Edit with me! The problem with “dream” agents 😯

Where I encourage authors to keep an open mind

I think it happens to almost every author during the querying process: You’re researching agents and compiling a list of the ones you want to query, when you stumble upon the profile of an agent who seems like the perfect fit for your novel. They regularly make deals with Big Five houses for books in your genre, their #MSWL aligns perfectly with your WIP, and a quick scroll of their socials reveals that you even have the same taste in movies/cocktails/dog breeds.

You start to get excited. This is it! You’ve found your match!

But I caution you against getting too attached this agent — and, in fact, I suggest resisting the idea of having “dream” agents altogether.

Two talented authors I worked with this summer just signed with amazing literary agents, but neither ended up with their first choice. And you know what? I’m confident it’s for the best.

The truth is that getting hung up on “dream” agents can be counterproductive.

Avoiding the “dream” agent trap

Both authors I worked with started where most querying authors do, with a list of their “dream” agents — those big names they envisioned would be perfect for their work — along with agents they weren’t as familiar with. This is a solid strategy. After all, querying is, in large part, a numbers game, and it is in your best interest to cast a wide net and keep your options open, especially early in the process.

These authors started to get some initial traction with their queries (which is no surprise, because their books are incredible!), leading to some full requests. All good developments. Then, after a few weeks, they had agents request “the call,” and shortly after, the good news came knocking on their doors: the agents wanted to offer representation!

Though they were undoubtedly excited and encouraged, and their conversations with the agents went great, some part of them were still holding out for their “dream” agents, who hadn’t yet responded to their queries. That’s completely fair.

So, they circled back with the remaining agents who had their queries (including their top picks) to see if anyone else wanted to offer — a smart and totally valid move. After a couple of weeks (usually you have two weeks to get back to any offering agent), they finally got responses from the agents they were waiting to hear back from.

But it wasn’t good news.

The agents who these authors initially thought were their “dream” agents — agents who, on paper, seemed like the peanut butter to their book’s jelly — didn’t extend offers. They stepped aside and sent polite rejection notes.

Naturally, both authors were disappointed at first. But, as we dug deeper into their feelings and discussed the conversations they had with the offering agents, something started to shift…