How do I organize agent research?
- Track one agent per row in a single sheet or tool.
- Core columns: agent, agency, genres, clients, MSWL, status, notes.
- MSWL (Manuscript Wish List) entries fuel real personalization.
- Status tracks where each query stands: to-send, sent, requested, rejected.
- Good research notes are what make personalization fast and specific.
Organize agent research as one row per agent with consistent columns: agent name, agency, genres they represent, recent clients or comparable deals, their Manuscript Wish List items, your query status with that agent, and free-form notes. This single table is the backbone of a query campaign — it lets you sort by fit, personalize quickly from your own notes, batch in the right order, and never query the same agent twice or lose track of a request.
Chapter i·Why it matters
Querying runs over many months and dozens of agents, and memory does not scale to that. A structured research table turns a chaotic process into a manageable one: you can see at a glance who fits, who is open, who has your pages, and what to say to each. The notes and MSWL columns also make personalization a lookup instead of a fresh research session per query — the difference between sustainable and exhausting.
Chapter ii·What to include
- Agent name and agency.
- Genres and categories they represent.
- Recent clients or comparable deals.
- MSWL / wish-list items in their own words.
- Submission guidelines (what to send, how).
- Query status and a notes column for personalization hooks.
Chapter iii·Example
A writer builds one sheet: columns for agent, agency, genres, two recent client titles, MSWL quote, guidelines, status, and notes. When she queries, she sorts by genre fit, drafts each personalization straight from the MSWL column, and updates status as replies arrive. Six months in, the sheet shows exactly who has her full, who passed, and which fifteen agents are still to send — no agent queried twice, nothing lost.
WriteLoom's Pitch studio keeps agent research and submission status in one place, so personalization is a lookup and nothing falls through the cracks.
Organize your research