I think, to some extent, this answer will depend on the agent--but I always look for high-quality writing as well as a high-concept, or a memorable pitch; something that fascinates the mind-heart link in me, + makes me want to talk about it. (1/2) #askagent

I'd list these as a triage: WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL, THE FIRE IN FICTION, and THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF WRITING FICTION. amzn.to/2pC6eNt There'll be some overlap, but this theory, well-understood + practiced, can change a writer's writing + career overnight. #askagent

Generally, less is more--when a writer has nailed down his/her capacity to summarize the story being told in a compact manner, all is well. #askagent [@ericsmithrocks--you had a formula in Vancouver for queries. I forgot the language... Can you re-share?]

I have never passed on something over a missed period or comma, or a poor query letter, or even poor writing on its own--there's a sense of "package" for which most of us are reading, and a general "miss" on these things would be reason to pause, but no small mistake. #askagent

A query letter and the style of the writing behind it are huge reflections of the writer, + I always look for those characteristics--which you can read for quickly, with practice--that reveal quality: intentionality, ownership, maturity in voice and craft, sensitivity. #askagent

Leeway for small mistakes? Totally. Do you know how you can see someone in their entirety, and love them unconditionally, even if they make a small mistake? Or even a big one? Reading manuscripts is sort of like this--I think agents develop a keen sense for persons. #askagent

I don't have, at my fingertips, a great example of a query that does this well; you could also do something like this: "Character #1 status quo, in a sentence. Character #2 sq, in a sentence. Sentence #3--conflict between the 2 of them, either interpersonal or outward." #askagent

Here's one example of a pitch letter that I sent out for a novel with characters in dual-POV (bit.ly/33kbFis). Perhaps the two POVs come into conflict with one another, in some way; you want to highlight the plot + conflict there, as part of your general arc. #askagent

The particular form of the execution of the story is less important in the query than the story itself. This is piece of advice #1--your query is essentially focused on communicating the plot arc. What's the status quo? What happens to shift it? What's at stake, then? #askagent

I would query after 1/15. I think most agents won't be paying attention to their #queries and manuscripts over the holidays--and/or will be catching up on backlogs. (That said, I don't think querying beforehand will hurt.) #askagent

This is also independent of more objective, independent categories for evaluation--personal taste, not the right genre/fit, the nature of the writing/voice isn't of my intuition/love, etc. #askagent

I read for craft, + I can often discern the quality of the crafting before me within 5-10 sentences or so, so I'll often read through the first few pages, rarely all, pass when the writing d/n hold, + will confirm that the storyline isn't whole/full with the query. #askagent

This is a great question. I think it depends on the agent. Some agents choose to start with the pages, which I do after a brief scan for key info--title, word count, genre. The aesthetic/structure/tightness of the query itself is an indicator of what's to come. #askagent

I spent my lunch answering a bunch of #AskAgent questions (and YEAH maybe also making a poster of a bunch of pretty books to answer one of the questions, what OF it???)

literaticat.tumblr.com

#amquerying writers: if you have questions, I have a place to ask them (anonymously or not!) -- here: petejknapp.tumblr.com/ask #askagent

Why I Read More than the Query--what pushes me to request a manuscript or read sample pages. #askagent bookendsliterary.com/2019/10/22/why…

Confession time: this is the second best part of being an agent. #WritingCommunity #askagent

That said, I think there's still a need for "issue books" that tackle all sorts of marginal experiences. But I think at this point most would agree that presenting a variety of experiences is a good thing. #AskFuse (8/8)

As for the 2nd question: I don't typically do YA/MG, so I can't comment on kids' specifically, but in adult I think there's been a strong shift toward letting marginalized chars have fun instead of needing to Confront Issues. I'd hope that's true across categories. #AskFuse (7/8)

This isn't about agents or editors exclusively, mind you. The acquisition of any book relies on signoffs from higher-ups, sales, etc. You sometimes need a dozen people to say yes, and most of those people won't be personally attuned to whatever marginalization. #AskFuse (6/?)