How not to fear DFW Con's query Gong Show

 So, did vitally important Texas literary events get left out of my previous post? You bet! Will the omissions be rectified? Maybe. But not until the still more vital prepping for the DFW Writers
Conference's (DFW Writers Conference) (in)famous Gong Show takes place. 

Sure, I post about this in its aftermath. But what writers really need to know now, now, RIGHT NOW! is what's going to happen. This Sunday, October 6, at 8 a.m.

For those who have never read this blog, and/or never been to a DFW conference, here are the basics of the Gong Show. Writers submit their anonymous literary query letters to a panel of agents and editors who strike table-top gongs to signal the point at which they would stop reading if they received one of these queries in their own emails.

Image: Pixabay

OK, maybe some readers are now wondering, what the heck is a query letter?

Here's the PSA: In the literary sense, it's a business-like introduction from a writer to an agent asking whether the agent is interested in representing the writer's work.

The basic format includes a brief description of why the writer chose to contact the agent ("your website. . . "), ("you represent my favorite writer. . . " etc.); the title, genre, and word count of the author's manuscript; the story's "hook" (attention grabbing sentence), and a brief summary; and the author's credentials, if any.

The entire letter typically occupies no more than one page -- approximately 300 words in email format.

Now, back to the Gong Show basics.

Writers can be gonged once, even twice, by any panel members without stopping the reading. But three strikes and they're out!

What are frequent triggers of the dreaded gongs? 

• Generic, trendy, cliched, or overblown language
• Opening with unlikeable characters, gross-out language, or depressingly sad situations
• Assuring the agent that the story is "intriguing," or a "good fit" for them. (They like to decide that for themselves.)
• Querying for sequels or a book series (although some agents are OK with mentions that a book is stand-alone with sequel/series potential)
• Misspelling the agent's name. (Really!)
• Spending too much word space on plot

A few quirks: at the 2023 Gong Show, although panelists realized entrants had no idea who they would be addressing in the contest, the salutation "Dear Agent" hit sore spots for those who've received too many similarly addressed queries too many times. Expect this issue to be addressed in the 2024 edition of the show.

Honorifics can also be tricky, especially if the agent/editor has not indicated which they prefer, or if they are nonbinary individuals. Best advice, once writers have selected an actual agent to address, is to simply use "first name + last name" as indicated on the individual's or agency's website.

What will stay the hand of a panelist itching for the gong?

• Getting to the point! An agent last year suggested using no more than two short paragraphs to describe the "heart of the story." (And no, you don't need to tell the ending.)
• Telling the "stakes" of the story -- main character, their goal, who/what they must overcome to achieve that goal, and the consequences of reaching that goal -- or not.
• Listing the story's genre and word count. (If unsure of appropriate word counts, numerous information sources are available online, including Reedsy's How many words in a novel. If unsure about the story's genre, check where it would be shelved in a bookstore, or what genres are included in its description on sites such as Amazon and Goodreads.)
• Exercising sensitivity about issues such as gender/ethnic stereotypes, disabilities, and racial language

***

After last year's Gong Show, a writer unable to attend asked plaintively, what do agents like?

Aside from the listed items, the specifics of what a particular agent likes are beyond the Gong Show's ability to answer. It depends, obviously, on the agent. The first steps are checking the agent's website and Manuscript Wish List if available.

Additional sources of information include:

•  Query Tracker, offering lists of agents and links to their websites and other published information. The basic version is free, or pony up $25 annually for more info.
• Publisher's Marketplace, listing deals (sales) by the agent, their market performance, and more. $25/month or $10 for "Quick Pass" with more limited features. There's also a free Publisher's Lunch version.
• Your favorite authors. The acknowledgement sections of their books often list their agents.

Addendum: Although I've never heard it addressed at the Gong Show, an issue that agents at conferences often mention is that of "comparative (comp) titles." These are books in your or similar genres, usually published within the past two to three years, with similarities to your own.

That's not similarities of plot. As one agent has said, if it's the same plot as something already published, why would I want it? Instead, the similarities can be in tone, setting or point of view. They also need to be books which have significant readership.

For readership info, check Amazon, Goodreads, and USA Today -- all free. (I previously posted that the USA Today site was on hiatus but -- it's back!)

Got it? See you Sunday!