Domberoonie, I had to look—those instructions look very much like a multitude of other agents I’ve submitted to, tonally and information-wise. I for one appreciate the heads-up. Who wants to waste your time or an agent’s? Or is there something here I am missing?

In the submission guidelines, all agents need to include what not to do. It's helpful, for example, for writers to know sample pages should be included within the email, not attached, or vice-versa.

I was stunned by stern and cold tone of the long list of do-nots on the agency's MSWL page. Felt like I was expected to salute by the time I got to the bottom of it.

I love querytracker; it has helped me to get two agents: one for adult, and one for children’s. I rely on the comments here to decide who to submit to (and who to accept when they offer). It is for this reason that I must make this comment; I need to contribute to the community, so that we all learn on this querying journey.

Joelle offered to represent my children’s book (and potential series), after I’d only been querying for a few months. She was persuasive as to why she was the best person for me. I accepted.

We went on submission, and we got seven mild passes from editors, i.e., just boring, “Not quite right for us.” Nothing that needed to be fixed. I’ve been on (successful) submission before, and I know when to worry and when not to worry; these were nothing to worry about. We paused for the holidays and she said we’d resume in February when her schedule freed up. That month came and she said she needed until May.

In May she told me she was dropping me because she decided to get out of the children’s market.

There is nothing illegal or contractually unethical about her decision. However, she couldn’t have done more damage to my book and potential book series if she had been hired by an enemy to destroy me. It is a near impossibility to query a book that has already been out on submission, even though it was sent to just seven agents who had nothing critical to say. As you guys know, we have about 30 seconds in a query letter to convince an agent to read more, and, “It has already been out on submission” is nearly always an instant pass. Joelle knows this.

So, no, not illegal or contractually unethical. But really, really messed up.

If she hadn’t offered to represent me and persuaded me to go with her, I could easily have gotten another agent; I’d only been querying for a few months.

She was cold and uncaring when she dropped me—in an email, not even bothering to call. Just sort of sorry, hate to tell you this, but that is the way it is. No concern over how she had just basically destroyed my chances of getting traditionally published.

She made a commitment to me, and then she dropped me when that commitment became inconvenient for her. I believe that says something about her character.

Do what you will with this information. I am trying to figure out what to do to not lose a book (and possible series) that I worked on for five years.