Q5: YA Epistolary: I like the idea of epistolary stories, but the voice has to be really, really strong and I am just not as grabbed here by this one. Pass. #tenqueries 6/

Q4: Women's Fiction: This has a lot of elements I like, but I think the current embodiment of the story needs some reimagining. Not sure I would share the same vision as the author. Pass. #tenqueries 5/

Q3: YA Fantasy: This is the kind of epic that doesn't really appeal to me. It comps ATLA and other things that I have never seen so I am not the best agent for. Pass. #tenqueries 4/

Q2: YA Dystopian: This is really no different from any other YA dystopian that is already out there. Pass. #tenqueries 3/

Q1: Women's Fiction: Solid concept and writing but it's missing the hook required to break out of the crowded field. Pass. #tenqueries 2/

Q10: Historical Fiction: This story has a lot of really great themes, but it's a little more on the upmarket side of things than I am comfortable repping. Pass. #tenqueries 13/

Q9: Fantasy: I'm not sure this time travel fantasy is for me. Time travel in general has been very hard for me to sell, and I've already got one based in ancient Greco-Roman times on my list. Pass. #tenqueries 12/

Q8: YA: This f/f romance was a tough call, I liked a lot about it, but in the end I just felt like the opening pages didn't leave me wanting. I wanted to want it, but didn't. Pass. #tenqueries 11/

Q7: YA Fantasy: This query is on the low-word count end of the scale and isn't really distinguishing itself from all the YA Fantasy I see in my inbox and on bookshelves. Pass. #tenqueries 10/

Q6: Urban Fantasy: Oh, so I don't think now is the time for white writers to co-opt Asian folklore/mythology. We need to let AAPI voices speak for themselves. Pass. #tenqueries 9/

Q5: Women's Fiction: I actually don't know what this story is about after reading the query. It's a young woman's journey but...to what? This is too vague. Pass. #tenqueries 8/

Q4: YA Sci-Fi: This has some great background research but the setting isn't quite my jam. And this is a weird blend of SFF where I'm not sure I have the right vision for selling it. Pass. #tenqueries 7/

Q3: YA: This query has the MC distanced from all the action, so it's hard to see what the actual plot of this is other than a lot of surveillance. Pass. #tenqueries 6/

Q2: MG Fantasy: This is cute but a bit more commercial and on the younger side of what appeals to me. Pass. #tenqueries 5/

Q1: YA Sci-Fi: This query and sample is well-written but I found my attention wandering as I read the opening pages and I just don't think this is for me. Pass. #tenqueries 4/

TL;DR, this thread is more about me than about the individual #tenqueries I cover, and my goal is to keep myself honest by spending time in my query box, and also to share some behind the curtain insight into what might work for me 3/

Agenting is an exceedingly subjective job, and a pass from me isn't a value judgment on the work, there are so many reasons why a project might not be a good fit, & nothing is absolute! Two projects might sound the same in 280 characters but have different appeal #tenqueries 2/

Now that I've re-opened to queries, I'm going to bring back my weekly #tenqueries threads to keep me honest. Before I dive in I just want to make sure that it's clear that my intentions are to be helpful by giving authors some insight into what influences my thought process 1/

OK, that's my #tenqueries. Got a few hits this time, which is nice.

I have now responded to all queries through 12/31/20, not including partial/full requests.

Q10: Phew! For a minute I thought I'd break the streak and read 10 whole queries without getting a submission that was completely out of my wheelhouse.

Remember: Historical Fiction = yes.

Historical Romance = no thank you.

#tenqueries