Authored by Autumn Cleymans, UNG Press Intern
Whether you’re at the beginning of the writing process or fully prepared to submit your work, the querying process is an important and time-consuming step to keep in mind. Even though diving into research about publishers can seem daunting, you’ll get better results from a focused, informed effort versus a general, one-size-fits-all approach. That effort should be informed by the characteristics of your manuscript, and the best way to do your work justice is by sending it to specific places that might be a good fit. Here are some factors to consider any time you embark on the journey of finding a home for your work.
1. Custom Criteria
Before you begin your search for publishers, your first step should be considering the genre, target audience, and content/themes of your work. Is it fiction or non-fiction? What age group do you hope to reach? Is the work meant to entertain, or does it raise questions about life, humanity, and other deep subjects? Once you determine those factors, you can form a list of criteria to help you look for publishers that are a good fit.
This step comes first because it’s important to make sure you can articulate each element of your work (genre, audience, themes, etc.) in a concise manner. Publishers want a straightforward pitch for why they should be interested in your work, so if you find yourself struggling to condense each piece of information, spend time perfecting your pitch before moving forward.
2. A Targeted Approach
Once you have the initial details figured out, it’s tempting to query every publisher you can find, especially given the common saying, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” When it comes to publishers, however, it is more accurate to say that you miss 100% of the shots you take without intention. As a reader, the best horror book in the world probably won’t appeal to you if you don’t enjoy the genre. Similarly, publishers decline or disregard queries that don’t align with their interests as a brand (Cusick; Robinson).
Luckily, you can use your custom criteria to focus on publishers who match your work, which also means avoiding publishers who don’t. If your work is historical research, don’t submit to children’s book publishers. If your work is science fiction, don’t submit to publishers that specialize in non-fiction. You’ll see the best returns on your time and effort if you use a targeted approach to query publishers who might actually be interested in what your work offers.
3. Market Research
On a related note, familiarize yourself with titles similar to yours___titles in the genre that share similar themes, character arcs, etc. Look into each title’s publisher and examine their publishing history; since they saw the appeal of those works, there is a better chance they’ll be interested in yours (Cusick). If you query any of those publishers, mention the title(s) that led you to them and how your work brings something new to the table, especially in niche categories with a limited audience. That information gives publishers an idea of how marketable your work could be.
The leg work for this research is thorough but valuable, not only because it informs your approach, but also because publishers usually ask for “comparable titles” and what makes your work unique (Cusick; Robinson). By doing research, you demonstrate preparedness and can discover publishers who are uniquely suited to your work.
4. Submission Requirements
Once you’ve found relevant publishers, be sure to follow submission requirements as stated on each publisher’s website. Publishers can receive thousands of queries every year, so they can’t afford to spend time on queries that don’t follow instructions (Cusick). To avoid being automatically put in the “No” pile, pay attention to those requirements. Keep your writing sample within the stated length range and format it as requested. Attach any necessary documents/links such as resumes, cover letters, and author websites.
Each publisher can have different requirements, which is where organization comes in. You’ll find it very helpful to keep a spreadsheet of the publishers you intend to query, paying special attention to publisher-specific info such as submission requirements and average response time (Cusick). Your work probably has only one shot with each publisher, so keeping details in one place ensures you can put your best professional foot forward with each query.
5. Do I Need an Agent?
The answer to the question “Do I need an agent?” depends on your goals and priorities. The “Big Five” publishing houses and other traditional publishers only accept queries through agents (Cusick; Robinson). Publishers trust agents to submit work with promising technical and market quality, while agents are subject matter experts who advocate for the author’s interests (Cusick; Robinson). If you want to work with traditional publishers and would like an intermediary to negotiate for you, you need an agent.
Alternatively, many smaller publishers and academic publishers like the UNG Press don’t work with agents (Robinson). If your manuscript fits better at a smaller publisher with specific genre focus, or at an academic publisher that aligns with your story themes or research topics, a literary agent is not strictly necessary. Self-publishing is also becoming more and more viable, both on its own and as a path to work with a traditional publisher (Robinson). Naturally, if you want to self publish, a literary agent is out of the picture.
Final Notes
As you go through the cycle of searching for publishers and submitting queries, try not to become discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. Rather than submitting to every publisher at once, query a few at a time so you can use any feedback to further improve your manuscript and prevent yourself from feeling burned out (Cusick). In any case, you’ll give yourself the best chances by knowing your work and its comparable titles well, querying specific publishers, and following submission requirements.
The querying process asks a lot of time and mental commitment from authors, but it’s crucial to do it thoroughly and correctly. If you have any questions about querying publishers, feel free to ask in the comments below, and we’ll be happy to address them!
Sources:
Cusick, Dawn. “Finding an Agent.” North Georgia Regional Book Fair, Dahlonega Literary Festival and University of North Georgia Department of English, 13 September 2025, UNG Convocation Center, Dahlonega, GA. Author Presentation.
“How to Find a Literary Agent (+ List of Directories).” Edited by Martin Cavannagh, Reedsy, Reedsy Ltd, 13 Mar. 2024, blog.reedsy.com/guide/literary-agent/how-to-find/.
Robinson, BJ. Personal correspondence. 15 Sept. 2025.
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