Sharon Belcastro
Literary Agent
Belcastro Agency
Introvert surviving in an extroverted world. Lover of books, animals, plants, the beach, working out and eating tacos. @belcastr
Literary Agent
#querytip #amquerying tell me your story is high concept without telling me your story is high concept.
Literary Agent
#querytip #amquerying it’s good to know WHAT your story is about but more importantly I want to know WHO your story is about.
Literary Agent
Sharon Belcastro - Agent at Belcastro Agency @SharonBelcastro
#querytip #amquerying #writingcommunity know your wordcount. 20k words is too short for a YA young adult novel.#querytip #amquerying #writingcommunity know your word count 350k words is too long for a memoir.
Literary Agent
#querytip #amquerying #writingcommunity know your wordcount. 20k words is too short for a YA young adult novel.
Literary Agent
#querytip #amquerying #writingcommunity Don't send a query in italics. It's way too difficult to read.
Literary Agent
#querytip #amquerying I can’t say it enough, know your genre. Especially your word count. I continue to see quite a few submission way under and way over the guidelines.
Literary Agent
#querytip #amquerying Don't purposely point out your shortfalls in your author bio. You are more than qualified to write your story with or without a "writing" degree.
Literary Agent
#amwriting #querytip I'm seeing a trend of manuscripts way outside the acceptable word counts. Low and High. Learn your genre. This is a good guide. litrejections.com/word-count/
Literary Agent
Even if your story is plot driven, let us know who your protagonist is, what it is they desire most and what is at stake if they fail. It’s your character the reader is going to emotionally invest in. #querytip #amquerying
Literary Agent
#querytip #amquerying please don’t bash other writers in your market in your query letter. It won’t make you sound better than them, it will make you sound like a jerk to me.
Literary Agent
#querytip starting your query by letting me know I won't be able to put your novel down and that you can guarantee it will change my life isn't going to convince me to read it.
Literary Agent
#querytip a 340,000 word novel is a bit outside the acceptable word count for any genre.
Literary Agent
#querytip Include word count, market and genre in your query letter. Preferably at the open. For example, I wanted to see if you were interested in this 75,000 word young adult fantasy.
Literary Agent
#querytip try to give a 1-2 sentence summary of your novel and a short 300 word synopsis. Agents are less likely to read a several page synopsis to find out what your story is about.
Literary Agent
#querytip #amquerying Put the title of your manuscript in the the subject line of your query email. Makes it easier to find. Unless of course the agent or editor has other guideline specifics.
Literary Agent
Another #querytip from our slush pile this morning. Note the genre and market of your manuscript in your query letter. For instance Contemporary YA. Adult Fantasy.
Literary Agent
Going through queries this morning. #querytip Don’t take away from your story by sending query in italics. It’s so hard to read.