Success Story Interview - Sophie Dominique

An Interview with Sophie Dominique (SDSWriter on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Laura Crockett of Triada US Literary Agency.

07/24/2025

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Sophie Dominique:
My book is a dual POV upmarket novel, where years of bitterness come to a head when estranged sisters (one masking postpartum mental health struggles behind a social media influencer persona, the other balancing single parenthood and an unexpected romance while attempting to rebuild her life) must confront their strained past at their feisty French-Canadian grandmother's living wake, and help her check off her list of final wishes leading up to her medically assisted death.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Sophie Dominique:
I've been writing in some form or another for my whole life, but I've been writing novels seriously, with the intention to publish, since 2022.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Sophie Dominique:
The drafting and revision process took about 9 months.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Sophie Dominique:
I've never felt like I would give up writing and trying to find an agent, but I did reach a point with this book in particular where I thought I might have to shelve it and move on. The number one thing that helped me, beyond surrounding myself with supportive writer friends, was to work on something new while querying.

QT: Is this your first book?

Sophie Dominique:
No! I've written four books, and this particular book was my second.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Sophie Dominique:
No, however I take my self-education very seriously, and have invested a lot of time in books on writing, podcasts, newsletters, in-person courses, and webinars offered by industry experts. There are so many free and inexpensive resources out there for people wanting to learn.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Sophie Dominique:
I write almost daily when I'm in drafting mode, but the amount of hours/words looks very different day to day. I'm more of a night owl writer and am definitely NOT a member of the 5am writer club!

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Sophie Dominique:
I received chapter-by-chapter alpha reader feedback from my critique group while drafting, then went through two rounds of beta-readers, revising after each one. Midway through querying, I reworked my opening.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Sophie Dominique:
I wouldn't say I'm entirely a plotter or a pantser, I have more of a hybrid approach. I refer to Save The Cat story beats before and during the drafting phase, and keep a notebook of thoughts, plot points, character descriptions, etc. while I'm drafting. I don't know where a scene is going when I sit down to write, but I usually know where the story is going, if that makes sense.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Sophie Dominique:
I actively queried in batches for five months, then let things simmer. I signed with my agent 13 months after querying her. I was about to start querying a new project. Querying can be SLOW, but it's not over until it's over!

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Sophie Dominique:
118

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Sophie Dominique:
I looked for agents who represented my genre, who were either in the U.S. or in Canada (where I live), and whose manuscript wish list aligned with my book. I also looked at their sales record on Publisher's Marketplace.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Sophie Dominique:
If there was something relevant, like an interview I'd listened to, or something in their MSWL that was very specific to the book I was querying, I would include it in my greeting. Sometimes it was as simple as "Because you are seeking contemporary upmarket novels,..."

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Sophie Dominique:
Don't give up. Perseverance is your biggest asset. And always be working on the next thing.