Lane Heymont

Dear Dystopian YA authors, your worlds must make sense. Major plot holes can ruin a trilogy. Why would people live under the sea? #querytip

Do ur research! i.e. I just spent 20 minutes trying 2 find someone’s gender so I didn’t address an email as ‘Dear Mr.’ to a woman. #querytip

While researching, I found this great article showing ANYONE can land a contract/agent. teenscanwritetoo.wordpress.com/tag/published-… #querytip

Don’t send out a query as written by any of your characters. It’s silly and unprofessional. Queries are for business purposes! #querytip

Always end a chapter on a bang, or at least a hook. Something to make us NEED to keep reading. #querytip #writetip

Craft your voice. A clichéd story can work if told with an amazing voice. #querytip #writetip

Want awesome #writetips from the head hauncho of The Seymour Agency? Follow @AgentMarySue ! She knows her stuff! #querytip

Please don’t write YA/MG for four year olds. No. Write your narrative/novel in a style appropriate for your target age. #querytip #writetip

Also, a query is not a plot. No. A query is a hook. Don’t explain your story to us. #querytip

Your query shouldn’t hurt an agent’s brain. Keep things simple and easy to understand. #querytip

Go to conferences. I wish I was at #RWA14. Meeting industry people is important and so fun! #querytip

Keep your protagonist active, not reactionary. We like MCs who make decisions, not dragged around by their teeth. #querytip #writingtips

Villains shouldn’t have names like "Killatrix McMurderSneer”. Give readers some credit. Ten year old me would put that book down. #querytip

Your first sentence, paragraph, page can't be boring. Backstory is boring. Nonstop description is boring. Bring the ACTION! #querytip

Your title shouldn’t be ten words long. “The Time a John Doe Woke Up Late with Amnesia” won’t work. Be as concise as possible. #querytip

A pitch isn't a synopsis of your story. A synopsis is a synopsis and a pitch is a hook to draw an agent's interest. Know the diff. #querytip

Use the five senses in your writing. Try putting them all in the first few pages. They draw us in more than anything. #querytip #writingtips

I am not an agent. Do not query me directly. The @seymouragency agents consist of @NicLitAgent and @AgentMarySue. #querytip

Don’t find an agent on LinkedIn and proceed to email their private emails. Query/contact through the appropriate channels. Please. #querytip

Don't tell us "this is my first novel". It's not relevant and only stands to hurt you by appearing amateurish. #querytip