Q & A 30 Reason for querying agent?

You took out the part of the letter where I said why I chose this particular agent. Is this a suggestion that we shouldn't be including such things? I was under the impression that it was important that they didn't just think you hauled them out of a list of agents. No? Yes?

You're referring to your opening sentence:

After reading through your site, and having enjoyed the books by your author Joe Blow, I believe that my first novel, Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo, would fit in nicely with your list.

1. That you enjoy Blow certainly doesn't indicate that Blow's agent is right for you.

2. Your opinion of whether your first novel is right for an agent's list is irrelevant.

3. You did haul them out of a list of agents.

4. You never heard of Joe Blow until you saw his name on the agent's website, and even if that's not true, the agent thinks it is.

5. You're sending the same query letter to several other agents, and changing the name Joe Blow to John Grisham or whatever, and even if you aren't, the agent thinks you are.

I don't see much point in telling an agent why you're targeting him unless you were referred by someone. Then again, maybe you should be asking an agent instead of an editor. Evil Editor doesn't need to be told why you're submitting to him; it's because he's the only editor who handles books about Norwegian lemon farms.