When publishing traditionally, the most common method is to find an agent. Once you have an agent, they submit your work to publishing houses, and the process continues from there. However, there are certain publishing houses that accept unsolicited queries (meaning you don't need an agent to submit your work).
Though the process is relatively similar, there are a few minor differences. So let's talk about them.
Agents
When you have the opportunity to work with an agent, they take on most of the administrative work for you. This means they work on your submission package to publishers, they research which publishing houses would be a good fit, they're the ones who negotiate contracts, and more. Agents (reputable ones, that is) don't make anything unless your book sells. So they have a vested interest in presenting your book in the best way possible.
Another benefit of working with an agent is that they can get into publishing houses that an author couldn't on their own. Larger agencies (like the "Big 5" or similar) only accept submissions from agents. So if you're goal is to eventually publish with a big publishing house, agenting is probably the route for you.
Agents are also very familiar with the market. It can be incredibly helpful to have someone who monitors the markets and can help you plan your writing career. (This doesn't mean you should write to trends, but it is important to know what's going on in the industry and how to leverage it.)
Publishers
If you're submitting directly to publishing houses, all of that above administrative work falls to you as the author. Many publishing houses only print specific genres or age categories, so make sure your work is something that fits their catalog. Otherwise they won't even look at the pitch.
In addition, you operate as your representation. Any contracts regarding possible advances (less likely with small publishing houses), royalties, timelines/series expectations, etc. are now on you to vet and sign. It's entirely doable but due diligence is necessary to ensure you're not getting stuck in a bad contract.
No contract is better than a bad contract.
From what I've seen, publishers typically have a longer response time than agents as well. Where agents average about 10-12 weeks, publishers may have a response rate of up to 6-12 months. In cases like this, it's easy to forget you've even submitted to them if they pass along a response later in the game.
Be wary, though, of vanity presses. These publishers offer your support for publishing through them for a hefty fee. This means they'll print your book, and likely offer other services like cover art, editors, etc. depending on the package, but it will cost you thousands of dollars. Often for less-than-par quality.
Formatting
The general query guidelines apply to both agents and publishers, however, publishing houses often have very specific preferences for manuscript formatting.
When submitting to agents, most are happy with 12pt, Times New Roman, double-spaced. Publishers may want a different font, a different line spacing, a title page with specific information (or no title page at all), etc.
Just like when querying agents, double-check the requirements prior to hitting "Send". And just like agents, publishers may also close to queries, so ensure the publishers you're submitting to are open when you're querying.
Query Lists
This step is technically optional, but it helps to keep everything organized. If you want to know how many queries you have out at a time or if you can re-query certain agencies, an agent list will tell you that.
Agent lists are also highly subjective. Just like publishers, agents only represent certain age categories and genres. So what might work for one of your books might not work for the next book. Each agent list should be curated for each specific project.
I wrote about how to create a query list in this post, but below I'm sharing my first-ever query list. This list was created for a YA high-fantasy. (Keep in mind this list is 4-5 years old. Some of the agents are no longer working as literary reps, or they're at different agencies. Some of these agents I would no longer choose to work with either. So use it as a starting point only.)
I included a column to indicate my first, second, and third choices of agents. Columns for when a query was sent, what the agent lists as their average response time, and when to assume it's a pass. There are also sections for which agency they work for (so I don't accidentally query two agents from the same agency at once), where to contact them, and why I think they might be a good fit for my project.
You can download the Excel spreadsheet above.
I transitioned over to Query Tracker for my second book, which really helped to shorten the time I spent looking for agents. It does everything my spreadsheet does for you (including keeping track of others currently querying that agent and their general response timelines), but it does not include an exhaustive list of agents. I still recommend in-depth agent research prior to adding an agent to your query list. Just because they rep your genre doesn't mean you'll want to work with them.
QueryTracker offers free and paid accounts. You can make one agent list for free, but if you have multiple projects, it's probably worth it to pay the small yearly fee (I paid $25 CAD for the year).
Some other important tidbits
Don't query agents and publishers simultaneously. This can make an agent's job harder, and some agents may not take clients who have already submitted to publishers.
I've seen a lot of publishers who require exclusive queries. This means that while they have your query, they don't want you to send it out to anyone else (publisher or agent). This can seriously increase your publishing timelines.
One myth about publishers is that they offer tons of marketing support. I've heard so many authors going into submissions so excited to have a team behind them--which does still happen with editors and cover artists and proofreaders--but publishers often don't have the funds to give you a personal marketing assistant, especially on a debut release. So keep in mind that you will still have a lot of work to do yourself, regardless of agenting or not.
Another great way to connect with agents and publishers who may otherwise be closed to queries is through conferences. These in-person events often allow for exclusive opportunities to pitch your work, or even just to put a face to the name.
I hope that this helps to clear up some querying questions! I wish I had someone to lay these things out for me when I first started writing. If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to reach out on my contact page.
Good luck with those agent lists and queries.
Happy writing,
Erin