15 Agents Looking for Memoir and Essay Collections
Where to Query This Week (3.12.25) | Plus how to write queries like a book publicist
Welcome to Sub Club’s Where to Query This Week!
Today we welcome Karin Gillespie, novelist and author of the Substack
to the column! Below, Karin generously shares strategies to strengthen your query letter—from optimizing subject lines to using compelling comps—and offers advice on effectively communicating your book’s appeal to agents.Let’s dive in!
Steal This Strategy: How to Write Queries Like a Book Publicist
As any querying writer knows, it’s not enough to simply write the book; you must also pitch it. Pitching books is a learned skill, and no one is better at it than publicists.
As a former book reviewer who still receives several publicist pitches daily, I studied dozens to see what querying authors can learn from them.
Make the Most of Your Subject Line
Many writers simply use “query” as a subject line, which does nothing to distinguish them from the dozens of queries an agent receives daily.
Publicists, on the other hand, make the most of the subject line to arouse curiosity. Sometimes, they employ tropes like “slow burn and second chances collide” or they might include intriguing aspects of the pitch as in “Irish mythology re-telling.”
In some cases, it might even be appropriate to personalize your subject line for the agent you’re querying. For instance, if an agent includes a fondness for found-family mysteries, and that’s the kind of novel you’ve written, why not include it in your subject line?
Your subject line is your first impression, so make it count.
Mash-ups, Vibes, Comps, and Tropes Matter
Publicists sometimes pitch with checklists like this:
A rivals to besties friendship
Spooky and whimsical nightmare creatures
Alice in Wonderland vibes
Think Nightmare Before Christmas x Magic School
Or they’ll even bold keywords as in this pitch:
Perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, Simone Soltani, and Stephanie Archer, this Ted Lasso-meets-How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days romance delivers the ultimate fake-dating scheme—with a revenge twist and a grumpy-sunshine dynamic.
Publicists call attention to mash-ups, vibes, comps, and tropes because they’re important elements of the pitch. You too should consider using them in the text of your query (minus the bolding and checklists).
Mash-ups compare your book to other sources of media. For instance, author Brianne Randall successfully marketed her debut novel The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic using the mash-up, Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls.
Comps are mash-ups but without the word “meet.” You can compare your novel with authors who write in your genre or with their recently published titles.
You can also include the tone or vibe of your novel. If you’ve written a book set in a college, does it give off dark Secret History vibes or is it more whimsical like Fan Girl?
Depending on your genre, tropes or conventions (like enemies-to-lovers) can also be included in your letter. Every week, Publishers Marketplace features pitches for recently sold novels (paid subscription required). You can study the tropes contained in pitches for your genre and, if appropriate, use them in your pitch. This is especially important if you’re writing romance.
One caveat: Publicists will often praise novels, saying something like, “The slow-burn everyone’s been waiting for.” As a querying author, avoid any over-the-top praise for your manuscript.
Zeitgeist
Publicists often connect novels to current events. I recently received a pitch for a novel about wildfires, and the publicist connected it with climate change and the Los Angeles fires. Don’t assume that agents will know that your topic is trending. Always make the connection for them.
For instance, suppose you have a novel about a woman dating an older man. It pays to point out that May-December stories like Baby Girl and The Idea of You are now trending.
One Sentence Pitch
Publicists’ press releases almost always contain an elevator pitch or a one sentence description of the novel. The brief pitch typically includes what the main character wants, the obstacles they face, and the stakes.
Here’s an elevator pitch for an upcoming novel One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman:
When a bad-tempered former actress accused of murder meets a free-spirited Gen Z gig economy worker at an AA meeting, she never expects to become her friend, but the pair become an odd couple who set out together to shed light on the truth and solve a mystery before one of them ends up behind bars.
Please note that character names aren’t used in elevator pitches.
Themes
Publicists almost always discuss themes in their pitches, which means it’s appropriate or even desirable to include them in your query. Example: My novel explores the complexity of toxic female friendships and jealousy.
However, don’t make the mistake of leading with themes. In a query letter, concrete discussions of the plot come first. The last sentence of your description can describe the more general themes.
Connection to the Material
When appropriate, publicists generally mention the author’s inspiration and connection to book. Earlier, I mentioned the novel about wildfires. The publicist mentioned that the author had been born and raised in Paradise, California, and that she was inspired to write the novel after many of her friends and loved ones lost almost everything in the 2018 Camp Fire.
Length and Layout
Pitches tend to be brief and punchy with lots of white space. Your query letter should also be short, between 350–500 words. Keep your paragraphs short, no more than three sentences.
Call to Action
Finally, every publicist pitch usually ends with a call to action. Typically, they’ll ask for coverage or express a hope to hear from the media soon or say, “May I mail you a physical copy?” Since a query letter is a sales letter, it is perfectly appropriate for you to say, “May I send you a full?” or “I’m looking forward to your response.”
Karin Gillespie is the author of nine novels (Simon and Schuster, Henery Press and self-published) and has an MFA in Creative Writing from Converse College. She’s a former book columnist for the Augusta Chronicle, a former humor columnist for Augusta Magazine, and a recipient of a 2016 Georgia Author of the Year award. She’s also a retired writing professor. Her non-fiction work has appeared in the NY Times, Washington Post, and Writer Magazine, and she also has a popular Substack called “Pitch Your Novel.”
Thinking about telling your story but wondering where and how to get started? Join Liz Alterman in her March 22nd workshop with Write or Die, Ready to Write Your Memoir? Here's How to Begin! This class explores the elements that will make your memoir shine and inspire you to begin.
»» Register here ««
15 Agents Looking for Memoir and Essay Collections
Today, we have agents looking for nonfiction, specifically memoirs and essay collections.
If you’re currently querying and want a curated list specially made for your manuscript, be sure to check out my Personal Agent List service! I’m currently open for the month of March.
»» Get your own agent list here ««
This part of the column is for paid subscribers only. Paid subscriptions are the only way we fund this newsletter. We are 100% human-made and paid. So if you have the means, please consider signing up for more content like today’s column.
 | A guest post by
|