Alexandra Machinist

PSA--I put all my queries in a separate folder and review them ~once a week. I respond to all--even passes. #pubtip #tenqueries #mswl

You guys, it's just a fact that I love earnest fiction. #queries #pubtip

always best just query one book. Pick your winner and run w it! Don't query more than 1 in same letter, or worse, 2 letters. #pubtip

I try to read as quickly as possible but client manuscripts always come first. #pubtip

I promise if I've acknowledged receipt of your ms, I'm getting to it asap. Repeated follow-up, alas, does not speed it up at all. #pubtip

I'm deeply dubious of literary agents who also charge for editorial services. You should be too. #pubtip #beware

Very very very few novels are "complete at 25,000 words". #pubtip

You guys, it's a "pen name" not a "pin name." #pubtip

Or, in the positive, a great title sells your book! A limited one drags it down. #pubtip

Got to say it again, using the same title for your debut as a bestselling novel is srsly unwise. #pubtip

Everyone thinks they can write a picture book. Everyone is wrong. #pubtip

Beware the comma. Too many and too few are equal sins. #pubtip

Women's fiction should rarely exceed 100,000 words unless it is a true saga. And even then, almost 300,000 is FAR too many. #pubtip

Tweeps, I have a brandspankingnew Publisher's Marketplace page. Full of of intel like #query info, #pubtip and more. bit.ly/1pp7plO

It's a bad idea to have your title be grammatically incorrect. #pubtip

It veers on the impossible to crate the necessary worldbuilding required of a YA fantasy in a mere 50,000 words. Typical is 100,000. #pubtip

A query just started with "with no need for dialogue" WHAT? There is ALWAYS a need for dialogue. Except in poetry. Which I don't rep.#pubtip

Using the word "young" seven times in a 3-paragraph query is probably a bad idea. #pubtip

To the person who just called me Mr. Machinist, I refuse to give your query the courtesy of a response. #pubtip

"Dear agent" is the only automatic query delete for me. If you use my name, I reply. Promise. #pubtip