11 Words You Should Absolutely Know Before Querying an Agent

Essential Vocabulary for Serious Writers - 5 Part Series

Photo by Randy Tarampi on Unsplash

Querying is about selling yourself as much as it is selling your story. And it’s not a one-sided audition: it’s a relationship. It is so, so, so important to take the time to research each agent you query and ask yourself: Do we align? Would I trust this person to represent my work in the world? This is a two-way street. Getting a yes, isn’t the endpoint, you’re inviting a creative partnership. It’s also a lot easier if you have clarity on a few terms, so let’s go over the words every writer should know before querying an agent.

As of today May 9th 2025, I am actively querying my manuscript Astral Academy. In the following post, I have used direct examples from my query letter. Beta readers can read Astral Academy Here.