Jessica Faust

One of the biggest query fails I see is when the author pitches the story up until what actually happens. I don't want the lead-up, I want the pitch to focus on what happens in the book. #querytip

Whenever someone tells me in their query that they "know this isn't what I represent" I know they will wrongly assume why the query was rejected. Also, they are never correct in their assumptions about what I rep. #querytip

43,000 words is too short! #querytip

"I don't do middle grade" #MSWL

The Successful Use of Comp Titles in a Query #querytip bookendsliterary.com/2018/08/07/the…

To Please Everyone Means Pleasing No One--Query Advice #querytip bookendsliterary.com/2018/08/02/to-…

How I Pitched Murder, She Reported by Peg Cochran #querytip #agentpitch bookendsliterary.com/2018/07/31/how…

When reading queries & submissions the best agents never read in order of when the material arrives. Just because your friends heard back doesn't mean yours was lost, it just means something about that query enticed the agent to read it first. #querytip #askagent

Also, I do NOT take on new clients for novellas. #MSWL #querytip

All women's fiction & single-title romance--80,000-100,000 words #querytip #wordcount

All mysteries should be between 80,000-100,000 words #querytip #wordcount Cozy mysteries might be the exception in that they can be as low as 70,000 words

Any suspense/thriller, including psychological, series, domestic.... should be in the range of 80,000-100,000 words #querytip #wordcount

I mentioned this a few weeks ago, but I'm seeing a consistent problem with word count in queries. For every fiction genre I represent (I ONLY represent adult) 50,000 words is too short. #querytip #wordcount #tuesdaythoughts

Backstory is acceptable in a query. It just shouldn't dominate. #querytip

"20 years later Megan still hasn't recovered, but now she has a new focus...." This should be the bulk of your blurb. What is her new focus, what is this book about? #querytip

It's okay to tell the backstory, "as a child Megan was traumatized when she watched her mother kill a neighbor" but make it brief. That should be enough. #querytip

Your query should read like back cover copy, I want to know what this book is going to be about. By giving me a long 1-2 paragraphs about the protagonist's childhood & then one paragraph about the character now you leave me confused about the story #querytip

Lately, I've seen a lot of queries that seem heavily focused on backstory. Don't do this. #querytip

As always, I suggest help comes from a group of writers who haven't read the book & can help you create a pitch that makes them want to read it. #querytip

When writing your query, think the way that agents think and get help. Creative collaboration is often the key to success. #querytip