Q22: I’ve technically stopped repping MG. This sub wasn’t quite voice-y to crack through. (note: don’t query an agent outside their rep categories “just in case.” This one is okay because it’s a recent change. Pass. #500queries

Q21: As a D&D player, I like that traditional high fantasy worldbuilding. As an agent in 2018, I require modern updates, at least in the politics. Pass. #500queries

#tenqueries 10: YA Contemporary. This story is a retelling that’s just a bit too familiar to really stand out amongst its counterparts. It was a close call though—it sounds very sweet, but I wasn’t pulled in by writing enough to overcome the familiarity. Pass.

#tenqueries 9: YA Fantasy. This story is seeking to profit off a successful, existing fantasy franchise without express consent from the author. I would not advise anyone to query a story like this. Pass.

#tenqueries 8: MG Contemporary Fantasy. Filled with intriguing mythology, adventure, and magic, this story is exactly the kind of MG I’m looking for. Request.

#tenqueries 7: Adult Non-Fiction. Upon reading the first pages, I found the writing style to be very jarring—large paragraphs of narrative and dialogue with no breaks—and there were quite a few distracting typos that stood out. Pass.

#tenqueries 6: YA Contemporary. This query had a bit of a thriller or mystery element to it, but I wasn’t drawn in enough by the pitch to want to know what secrets were hidden within the characters’ lives. Pass.

#tenqueries 5: YA Dystopian. This query is called a fantasy and a dystopian at different points (I'm pretty sure it's just dystopian), and the plot seemed like it was going to be a touch too thin. Pass.

#tenqueries 4: YA Contemporary Fantasy. This book had an awesome title, but the plot felt young as compared to the target audience and tone, which prevented me from feeling intrigued enough to request it. Pass.

#tenqueries 3: Adult Fiction. Three quarters of this query is filled with reasons that the book was written and why the author has begun to query. That’s not necessary at this stage—what book you’ve written should be at the forefront of the query. Pass.

#tenqueries 2.. Adult Fiction. This query is a synopsis of the book, rather than an enticing pitch that leaves me hanging. If I know everything before reading, what’s going to drive me to read until the end? Pass.

#tenqueries 1: YA Fantasy. I really enjoyed the quirky voice in this pitch—it was genuinely funny without being forced. But I wasn’t given sufficient detail about the plot, and the pages were lacking in the same humor. Pass.

Time for an early morning stretch with #tenqueries. A reminder that there's usually not any one reason I pass, so these are representative of a reason that may've contributed to the pass, but in truth it's about how everything came together, and how it resonated with me.

Q20: I really, really am not the right person for breathy romances that span decades/generations #500queries

Q19: YA SF. The story seemed okay, but it felt way too...bro-y for me. I like some actual motivations with my plot. Pass. #500queries

Q17: While there’s nothing wrong with this hard SF query itself, this book DEFINITELY doesn’t have women in it. Pass. #500queries

Q16: Author has a sterling bio, but this baseball MG isn’t for me. Pass. #500queries

Q15: Did not follow any sort of query guidelines and sent an attachment of the MS rather than the pitch. Pass. #500queries

Q14: I can’t represent books that are already published. In addition, this query pitched multiple books at once. CHOOSE ONE! Pass. #500queries

Q13: C YA. Might be a little too straightforward romance for me, but the setting is interesting enough to get me to take a peek. Request! #500queries