Jacquie Flynn

#QueryTip DO: Incl. brief author bio, focus on writing creds (published works, education, memberships), put at end unless something big

#QueryTip DO: Set up your email to accept messages from the agents you query. Agents will not, for example, request access to email you

#QueryTip (cont'd) MG/YA means UR offering something like MG story w\YA length or MG age characters w\ YA subject matter. Who's the reader?

#QueryTip DO: Figure out what genre UR book is B4 you query. e.g. many queries say MG/YA. Doesn't work, automatic reject...

#QueryTip DO: Work UR network to approach agents thru referrals. Best way to get an agent's attn (in addition to writing a great book)

#QueryTip DO: Study query letters & use critique partners to make them perfect. Agents won't get to the sample if the query letter is bad

#QueryTip DO: If you are going to personalize UR query, be sure to get the details right. Better off w/none (which is fine frankly)

#QueryTip DO Bulk of query should your characters, what they want/conflict, stakes if they don't get it. Focus on the why not plot points

#QueryTip DO: Begin the query by talking about your book NOT yourself, why you chose agent, or reviewing UR work. And don't review yourself

#QueryTip DON'T tell an agent you are giving them an exclusive they haven't requested. To me seems entitled, automatic reject

#QueryTip DON'T get the details wrong, if you personalize. e.g. "I'm querying you b/c you love genre X" tho agent has never said that

#querytip DO: Run UR query by critique partners, test UR hook out on random people to see if they get it, polish before your send

#querytip DON'T cram a synopsis into 1st paragraph. Makes plot points seem random. Focus on character, setting, inciting incident, conflict

#querytip DON'T address agent as Miss or Mrs. Also avoid "Dear Sir/Madam" or "To Whom it May Concern" etc. Have seen all of these today.

#QueryTip DON'T say "I'm writing you b/c I'm looking for an agent." We know. Wastes time & sign of weak editing skills #OmitNeedlessWords

#QueryTip DO: Unless UR bestselling author, save background details about U and UR writing 4 end of query. Engage agent w/UR hook right away

#QueryTip DON'T: Meta queries (e.g. I have 8 secs to get your attn in this query, Here I am writing this query...) waste UR & agents time.

We get 1000's of queries & the ones that stand out do so b/c they are good, not b/c author used a gimmick to get our attention #querytip

While there's pressure to build an author platform, exaggerating social media #s in UR query/proposal gets a quick NO from agents #querytip

Marketing/platform & querying R very important BUT don't matter if U don't write an amazing book. Focus on the writing #querytip #writingtip