Annie Bomke

I have seen both--beside it w/a colon and under it in italics--and both looked ok to me. I think under it looks slightly tidier, and you can use italics or no formatting other than normal title capitalizations. #askagent

I would look at the agent's website to see if it says what the normal turnaround time is, and then give the agent 3-4 weeks beyond that. If it doesn't say, then maybe 3 months? #askagent

A good way to get me uninterested is to use a distant POV that describes a setting w/o giving me a character. Also telling writing (as opposed to showing). And action sequences w/ no sense of character or why something's happening. #askagent

Show me something different. Maybe a simile that expresses an emotion in way I've never seen before yet immediately understand. Anchor me in the character's POV and infuse the POV in the way you describe everything. And make sure there's some action. #askagent

Yes. There are books I passed on years ago that I still think about from time to time. But I passed on them because I couldn't figure out how to position them in the market (no publishers were looking for that kind of book), so I wouldn't change anything. #askagent

For your last question, each agent wants something different upfront, so you should check their website to see what they want. Sometimes it's just a query, sometimes it's a query & 3 sample chapters. I've never seen an agent who wants a complete manuscript upfront. #askagent

For your second question, I have never seen a MG or YA short story collection (apart from anthologies w/ multiple authors), so I don't think they're really a thing. Publishers are looking for MG and YA novels. #askagent

Hi Devon. To answer your first question, no, the vast majority of agents don't represent poetry, because it's very difficult to sell a collection of poetry. It's usually only if the poet is already well known from being published in prestigious literary magazines. #askagent

I would avoid writing the query as your protagonist, or explaining why you wrote the book (unless that's relevant). #askagent

The best queries establish the conflict immediately, describe the rising action & show what's special about the character & story. #askagent

And commercial fiction is popular, easily readable fiction. Thrillers and romance are two genres that are typically commercial. #askagent

Book club and upmarket are the same thing (a blend of commercial and literary). High concept has some underlying message or theme. #askagent

@LynetteEklund So just check people's sites to see if they close for queries or not. I'd think the dust would settle by mid Jan. #askagent

@LynetteEklund Some agents close their query period & indicate when they're open to queries either on their website or FB/twitter. #askagent

@MichelleRinke If an agent has their usual turnaround time for queries posted on their website, go by that. #askagent

@GLMorganAuthor I love books set in the Victorian era. I'm usually not drawn to books set in ancient Rome/Greece/etc. #askagent

@LynetteEklund Women read more books than men, including books w/ male MCs, so I don't think you'll have a problem. (2/2) #askagent

@LynetteEklund I don't think you need a romantic element or anything else to draw female readers. (1/2) #askagent

@pederson_lucas It seems like ghosts/evil spirits tend to be more in vogue for YA horror than monsters. #askagent

@pederson_lucas I do see YA horror as becoming more of a trend. It's already kind of a trend, but it's far from over. #askagent