where do you get your ideas wasn't on there (damn!)

Andrea Seigel has a great FAQ post answering repetitive questions she's been getting in email, such as how she found an agent, etc., since the publication and fine notices of Like the Red Panda. She even publishes the text of her agent query letter (good query).

Question 4:How many agencies did you query?

I sent out somewhere in between 20-30 of these queries. About half of these people wrote back and asked me to send the first 50 pages or 3 chapters or whatever. About eighty percent of the remaining people sent back letters saying that they weren't looking for new clients or that my material didn't sound like something they'd be into. And then there were the remaining handful of agencies who took anywhere from 9 months to 1 1/2 years to finally send me form letters saying, "No, we can't sell this." By then the book had already been purchased by Harcourt, and I'd send them emails saying, "You're stupid," except nicer.

And seriously, I know this this should be common sense, but don't forget to include your self-addressed-stamped-envelopes.