Adria Goetz

Q10. PB. Not enough of an arc to the story, and too lesson-y. Passing on this one.

Q9. YA. The third person perspective wasn’t working for me. Passing on this one.

Q8. YA Sci-Fi. The premise was interesting, but I didn’t like where the story began: with the MC being very reflective. I like to be dropped right into the character’s world! Passing on this one.

Q7. MG. The first paragraph of the query made the premise sound like it was a contemporary realistic piece, but then aliens randomly showed up at the end of the query? Passing on this one.

Q6. NF PB. The STEM concepts presented in this manuscript don’t feel like they’re presented in a way that's kid-friendly enough. Passing on this one.

Q5. PB. The premise of this specific manuscript doesn't seem super salable, but the writing itself is so strong and I know most PB writers typically have TONS of other manuscripts available, so I’m going to request to take a look at some of this writer's other work!

Q4. PB. The premise is too similar to another title on my list, so the projects would be in direct competition with one another. Passing on this one.

Q3. MG. A story about a boy and his dog. Not my kind of story, and also not a very salable premise right now in a market that is hungry for new + fresh voices. Passing on this one.

Q2. Contemporary YA. Great setting, intriguing premise, family secrets, cool character names, a zippy voice that drew me in. Requesting this one!

Q1. YA Suspense. A decent premise, but the word count is 25,000 words which is way off for the age group/genre. Also: the first sentence of the writing sample is a rhetorical question. Passing on this one.

Q10. YA High Fantasy. First five pages are a glossary of characters, kingdoms, customs, etc. Projects that need this much world-building explanation is not a good fit for my taste. Just a personal preference! Pass.

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Q9. YA Romance. Unique characters in an interesting predicament + a great hook! Realistic teenager voice. First chapter ended on a cliffhanger. Request!

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Q8. YA. The tone of the pitch—which I loved—doesn’t quite match the tone of the manuscript itself. It’s a dark story, but doesn’t read as dark. Bummed about this one! Pass.

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Q7. PB Bio. Zippy writing + I learned about a new person from history’s footnotes! Always a plus for me. Requesting to see more of their work!

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Q6. PB. Submitter has HUGE platform, but just sent a proposal + says they haven’t written the manuscript yet. I can’t move forward until I see a manuscript…

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Q5. MG Historical Fiction. Good writing, but not gripped by the premise. Pass.

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Q4. YA Gothic Fantasy. Clear concept. Lovely, fluid writing. Followed submission guidelines. Researched me ahead of time. Premise is totally up my alley. Request!

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Q3. PB. Pitched as 3-book picture book series about one individual from history. The writing is great, but I can’t think of a publisher who would go for this structure. Recommending they consolidate into one manuscript, then I’ll take another look. Momentary pass.

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Q2. YA Historical Fiction. Great voice + complex exploration of identity. The main character is very likable. Request!

Q1. PB. A retelling of a common nursery rhyme. I don’t typically gravitate toward these types of projects, because there are SO many in any given slush pile + they rarely feel fresh or unique. Pass.