The process of finding a literary agent is both a simple and straightforward endeavor and an emotional roller coaster. Through an FAQ format, we will discuss the basics of query letter writing, best practices for researching and reaching out to literary agents, common mistakes to avoid and etiquette to keep in mind, what your rejections might teach you about your project and its place in the marketplace, and how to keep your ego intact through the process of finding an agent for your book. We will also discuss several real-life query letters that ended up connecting writers with agents and ultimately with the perfect publishers for their books.

Katie Runde is the author of The Shore, an NYTimes Editors' Pick, an Indie Next Pick, an Amazon Editors' Choice, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Pick, as well as a “best book of summer” choice by Glamour and Entertainment Weekly. She is originally from the Jersey Shore, where her novel is set. She attended the Iowa Summer Writing Festival in 2007 and 2008, when she took classes that she loved so much she decided to keep writing forever, and she holds an MFA from Warren Wilson College. She lives in Iowa City with her husband and two daughters.