When querying agents, do your research on the front end and send your queries in batches so they are as personalized and strategic as possible. If one of these agents lets you know they love your book and have some thoughts, do a little jig and set up a Zoom meeting, phone call, or coffee date, all of which remain the province of humans for now.
Do you like their voice? Do you like their laugh? When they talk about your book, do you hear genuine enthusiasm and a smart way of describing it that turns on the string lights wrapped around your heart?
Make sure their editorial ideas for your manuscript resonate, as do their revision plan and timeline, and also that their vision for your book sounds right to you in terms of where and how it should ideally be published. You can talk about the agency where they work, where they are in their career, their client list, agency agreements, foreign rights, film rights, and communication style—and while all of that is important, as long as they are a bonafide agent with great taste and a great plan for your book, your decision is going to come down to vibes and that gut check of whether you trust them to communicate on your behalf, and to communicate with you in a way that feels respectful. Over time they will surely bear news both bad and good. Ideally this relationship should be long-term, stable, enjoyable, and fruitful for you both.
—Jenni Ferrari-Adler, senior agent, Aevitas Creative Management
Photo credit: Nina Subin