Kelly Peterson

Double check, triple check, quadruple check you are spelling an agent's name correctly when sending your query! It shows respect. #querytip

Each age range has a very distinct form of voice, word choice, and sentence structure. STUDY other work in your age range! #querytip

Query Checklist:

✔️Title
✔️Age Range/Genre
✔️Word Count
✔️Short Summary
✔️Short Bio
✔️VOICE! VOICE!
✔️Follow. The. Directions.

#querytip

"Dear Superwoman..." He knows my alias. Kudos to you, good sir! #querytip

I highly suggest not breaking the fourth wall within your first couple of lines. It doesn't work well to pull readers in. #querytip

"The princess gets stolen--" Really? Tell me more, as if this isn't the most used damsel in distress trope in the world. #querytip #feminist

The same goes for Google Docs and other forms of writing online. The safe bet is to send to yourself or send it to a friend first! #querytip

Be very, very careful when pasting from Word to email. It skews your font, size, and sometimes format. Send it to yourself first! #querytip

The statistics for the amount of people who don't follow directions is astounding. I will make a chart one day! #querytip

I don't know what I just read, as there wasn't even a query. It was just a chapter of the manuscript. Oh boy. Send help, please. #querytip

"I need you to be my agent and send me the contract. Now. Read my manuscript." No darling. You don't order other people around. #querytip

It also really helps if you include the title of your work... and maybe the word count... you know... essential details, please. #querytip

I can't say it enough: WORD COUNT, WORD COUNT, WORD COUNT. Know the WORD COUNT appropriate for your work's genre and age range. #querytip

Remember that you're trying to sell us your book, not your soul. I'm not dating you. Tell me about your book! Why is it special? #querytip

If you're writing about your story like it's a big joke, I won't take your manuscript seriously either. Your writing isn't a joke. #querytip

Make sure that your details (word count, genre, etc.) are separated into the first or the last paragraph. I want to find them! #querytip

Unfortunately, if I still can't read your query with my glasses on because the font is so small or skewed, I'm going to reject. #querytip