Elana Roth Parker

Query hot-take: Beauty and the Beast retellings are the new vampires, i.e. 75% of what I see in my inbox. #querytip #pubtip

Throwing in another evergreen #querytip today: Consider the text density of your query. Try to make it easy on my eyes to scan through for your pitch.

And your regular reminder to let agents know if you have an offer, even on queries (unless they are old and to non-responder agents, I s'pose). I just hit one (only 3 weeks old) that I saw on Twitter someone had signed. Requesting OR rejecting it would feel so silly. #querytip

When I see this in a query letter, I know something has gone horribly wrong. #querytip #pubtip

#querytip: I’ve noticed a considerable uptick in the number of queries of projects that have already been self-published. Friends, I can’t really do much with that. Try me with your next, unpublished book.

YA slush pile fact: if the book doesn’t have dead parents, it has a dead sibling, and the MC most likely feels responsible for that sibling’s untimely demise. #querytip #amagenting

Catching up on queries, and I found 17 in a folder they shouldn't be in because my name wasn't in the subject line. If you want your queries answered: Please 👏 Follow 👏The 👏 Instructions 👏. Added bonus: you won't get mad at me for never answering you! #querytip #pubtip

Caught up on queries through the end of May. If you didn’t hear from me, try again! #amagenting #querytip

Still catching up on queries, but looks like I’ve answered everything through May 15th. If not, then I didn’t get it and please try again. #amagenting #querytip

I’m not sure I’ll ever understand people’s loose relationships with font sizes. Just…keep it all the same? #querytip

There's usually an exception to every rule, but don't TRY to be the exception. It's usually obvious. #querytip

Likewise, I'm seeing MG at astronomically high levels, like 80k+. This also scares me. High word counts tell me either a) you can't self-edit b) something is very overblown. (Don't ask me what a good word count is. Many people have written about it. Google it.) #querytip

The more I do this (especially given my focus on kids and YA books), the more scared off I am by anything over 100k in word count. I regularly see 130k+ projects. It's really hard to get me excited at that level. #querytip

Short and sweet, friends. Keep it short and sweet. No need to over-personalize or excessively connect with me. Hook me with the pitch. The rest will follow. #querytip

A rejection isn't necessarily a quality judgment. I reject things that look and sound good all the time. It just means I'm not the right person for it. My answer of "the project isn't right for me" couldn't be more apt. #querytip

Do not recommend addressing an agent as “Hi dear” when querying. #protip #querytip

Please do not call literary agency offices to follow up on your queries. For the love of Pete. #querytip

To the wide querying world: I’m not officially closing for queries over the holidays (reopening and closing makes my head spin) BUT…I’m also not going to be looking at them after this week until January. So query if you want, but maybe don't? #querytip #amagenting

Hey queriers! We’re switching our email servers this weekend, so it may not be the best time to query. Maybe wait till next week? #querytip

I’m caught up on queries through 10/9/18. That feels nice. #querytip #amagenting