Sara Megibow

#10 = fantasy. Very interesting world and magic, but hero isn't clear and pitch is messy/not clear. PASS #10queriesin10tweets

#9 = contemporary young adult. Hero doesn't feel engaging. Teens are volatile yes, but should also be like-able. PASS #10queriesin10tweets

#8 = historical young adult. Query explains the agenda and what kids "will learn" from reading. PASS #10queriesin10tweets

Yes, I know these responses sound harsh, sorry. Partly it's 140 characters and partly I'm going for my gut reaction. #10queriesin10tweets

#7 = fantasy. World building feels stiff and the setup feels generic/ not-attention-grabbing. PASS #10queriesin10tweets

#6 = paranormal New Adult. This query is very long (3 pages) and rambles without really nailing the pitch. PASS #10queriesin10tweets

Word count is rarely a deal breaker for me, but in *general* I want young adult novels to be 50K to 90K. In general. #10queriesin10tweets

#5 = contemporary YA. Setup feels cliche- not big enough to tell a whole story. Also, it's 22,000 words (short). PASS #10queriesin10tweets

#4 = science fiction. Queries should be short but not this short. No pitch included, just a character bio. PASS #10queriesin10tweets

As an aside, you can find out what genres I do represent here: publishersmarketplace.com/members/SaraMe… and here: nelsonagency.com #10queriesin10tweets

#3 = self help nonfiction. We don't represent this genre of work. PASS #10queriesin10tweets

#2 = contemporary YA. Generic characters and generic premise. Lots of teen angst without a bigger hook. PASS #10queriesin10tweets

#1 = fantasy. An interesting premise but the writing isn't very strong. PASS #10queriesin10tweets

Of those 20,000-ish queries in 2014, close to half are wrong-genre, so you're not really competing with all that! #10queriesIn10tweets

So far in 2014 I've read just shy of 20,000 queries (up from 2013) and 256 partials. #10queriesIn10tweets

I've not signed any new clients in 2014 (yet!) but I am actively acquiring! #10queriesIn10tweets

#10 = YA fantasy. Darn! I wanted one accept this week. Sadly no - the story and world feel too generic. PASS #10queriesIn10tweets

#9 = contemporary New Adult. Interesting setup but the writing isn't quite strong enough to convince me. PASS #10queriesIn10tweets

#8 = science fiction. Query goes in depth about the themes presented. No mention of the plot though. PASS #10queriesIn10tweets

#7 = YA fantasy. Query doesn't include a pitch, just character descriptions and title. PASS #10queriesIn10tweets