Meet Your Match
We’ll be your very own ‘literary’ dating agency this Valentines 
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day next week (and wishing a happy one to all who celebrate), we’d love to help you with your search for an important connection – that between author and agent. Here you’ll read some top tips on improving your chances of finding ‘the one’ Рyou’ll spy lots of inside information from the world of agenting on our social channels in the coming weeks, too.  
EVENTS: Getting Published Month
Completing your manuscript and finding an agent isn’t easy ‚Äì which is why in‚ÄØMarch 2022 we‚Äôre bringing you‚ÄØGetting Published Month! Join us for 12 live online events connecting you with leading agents, authors‚ÄØand publishers, with exclusive insider knowledge on how to get your book from an‚ÄØincomplete‚ÄØdraft to bookshop shelves.‚Äج†
This week at Jericho Writers: 
MEMBER EVENTS: From Podcast to Published 
Our focus on community & outreach got off to a flying start with a talk on sales teams on 1 Feb. This week, join Francesca Specter on 10 Feb, discussing how her podcast allowed her to network and became an invaluable resource when seeking a book deal for ‘Alonement: How To Be Alone & Absolutely Own It’.   
AGENTS: Coming to an AgentMatch near you  
Canadian and Australian agencies. Yes, that’s right, you heard it here first. We have researched, interviewed and created bespoke profiles for Australian and Canadian agents. Check them out on AgentMatch now.   
BLOG: How to Write a Great Query Letter (with Hints & Tips) 
A good query letter is the axis upon which your chance of getting an agent turns. We’ll give you everything you need to know to write a perfect one. More free resources for querying authors below!  
READ NOW  
SPOTLIGHT ON: Sam Hiyate, The Rights Factory
Our ‘Spotlight On’ features are a great way to get to know agents in more depth, and you may just discover something obscure you can connect with them about. Here’s a great one from Sam Hiyate at The Rights Factory. 
PLUS: Pitch Session Live on Twitter 
On Monday 14 Feb we’ll be doing some real-life matchmaking! Pitch your book to us in a tweet and we’ll match you with a literary agent with one-to-one sessions available in February and March. We can’t wait to see the power couples we create! 
Meet your Match 
Do you need help finding your significant other this Valentine’s Day? Well, Jericho Writers have got you covered…that’s if by ‘significant other’ you mean your agent, of course. 
Whether you have been writing for years or drafting a pitch for months, the submission process can be a turbulent path for anyone to travel. Like a literary form of internet dating, it can be high hopes one minute and radio silence the next. The good news is, however, you needn‚Äôt be ‚Äòghosted‚Äô this Valentine‚Äôs because we offer the chance to speak directly to an agent. That‚Äôs right! Through our leading one-to-one service you can now escape the ghosts of submissions past…and take one step closer to finding your perfect match.¬†
What to expect? 
So, you’re considering booking a session with us, but you’re wondering what it all entails. The answer is: it’s really quite simple. Purchase your session here, then select your agent using the link emailed over to you. If your preferred agent is not currently available, email us at info@jerichowriters.com and you’ll be the first to know when they’re next available. 
On the day of the session, the agent will call you (using the number registered to your account) and you’ll have a fifteen-minute phone conversation. They will provide you with advice on your query letter, synopsis and first 5,000 words of your manuscript. Pretty snazzy, right? Beats being at the bottom of the slushpile any day of the week. 
How to Prepare
Fifteen minutes can fly by in an instant, so, we want to help you make the most of every second you’ve got.  Here are some tips to help you prepare for your hot date with destiny: 
  
- Do Your Research 
You wouldn’t meet a tinder match without stalking their social media first. So, don’t do it with your agent either. Show them you can go the distance, and use AgentMatch to tailor your query letter to them. Everyone likes to feel special. 
- Save the Date 
I think we can agree that no one likes to be stood up. Once you have booked your session (times will be in UK time), make a note of it in your calendar and set an alert on your phone. Sessions can occasionally run over, so, we advise leaving a 15-minute leeway for the agent. If you need to re-arrange kindly inform us as soon as possible. 
 
- (Mentally) Dress for the Occasion 
  Not all agents will send notes, so, have a pen and paper at the ready to jot down some bullet points. If you have questions, ask away, but be wary that you only have 5 minutes to cover each document – it will be up to you to manage the time. So, 20 questions? I think not. 
- Listen to your Heart 
  
To go the whole way, it is important to find someone you feel comfortable exchanging ideas with. They will be your cheerleader and critic for both this chapter and the next. So, if you don’t resonate with them or their comments, that’s okay – you don’t have to. Consider it an “It’s not you, it’s me” type situation, because tastes are like Richard Osman novels – everyone seems to have one.  
While we can’t guarantee you will be changing your relationship status from ‘querying’ to ‘signed’ this February, we can guarantee your chances will be improved. We offer sessions with more agents than anyone else out there and we’ve had many a full manuscript request (and deal) as a result.  
So, whether you have been out on submission for a while, or just dipping a toe into the slushpile literary pool, our agent one-to-ones are the perfect opportunity to reignite the spark in your pitch and find the answers you’ve been looking for. 
But remember, if the nerves come a’calling, like your oldest friend, we’ve got you!  
Polly 
Writers Support Manager & Bookstagrammer 
Resources for‚ÄØquerying‚ÄØauthors:
#JWSpotlightOnInterview on Community  
How to write a novel synopsis (with an example)
Getting Rejected By Literary Agents? Here’s What To Do Next
New one-to-one sessions are available to‚ÄØbook now!‚ÄØ‚ÄØ
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