Peter Knapp

#tenqueries 2: Adult Thriller/Mystery. This query focuses too heavily on why it was written, how it was written, what the pace is like, what the prose is like… Don’t tell me all of this. Show me. Pass

#tenqueries 1: MG Fantasy. This query isn’t focused on what the plot truly is—I’m pitched a few paragraphs that don’t feel connected enough, leaving me to wonder what the story is really about. Pass.

#tenqueries 10: Picture Book. Though this sounds like a cute story, I’m not actively looking for picture books for my list at this time. Pass.

#tenqueries 9: YA Contemporary. While reading this query, I felt like I was being pitched two very different stories, neither of which was compelling enough on its own, but which also did not seem to work together cohesively. Pass.

#tenqueries 8: MG Contemporary. This pitch feels adventurous as it pushes boundaries to ensnare the reader in young love, secrets, and life in a small town. The first pages are good, and I’m intrigued enough to want to read more. Request.

#tenqueries 7: Adult Non-Fiction. I'm not currently seeking nonfiction. This query also didn't have any pages attached, and focused too heavily on the authors’ bios, but not enough on the content of the proposal. Pass.

#tenqueries 6: Adult Speculative. This is definitely more dystopian, and familiar in such a way that I don't think I can make it work in today's market. Pass.

#tenqueries 5: Adult Fiction. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of plot here, and what is there doesn’t give enough specifics to allow the reader to infer what’s happening clearly enough. Pass.

#tenqueries 4: MG Mystery. I love a good MG detective story, but the story and personal stakes here felt too small -- as far as I can tell, if he were to quit pursuing the investigation, his life would go on just the same. Pass.

#tenqueries 3: MG Magical Realism. This story is too short for a MG novel, and the pitch unfolded in a way that made it difficult to parse through what the main plot line really was. Pass.

#tenqueries 2: YA Speculative. There was no genre given, so I inferred speculative based off the pitch, which I found to be a bit too long-winded, and a little confusing. Pass.

#tenqueries 1: Upmarket Women’s Fiction. Be careful of rhetorical questions or questions that your reader can immediately and decisively answer “no” to, effectively stopping their interest in their tracks. This query began with several such questions. Pass.

#tenqueries 10: YA Fantasy. While it’s clear that this story is set in a different world, the pitch reads as though it’s written for someone already familiar with that world, instead of for readers who’ve never been introduced to it, causing it to come off as confusing. Pass

#tenqueries 9: Adult Psychological Thriller. The thriller aspect of this query is not focused on in the way it should be. It’s not the forefront of the pitch, making it feel like a subplot instead of the crux of the tension. Pass.

#tenqueries 8: Adult Fantasy Thriller. This story centers around a series of trials/games—this gives me pause, as this can often take the reader out of the story, and can feel formulaic rather than unique. Pass.

#tenqueries 7:  Spooky MG. While this isn’t an exact genre per se, I do love a good Halloween adventure, and I quite liked the voice in the attached pages, so I’m looking forward to spending some time with these characters. Request!

#tenqueries 6: YA contemp. This query is pitching a book that was self-published 10 years ago. While the writing is good, many of the references feel dated and the previous publication is a hurdle. Pass with expression of interest to see any new manuscripts from the author.

#tenqueries 5: YA Fantasy. This pitch brings in so many competing fantastical elements, all of which are cool on their own but together are feeling disjointed and not part of a single, cohesive story. Pass.

#tenqueries 4: YA Magical Realism. The opening here moved too quickly; we raced through locations and beats without staying in and fleshing out any one scene, so it was hard as a reader to get my bearings. Pass.

#tenqueries 3: This query dropped me into the middle of a story I didn't quite understand, and didn't include genre/category, so I had trouble pinning down what it was. Pass.