A practical guide to querying and submitting your novel with strategy and confidence.

Querying agents is a craft skill — and like any craft skill, it can be learned. Drawing on a journey from 200+ rejections to four full manuscript requests, agent representation, and a significant two-book deal, January Gilchrist breaks down the submission process into its component parts. Research your target agents with precision, write a query letter that does its job, and build the resilience to keep going when the process gets hard. A practical, no-guesswork workshop for writers preparing to query, currently querying, or wondering where their last round went wrong.

Learning outcomes

As part of this workshop, you will:

Identify and research agents strategically to build a targeted submission list.
Construct a query letter that compels an agent to read further.
Diagnose weaknesses in an existing query letter or submission package.
Understand what agents are actually evaluating at each stage of the submission process.
Develop a structured approach to managing rejections and sustaining momentum across a long submission journey.
Distinguish between subjective rejection and addressable submission problems.

Format

This is an in-person workshop with a focus on publishing industry; it will be held at State Library of Queensland. This workshop is suitable for writers of all levels and backgrounds.

About January

January Gilchrist is a Brisbane-based author with four traditionally published novels across HarperCollins Australia and Crooked Lane Books. Her gothic horror novel Slake House recently sold at auction in a two-book deal with Berkley (Penguin Random House US) and Allen & Unwin (ANZ). She has a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours), longlisted for the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers, won a spot at Varuna Writers House and is a Scarlet Stiletto Award winner.

For more information about Queensland Writers Centre’s Program of Events and answers to FAQs, please visit: www.queenslandwriters.org.au/program-info

Contact the host of From Rejection to Request with January Gilchrist