Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

1. Horror, kind of like a serious Ghostfacers. I like the idea in theory but it's a little trope-y. Just not unique enough. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q10 Getting lots of "the only flawed designer baby in a uniform dystopia" YA books, this one is not standing out from the pack. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q9 Literary, great pitch but the opening spends too long being confusing and vague. There's nothing for me to grab onto. Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q8 Epistolary fantasy from a villain's minion POV. Writing's good & I'm intrigued by the structure; tentative request. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q7 Horror. Characters are all junkies but there's no... arc to it? Not really my thing. Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q6 YA horror, decent pitch but not the most unique. Writing is fine but not gripping. Neither strong enough for me to request. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q5 Heaven vs Hell war narrative that I've seen a million times before. This trope has to be done REALLY WELL to consider. Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q4 Thriller with MAJOR problematic "women are murderous succubi" issues. The sexist queries are out in full force today. Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q3 MG fantasy, very Nightmare Before Xmas meets Lemony Snicket, but the writing's not strong enough to carry it. Sadly pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q2 YA SF. Promising pitch, but sadly the writing is just not up to spec. Regretful pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q1 Adult fantasy, but the query letter just screams misogyny... Yikes, pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Hope the #tenqueries were helpful! Also, don't forget to make sure you're addressing your query to the right agent...

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q10: SF. Not bad but much more hard SF than is my speed. I need to have character focus, not just science/tech. Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q9: YA fantasy. The writing needs a lot more development. As a rule of thumb, <40k words is generally too short for YA. Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q8: Fantasy. Excessively wordy; please don't open with huge block paragraphs describing scenery and no action. Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q7: Very literary, which I don't handle. My bio says "contemporary fiction about geeky characters"--stress on the geeky! Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q6: YA. Pretty mainstream material (homecoming & cheerleaders), not really my thing. I'm looking for geeky contemp only. Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q5: YA fantasy. Prose is charming but not grabbing me. The pitch doesn't have a lot going on and is pretty generic. Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q4: YA SF. Not feeling the pitch: protag is bored with life but doesn't do anything about it. Protags should have agency! Pass. #tenqueries

Caitlin McDonald
@literallycait
Literary Agent
literary agent @MaassLitAgency for SFF, YA, & GN • she/her • queer • ADHD • intensely editorial 📚 #BLM #TransRightsAreHumanRights
69 MSWL
33 AskAgent
124 Queries
39 Tips

Q3: YA SF. Fun premise but writing is choppy & hard to follow. Flip side of the last one: doesn't introduce chars at all. Pass. #tenqueries