Frank, Writer & Data Guy
Matt, Non-Writer & Software GuyMy first rejection was for a screenplay. Long before I sold out, defecting to our capitalist overlords, I was 21 with a finished screenplay. I bought the Screenwriter's Bible, read Save the Cat, stamped and mailed the “cover” letter (or whatever it was called back then) off to Hollywood. I got exactly one request which resulted in my very first official rejection.
Yay!
As you know, there would be many, many more of those for short stories, a novel, a children's book.
Art is hard.
Fast forward to the present day Query Trenches: oh man are they the sludgiest they've ever been. Of course there's the old guard platforms that are about as fit for service as Homer Simpson at the nuclear plant.
Not to mention the new predators stalking the trenches:
$1,300 for a “curated” list of 30 agents' contact information?
I wish I was kidding.
Navigating our modern Query Industrial Complex feels overwhelming and oppressive. And almost everyone who's been there shares the same perspective. This is where my frustration turns into rage the more I hear, “it's just the way it is” and “this is all we've got” from gatekeepers, published authors, and the locked-out alike. Nobody likes it but also nobody is doing anything about it.
This is the part where I stop querying, not because it turns out that I'm still a shitty writer (I am) but because this problem must be solved before making another footprint in the sludge. My skin crawls thinking about how many of us have missed opportunities or given up because of this completely preventable bottleneck.
So we built it. After recruiting my friend and cofounder Matt as the technical arm of our rebellion against the QIC, Write Query Hook was born. It's a set of ever evolving tools designed for writers that query:
Over 3,300 Literary Agents
The most on the internet, in one place. No more fractions of lists scattered across seven platforms. We are the one source of truth, updated daily.
Smart Match
A system that assesses, scores, ranks, and matches agents to your specific manuscript: genre, format, themes, comps, audience. Not random. Not alphabetical. Ranked by fit.
Query Dashboard
Save your matched agents with one click. Track every query in one modern dashboard. No spreadsheets. Unless you’re into that sort of thing—we have that too.
Daily News Feed
Monitors the industry around the clock, tracking MSWLs, AMAs, query tips, publishing advice, query critiques, and more so you don’t miss opportunities.
Slushwire Dispatch
Our super popular newsletter that keeps you in the loop on everything happening in the query trenches.
Query Tracking Spreadsheet
Because some of you love the spreadsheet. We got you.
We are a small but mighty team. We can't guarantee you an agent. But we can give you the best shot at landing the right agent by arming you with modern tools built by writers and engineers with better data. Because, we truly want to see you land an agent. The query process doesn't have to feel like the Odyssey (by the other Homer). We're handling the dirty work now. Because, after all, you are a writer not a secretary.
Frank,
Emperor of Slushville
Written from the peak of Mount Slushmore, 2025