newsletter, Chapter Break.
Patrick McDonald is the creator of QueryTracker and QueryManager, the industry-leading online querying tools. He has been bringing agents and authors together for 17 years.
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