When will the agency accept queries?

If you and your work are described below, then your query will be welcomed during the month of July 2012.

Only queries received during the July 2012 annual submission period will be considered. Unfortunately, correspondence from prospective clients who do not already have the agent's attention will be discarded unanswered if received during any month other than July 2012.

In the meantime, Agent Query, AuthorAdvance, QueryTracker, and the Guide to Literary Agents Editor's Blog are just a few of the free online resources available to writers who are seeking representation.

Who should query?

These professional attributes will give writers a competitive advantage when seeking representation:

• Proficiency at online networking, research, and marketing
• Awareness of the current economic picture for book publishers
• Ability to adapt to rapid technological innovation
• Writing credits in print or online journals or magazines
• An established Web presence
• Ideas that bring people together and help them understand each other

Does the work fit in one of these categories?

• Prescriptive nonfiction
• Long-form narrative journalism
• Neuroscience, psychology, sociology, and popular culture
• Memoir and biography
• Literary and commercial fiction
• Young adult (not middle grade or children's) fiction and nonfiction
• Book-length short story collections

What should be included?

Use the following checklist to ensure that all of the necessary information accompanies the query via email:

• A 250- to 500-word query including:
  • Name
  • Address
  • Telephone numbers
  • Email address
  • Summary of your book
  • Word or page count
  • Explanation of your platform, credentials, and expertise
  • Significant writing credits
  • Website or blog URL
• The first 1,250 words (five pages) of your manuscript

How should the query be sent?

Email your query to mail@robinmizell.com. You should receive a response to your email query within 30 days. After 30 days, it's appropriate to send a follow-up inquiry via email.

Please don't telephone the agency with questions about your query.

Please don't submit your query through social networking sites like Facebook and Goodreads. Following the guidelines provided here demonstrates professionalism and creates a much more favorable impression.

Caveats

Don't sign your query with a pseudonym. Keep in mind that it's impossible to contemplate entering into a contract with a writer whose true identity is unknown.

If you have difficulty briefly summarizing your book, consider referring to Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! for clear concepts and concise instructions.

If you have a self-published book and are looking for an agent to help you find a traditional publisher for it, read this.

Do not submit your entire manuscript until it's requested. However, before you query, please ensure that your work is completed, proofread, properly formatted, and ready to forward.