On QueryTracker (An Interview!)

Everything you ever wanted to know about the sanity saving querying tool....

Patrick McDonald calls himself just a boring guy who spends way too much time in front of a computer. That’s a huge understatement. He’s also the founder of QueryTracker, which has helped thousands of authors find agents for their books. Patrick enjoys reading, writing and programming, and QueryTracker rolls all of that into one nice bundle. I had a chance to chat with Patrick and am delighted to share some insider info on this life changing querying tool.

How did you come up with the idea for QueryTracker in the first place?

Way back in 2007, I was a writer in the query trenches and found it very difficult to keep track of who I already queried and who I hadn't. When I looked around for tools to help with that, and found nothing, I decided to give it a try myself. My day job was in programming. At first it was just going to be a way to check off agents as you queried them.  But then I realized, by recording reply dates as well, that data could be combined with the experiences of other writers to find average reply times of agents, reply rates, and all kinds of other information. As a data enthusiast, it sounded interesting. 

Do you have any advice on how authors can optimize their querying using QueryTracker?

There is one approach I recommend often. When you're sending out queries, it's a good idea to start with the agents who reply the fastest. You don't want to wait for months to get a reply, especially when you're testing out a new query letter. So you can use QueryTracker to find the fastest responders and start with them. That way, if it doesn't work out or you get good constructive feedback, you can rework your query letter and try again with the next batch of fast responders. It's such a useful technique that I made a video that shows how to do it:  https://querytracker.net/help/video-tips/

Are there any changing querying trends you've noticed between when
you started QueryTracker and now?

QueryTracker was first started back in 2007, and back then the majority of agents still wanted snail mail queries. So moving from that to email was a big change. And now many agents are moving to online forms, which I think will soon replace email. There are a lot of advantages to forms, for both the agents and the authors. 

Do you have any advice on how authors can stay sane during the querying process?

I hate to say it, but one of the best ways to stay sane is to stay off of QueryTracker. Specifically, the agent's timelines. Once you've sent an agent a query, don't torture yourself by constantly checking their timeline. Instead, use QueryTracker to find the agent's typical response time, and set a reminder to check back around that time. Then, get to writing your next book, or start researching other potential agents. 

Constantly refreshing that timeline will drive you mad. 

The one thing I really appreciate is how up to date you keep QueryTracker. It is incredible because there is a tremendous amount of publishing upheaval, especially right now. How do you manage to keep track so amazingly of all known agents as well as whether they're open to submissions and what they're looking for?

I use a couple different sources to keep current. The first is the amazing QueryTracker community who will notify me if they find something off. Anyone who finds a change can post it in the comments section for that agent. I review the comments quite regularly for that sort of thing, so I'll see it. And after it is verified, the agent's profile will be updated. 

I also have an automated system that scans agent's websites multiple times per day looking for changes. If it finds something, it will notify me.

Then there's QueryManager. When an agent on QueryManager updates their query form, I'll get a notification and will update their QueryTracker profile accordingly. 

Thanks so much for visiting with me today! Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I would like to mention a new website I just released, qtCritique.com. It's a site where authors can exchange critiques with each other. There have been other websites for this sort of thing, but I've added a new twist by reinventing how the edits are written and presented. You can learn more about it at qtCritique.com.

Please share your own tips, tricks, and experiences with QueryTracker in the comments.

Until next time,

Inside an Editor’s Brain is written by Kristen Weber, a freelance book editor who has worked with thousands of authors over the course of her career. She aims to be a kind and trustworthy voice during the crazy-making writing and publishing business. You can read most articles for free, but if you’d like to support Kristen and her efforts and get access to a few bonus issues consider upgrading below: