I know querying is an exhausting, disheartening process. But when is it time to pull the plug on a specific query and attack it from a new angle? I keep close track of my query numbers, and the current query I'm using I've sent out 25 times. 3 are still pending, one was a full request (but based off what people have said on Query Tracker and the crickets I've heard, I have reason to write this off as a No Response Means No). The rest have all been form rejections or no response. Is it time to revamp the query again? This is the second main iteration of the query I've sent out, and while I feel it's better than the first one, the first one got three requests (which turned into rejections) out of 28, so the first one actually had a better response rate. I realize I may be over analyzing, but I'm hesitating to send out more queries right now because I'm worried that maybe I'm "wasting" an agent who would be a good fit because I'm not sending them a good query.
(And of course there's the part of me that wonders if it's not the query but the opening pages...)
There are obviously way too many variables to know anything for certain, so I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance one way or the other. Thanks.
I'm sorry you're not having much luck with your query, @lnloft. Querying is a tough gig.
So from my experience, I do queries in batches of 10-15. If I get mostly (or all) rejections back, I revamp the query, trying it from a different angle. If I get a request or two, then rejections, I worry my book opening either needs work or it isn't starting in the right place.
One thing that you may be running into is that the query isn't matching the story's opening pages. The agents are expecting one thing from the query, while the pages lead the story in a different direction (perhaps it's too far away from the inciting incident, or the query tells too far into the story). But without seeing the query (I couldn't find it in the query critiques) I can't really say what may be the issue in your specific case.
Perhaps try looking at your first query and see what is stronger about the hook in that one, because as you said, it's had a better success rate, may give you a direction to go in with a new iteration. You can always post the query up on the forum and get the community's input.
This is just my experience, and others may feel differently.