Laura Crockett

Q1: The writer attached 10 manuscripts & demanded I pay $500 for each. "I do not know what genres interest you." Big ol' PASS. #tenqueries

Q10: WF. Neat query w converging parallel POVs. Stilted writing, forced dialogue. Read ms out loud to improve dialogue. Pass. #tenqueries

Q9: YA Fantasy. Query reads like a copy of SERAPHINA, just with changed names. Pass. #tenqueries

Q8: A Crime. 5 paragraphs of author's life story, 3 sentences on the manuscript, and no sample provided. Pass. #tenqueries

Q7: MG Contemp. Not actively seeking MG, but the pass was based on the 450K word count. Know your audience. Pass. #tenqueries

Q6: YA F. Retelling of commonly known mythology, but set in an untraditional F world. Writing reminds me of UPROOTED. Partial. #tenqueries

Q5: YA SFF. Epic world, neat concept. Writing sample was clunky, with short, abrupt sentences. Pass. #tenqueries

Q4: A Urban Fantasy. Vampire falls in love with human. Pass. #tenqueries

Q3: Unsure of market, even while pitching the STORY part of the query. Know your book. See if you can nail down a genre. Pass. #tenqueries

Q2: A Horror. One email submitted to 50 agents. Be respectful and submit to us individually, not en masse. Pass. #tenqueries

Q1: YA Contemp. The MC is a major Mean Girl targeting outsiders. I can't support that. Personal preference. Pass. #tenqueries

Q10: A Fantasy. Sample jumped too early into the conflict. Not enough exposition. Let me get a taste of your world/MC 1st. Pass. #tenqueries

Q9: Nonfiction. Don't represent. Pass. #tenqueries

Q8: WF. Great idea! But the writing sample (all dialogue) was stilted. Read your work out loud -- does it sound natural? Pass. #tenqueries

Q7: YA Contemp. MC in query sounds friendly/pleasing, but the MC's voice in sample sounds ungrateful/mocking. Match! Pass. #tenqueries

Q6: YA Fantasy. Unique, compelling concept. Sample was deeply poetic, to the point where I didn't know what was going on. Pass. #tenqueries

Q5: YA? WF? Self-published. Pass. #tenqueries

Q4: WF. Cute and fun concept, even though the query itself was a bit wordy. Sample was good. Partial. #tenqueries

Q3: YA Contemporary. Family/friendship/love/national drama -- where's the one bit of hope for the MC? Graphics in sample. Pass. #tenqueries

Q2: YA Contemporary. Diverse for the sake of being diverse. Too much "my book is about this" language. Pass. #tenqueries