Laura Crockett
Literary Agent
Triada US Literary Agency
Literary Agent @TriadaUS | Opinions my own | she/her

Literary Agent
Q10: YA contemp. Word count too low, even if it were MG contemp. Good concept. Writing sample, however, showed unrealistic dialogue, quick shifts in tense and POV. Pass. #tenqueries

Literary Agent
Q9: Opens with, "My book does not contain X, Y, or Z. You can send your automated rejection now." Pass. #tenqueries
Why are you shooting yourself in the foot automatically? Pitch the book. Show me what it IS rather than telling me what it is NOT.

Literary Agent
Q7: YA contemp. Great pitch, intriguing concept, definitely a story that should be shared. Writing in sample was all dialogue/white space, telling instead of showing. Pass. #tenqueries

Literary Agent
Q6: F. Stellar query/premise, intense obstacles, tangible world. Comp'd a client title. Writing in the sample too vague & grand, stilted dialogue. Sad pass. #tenqueries
When writing fantasy, focus on MC's immediate scene in opening chapters, then expand out. Not world/backstory.

Literary Agent
Q5: Defined as NA Fantasy, then at the end of the sentence YA Urban Fantasy. Continued to tell me about the story in the most vague sense, no specifics apart from a character name. Pass. #tenqueries
"Running for one's life/saving the world" is fantasy at large. Be specific.

Literary Agent
Q3: YA HF. Good comp titles, good premise, underrep'd time period and voices. The writing in the sample full of cliches, stilted dialogue, and opened in the wrong place for the story. Pass. #tenqueries

Literary Agent
Q2: F. Arthurian retelling, using the same names & plot. Pass. #tenqueries
I like the legend of King Arthur & I like novels inspired by it. But that's the key word: inspired. Your plot have twists from the original. Consider changing names & settings too. Make it stand out.

Literary Agent
Q1: "General fiction." A whole query in questions. I've no idea what this is about. Pass. #tenqueries
Please refrain from opening queries with philosophical questions, "what would you," etc. #querytip

Literary Agent
Q9: "I don't read stories similar to what I write. I think [x] audience would enjoy this, but I don't know -- I haven't actually read any of those books they like." Pass. #tenqueries
You need to be familiar with the market/genre/audience you're writing in/for. It's not optional.

Literary Agent
Q8: Opens with questions, continued throughout. "Did you ever wonder..." "What would you do if..." Pass. #tenqueries
My teachers always said to never start an essay with "[Word] is defined as..." And now I'm telling you to never start/continue a query with pointless questions.

Literary Agent
Q6: F. "My manuscript is a 468,000-word..." Pass. #tenqueries
Honey, NOBODY is going to read that. That's nearly 2,000 pages. Cut 3/4 of it and you'll stand a better chance. Even The Greats in genre fiction don't have 2,000 pages.

Literary Agent
Q5: Thriller (don't rep). Told me what the ms is (themes, plot structure, philosophy) and isn't (genre), but didn't share *the story*. Pass. #tenqueries
A query is like a book jacket. Set the stage with your MC, leave a hook, and let the reader discover what the MS is or isn't.

Literary Agent
Q4: YA HF. Neat concept, certainly a different look at this period of history. However, sample writing provided = unappealing to a modern YA audience because it (1) reads like a textbook (dates, facts, figures) and (2) did not open with a scene/follow an MC. Pass. #tenqueries

Literary Agent
Q2: YA F. 5 paragraphs about why I should rep the writer, 1 paragraph about the world of the story. Pass. #tenqueries
SFF pitches are hard! But you need your reader to be interested in your *MC* first and foremost, and why we need/want to follow THEM on this fantastical journey.

Literary Agent
Q1: Starting off a query with poor, snarky attitude (like what's pictured) is not the path one should take in finding an agent. Yes, you'll stand out...but not in the right way. Why would I want to work with you with that negative impression? Pass. #tenqueries

Literary Agent
#tenqueries Q9: HF. Very well-written query, with a hook and enticing premise. Unique perspective in an otherwise saturated topic. However, the writing in the sample needed more revision; it didn't grab me. Pass.

Literary Agent
#tenqueries Q8: UF/PR. Told me about how the writer wrote it, the themes they used, the message they want to get across. Nothing about characters, plot, hook, etc. Pass.

Literary Agent
#tenqueries Q7: YA C. The query was kind of all over the place, which suggests the manuscript is all over the place. Where does your story begin? What are your MC's motivations and obstacles? Entice me. Pass.

Literary Agent
#tenqueries Q5: A F. The query was fine––everything was there, written well, etc––but the writing in the sample just plain didn't capture my attention. In a market bursting with West Euro magic royalty narratives, it really needs to stand out. Pass.

Literary Agent
#tenqueries Q3: Opened by insulting literary agents, stating we do not give full consideration to queries, so if there was something the writer ought to improve in the pitch we ought to state where and why.
...Pass.