Do your research, drop a name, and the query letter will sparkle.
Or so goes the advice. Does it work?
By selecting books based on the inclusion of an agent's name in the acknowledgments, I've managed to collect about four or five potential agents for the latest manuscript.
The folks at InkWell Management are obviously stunned into a senseless coma. I sent a query in the middle of November, dropped an author name, and it's been silence ever since.
Of course, it could mean that the particular author I used is also one who failed to sell through and who is even now hunting for a new agent after being dropped by InkWell.
Not the best choice, in such a case, but how would any of us know if some debut author is finding success? Would it improve your chances of having a query considered because you made an effort, or would the effort be in vain if the author didn't produce as hoped and your hopes are tossed away along with the new author whose name you dropped?
As for the query to Ann Rittenberg, well, it was a wasted effort. After a couple of rejections from other agents, I took a look at the opening pages and completely revised the opening. She has the old one, and it's a flat beginning that won't attract interest.
There's still a couple of other agents to be pestered, however. Better get things off in the mail before the holiday season really gets into gear.
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