A #querywin pitches me a book that I see I have the potential to love. I HAVE to love a ms to take it on, and you HAVE to have me love it!

It's always a #querywin when I am desperate to read more: the polished query has really deliberately sold the book to me!

Q10: YA SFF. Intriguing & unique. Intense obstacles. Sample was polished and voice captured my attn. Partial. #tenqueries #querywin

Q9: Told me all about them, no MS. Passed. Emailed back to tell me why I should rep + sample of our imaginary meet-cute. PASS 😒 #tenqueries

Q8: SFF. Don't need to know this is the Nth draft of Nth novel. Mary Sue MC. What are the stakes, what's the story? Pass. #tenqueries

Q7: YA, tho better suited for younger MG/possibly CB. Too many exclamation points sample. Use that punctuation sparingly. Pass. #tenqueries

Q6: YA Fantasy. Concept sounds neat, but it's unclear what the stakes are/why this talent is important/can change kingdom. Pass. #tenqueries

Q5: Fantasy. Query poses loads of questions. Paragraphs of philosophical rambling before diving into 2 lines about ms. Pass. #tenqueries

Q4: YA, sounds like WF. Lacks plot, claims to be commercial/not literary. Word count very low. Know your audience/genre! Pass. #tenqueries

Q3: WF. Comp titles & query spot on (fav books, fav elements in books, MSWL call). Accessible voice in sample. Partial #tenqueries #querywin

Q2: Poetry (which I do not represent). No sample provided. Follow submission guidelines, please! Pass. #tenqueries

Q1: YA F. Query poses questions ("How would you feel if...?"). Sample attempts atmospheric, takes too long to grab attn. Pass. #tenqueries

My favorite #querywin moments always start with a genre that's on my rep list and a word count in that genre's sweet spot.

Q10: This could also be Q11, Q12, Q13, and Q14, because the author sent me 5 manuscripts in 5 separate emails. Don't do that. #tenqueries

Q9: Horror. Demons. Ancient prophecies. Chosen ones. Yawn. #tenqueries

Q8: This guy is a terrible writer, but whoever did the Glamour Shot he pasted in the body of the email gets an A+. #tenqueries

Q7: MG sports mystery. Very familiar, too many cliches, lots of the usual tropes. Would be hard to break this one out. Pass. #tenqueries

Q6: "The Definitive Guide to Minding Your Own Goddam Business." This is a book everyone in 2017 should read. Will request. #tenqueries

Q5: NF about a NCAA coach. These books are tricky, with a relatively low ceiling. My kind of project, but a tough sell. Pass. #tenqueries

Q4: GREAT query letter - personalized, mentioned my clients, excellent pitch - but the writing wasn't there. Too bad. #tenqueries