#tenqueries 2: MG Fantasy/Horror: The pitch is twisty, but I can’t tell what is going to motivate the main characters. What are the stakes? What are the character's goals? Plot and character must work together. Pass.

#tenqueries 1: MG Fantasy. The query is interesting and cinematic, if a little long, but the writing and voice in the first few pages didn’t grab me. Pass

#tenqueries 10: MG Adventure / this query gave the reader interesting details about the story, but it felt like I was supposed to somehow know more about the world than I did, so I felt a step behind and a little confused. Pass.

#tenqueries 9: MG Magical Realism / the query is incredibly enticing, with fantastic characters and a plot that I’m dying to dive into. Then...the sample pages! The pages are immediately tense, with a story in motion and some great descriptions. Request!

#tenqueries 8: YA Fantasy / The query is much too short, as is the word count for the manuscript itself (under 15K words). Pass

#tenqueries 7: MG Contemporary / it's clear this book has an interesting protagonist, but it doesn't feel like it's really about anything. I love a great, quiet middle grade, but the query letter still needs to convince me that there's good emotional tension & conflict. Pass.

#tenqueries 6: Adult Fiction / this author focuses too much on the bio section, rather than the pitch of the story, so I don’t know enough about the plot and characters. Pass.

#tenqueries 5: YA Fantasy / as with #2, the query feels generic with few details about this specific story. Instead, we get vague sentences that could describe any number of books. Make each word count & each sentence tell us something unique about YOUR book. Pass

#tenqueries 4: YA Fantasy / Based off the pitch, much of the story makes it seem like the characters are going to be too passive, where they react to things happening to them, but what do they want? What active decisions do they make? Pass

#tenqueries 3: MG Contemporary / While this was a well-written query, the premise is very familiar and the book doesn’t sound unique enough from its counterparts in the same space. Pass #tenqueries

#tenqueries 2: MG Fantasy / the pitch in this query is a little vague—I had questions about what actually happens, as the plot is couched in generic terms rather than brought to life with specific, standout details. Pass #tenqueries

#tenqueries 1: Adult Mystery: The query is so long and has so much going on that I’m not actually sure what the story is about at its core. There are also several typos that tripped me up. Pass.

Q10: YA contemp. Family dynamics at the center of obstacles and MC's concerns, super voice-y a la Matson, Mills, Lord. Partial. #tenqueries #querywin

Q9: YA thriller. Has "Taken" vibes. I'm simply not a thriller person whatsoever -- best to query another agent at Triada. Pass. #tenqueries

Q8: "You're such a cute, young agent! You'll totally love [MS] because you'll relate to those perky, young kids I want to write for!" 😐 Pass. #tenqueries

I really shouldn't have to say why.

Q7: Responded to my rejection of MS1 by pitching MS2, but instead of detailing the ms, it was a business plan of what to do with the royalties from it. Both no-nos. Pass. #tenqueries

Q6: YA contemp. Geeky, quirky, fun; awesome voice in sample. Yes please. Partial. #tenqueries #querywin

Q5: Initially pitched as SF, then YA SF, then later claims YA thriller. All characters are 30+ years old. Lacks understanding of target audience/genre. Pass. #tenqueries

Q4: Literary? Magical realism? Fantasy? Be clear and concise: what is the ms about? What are the obstacles? Why should we care? Don't wax poetic just yet. Pass. #tenqueries

Q3: Fantasy. Massive in scope, but focused on two central characters in this epic. Huge word count, but writing is exquisite. Taking a shot! Partial. #tenqueries #querywin