Q12: Query is a little too breathy (please don’t spend half the time complimenting us) BUT the idea is solid, and I’m just curious enough to see how it pans out. CR. Request. #500queries

Q11: This query literally starts with “Imagine a world” and goes downhill from there. I want to see a non-Mr. Moviephone pitch, please. Pass. #500queries

Q10: CRomance. Query follows traditional format and I can tell what the tropes are, as well as the heat level. Plus, the heroine sounds interesting. Request! #500queries

Q9: Folks, I just am NOT the right person for Bible stuff. I’m not. Pass.#500queries

Q8: A good rule of thumb is to, instead of quoting other authors in your query, to TELL ME ABOUT THE BOOK. Pass. #500queries

Q7: I love queer romances (in adult and YA) but this query was ALL OVER THE PLACE. I finished not knowing who the MC was or the main gist of the plot. Pass. #500queries

Q6: If you have a woman in your book, and their entire personality and motivation is centered around past sexual trauma, I do not want to read it. Pass. #500queries

#tenqueries 10: Adult Fiction. The author starts with a long bio (always start with the plot for fiction, I personally feel; I want to hear about your book first and foremost) & after a three-sentence plot pitch, there are no sample pages from the MS. Pass.

#tenqueries 9: MG Magical Realism. I like the strong theme of friendship present in this pitch, as well as the unique setting and foreshadowed relatable interactions between school peers. I'm certainly curious about this one. Request.

#tenqueries 8: MG fantasy. I was intrigued b/c this seemed to be a coming of age story in a fantasy setting, but ultimately it didn't work--the first pages felt slow, and I worry the plot won't take advantage of the cool fantasy world it's set in. Pass

#tenqueries 7: YA Fantasy. Another query where there are a lot of plot threads presented, but it's unclear what is at the center here. What's the central conflict/premise? Pass.

#tenqueries 6: Adult historical fiction. There is so much going on in this query! But my ultimate reason for passing is that the writing just didn't capture me in the way I need to be the right agent to take it on. Pass.

#tenqueries 5: MG Sci-fi. This is a much twistier, more intense query than I've seen in MG for a while-I am coming up with way more YA comps than MG-and the voice of the pages also feels YA. Pass.

#tenqueries 4: YA Fantasy. I actually really liked this query: it presented a high stakes world and plot and intriguing characters, but then the opening pages were dense, with lots of exposition/world building but little plot. I definitely am a plot person in YA fantasy. Pass.

#tenqueries 3: MG Contemporary. The voice in these pages breaks the fourth wall quite a few times--this is clearly a purposeful choice on the author's part, but it wasn't working for me personally here, as it distracted me from the actual action. Pass

#tenqueries 2: YA Sci-fi. I wanted to know more about the plot in this pitch. What's motivating the character to rise above her struggles? We get the very initial set-up, but then what? Pass.

#tenqueries 1: MG Animal Story. I would call this a MG fantasy or perhaps MG animal fantasy. The lack of clear stakes and a cliffhanger that makes me think "what happens next?" is giving me pause. Pass.

Q5: I could have been sold on this historical YA, but the query was just the synopsis. No hook, no pitch, no metadata. Pass. #500queries

Q4: I am not the right person for heaven/hell/devil/angel stuff. Pass. #500queries

Q3: Vagueness in your query will never help you. This had a SF meeting of two alien cultures...but I didn’t learn anything about them, or the MCs. Pass. #500queries