Ali Herring

I'm seeing lots of great hooks right now in queries. A great hook is a fantastic start, so kudos, writers! For those who want help in that department, one of my favorite craft books for creating marketable premises is @DonMaass Writing the Breakout Novel. #querytip #writetip

I keep seeing YA's with MG word counts, and MGs with YA word counts.#querytip #writetip Know your audience and understand publisher expectations for word count based on genre/age group.

Why do agents like comp titles in queries? It helps us know where your book could be “shelved” or that something “comparable” has sold. Publishers don’t usually make new shelves. Also, tells us who might like your work, so that you’ve got a segment of potential readers. #querytip

#QueryTip When querying an agent who uses an online form. In the query field: give me a full query letter (genre, word count, plot outline, hook, author bio, comps, why you queried). The synopsis field is not the place to tell me plot + hook. That's for a legit 1-3 page synopsis!

Follow up to my earlier #querytip #writetip: WHY ARE STAKES IMPORTANT? B/c they give readers a reason to care about 1-what happens to the protagonist 2-what happens to the protagonist's group/world, or 3-the internal, seeing the protagonist's convictions/motivations tested.

I always find it difficult to pass on quality writing when I can't identify the stakes of the novel (OR more importantly STRONG ENOUGH stakes) in the query letter. I can't spend 5 hours reading & looking for them, so you have to tell me up front! #writetip #querytip #sellme

#PubTip #QueryTip #Debuts Be aware of publisher expectations for word count for the particular genre/age group you are querying. 166K is an auto no. Yes, there are high word counts out there, but those authors are proven entities.

I'm seeing a lot of YA subs starting w/the protagonists out in the woods, out of "bounds" of their village, out hunting illegally,etc. It all feels a bit too Hunger Games. If your book's doing something very specific a category killer did, start somewhere else.#writetip #querytip

#WriteTip #QueryTip When querying: please don't ask an agent to go to a "web site" to review multiple projects. Please don't "not" talk about your book at all in your email. A query letter is a business proposal, quickly identifying "saleable" information on your novel and you.

#querytip Don't hit send without giving me a HOOK in your query letter - a one or two line description of the main conflict of your story.

#QueryTip You don't give away the ending in the Query, but you DO tell the ending in the Synopsis.