Elana Roth Parker

I’ve decided that the *only* good thing about getting a MailChimp or Constant Contact query is that I can click “unsubscribe.” #querytip

After all these years, I’m still not sure where I fall on queries with blurbs from well-known to semi-well-known authors. #querytip

I think I read 50 queries today for rhyming picture book manuscripts. Guys. Really. #querytip #pubtip

Put yet another way: if I called you, and you pretended to be a fictional person, I’d have to hang up pretty fast. #querytip #pubtip

At best, writing a query as your MC sounds trite. At worst, you’ve completely discombobulated the reader, i.e. me. #pubtip #querytip

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a query written in the voice of the main character be successful. Like, ever. #querytip #pubtip

Some days it’s really hard not to feel like my query pile is punking me. #querytip #agentlife

FYI, if I’m BCCed on a query, I delete it. Sorry not sorry. #querytip

I have a huge pet peeve about quotation marks around book titles. Book titles = italics. Can’t italicize? Underline or all-caps. #querytip

2 for 2 on YA queries with [NOUN] OF [NOUN] AND [NOUN] as titles. Let’s try harder on title formats, hmmm? #querytip

Most popular retellings I see in my inbox: Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland. #pubtip #querytip

Caught up on all queries through Feb 23. And all manuscripts sent before Feb 3. Feeling pretty super. #querytip #amagenting

Today in the queries: lots of already self-published novels, lots of rhyming PBs, lots of kids named Kai. #truth #querytip

For the love of Pete, have someone who knows NOTHING about your book read your query and tell you if it makes any sense. #querytip #pubtip

I swear, some of the most phoned-in queries come from people who say they work in marketing or copywriting. It’s astounding. #querytip

You really wouldn’t believe how often queriers miss a typo in their book’s title in the email subject line. #querytip

Writers, I know you’re bending over backwards to meet every agent’s nitpicky requirements, but common sense rules above all else. #querytip

I’m just going to go out on a limb an say: please feel free to round up to the 100 on your word count estimates. #querytip

Not gonna lie. I have frequent, intense spells of deja vu when reading queries. So that’s what you’re up against. #querytip

Seeing lots of queriers trying to label their dystopian novels as speculative fiction. It’s not working. #querytip