#tenqueries 7: MG Magical Realism. Though called magical realism, I think this may just be fantasy, not magical realism, based on what I've read/the pitch. And the pitch covers so many plot points that it gets a little murky. There’s just too much going on. Pass

#tenqueries 6: MG Contemporary. I can’t tell what the pitch is actually getting at...it feels like it's lacking an emotional element. It reads like we’re looking at a picture of the story, rather than diving beneath the surface for the real emotional plot. Pass.

#tenqueries 5: MG Contemporary. A character-driven pitch about bullying, secrets, friendship, and acceptance. Intriguing sample pages with immediate emotional hook. If the writing holds up, I could see this being wonderfully thought-provoking. REQUEST! #tenqueries

#tenqueries 4: MG Magical Realism. The first half of this pitch had potential, but as I kept reading, it almost felt like two separate stories were going to unfold, rather than one cohesive story with multiple subplots. Defining the heart of the story is key in a query. Pass.

#tenqueries 3: MG Contemporary. The pitch was intriguing, but the first few pages of the manuscript felt like we needed to be in the author’s head—it felt like staging details were missing & so it was difficult to orient myself/envision the scene. Pass

#tenqueries 2: MG Fantasy. I would’ve liked to see this query focus more heavily on the pitch. We’re given an idea that isn’t developed enough, so I’m not sure what to expect from the plot or how it stands out from other fantasies. Pass

#tenqueries 1: MG Fantasy. Author uses a YA comp & an adult TV series comp for a middle grade title, neither of which give me a sense of the tone. Comps alone rarely result in a pass for me, but then the query itself did little to clarify the premise. Pass. (See thread for 2-10!)

Time for a MG-specific #tenqueries! Keep in mind that when I pass, it usually isn't one thing but how everything comes together, so there is usually more to it than fits in a single tweet! I'm going to try posting all 10 at once with the thread feature. Stand by...

Query 10: Not addressed to anyone - clearly a massive cut and paste submission to any agent sent everywhere. And non-fiction adult - which I don't represent, per my guidelines. Poorly written query to boot. DELETE

Query 9: I've seen this exact same premise many many times. PASS.

Query 8: This author is obviously new to writing and doesn't understand the children's market re: length, content, voice. PASS.

Query 7: Nice voice, but the premise wasn't interesting enough to pull me in. Personalized rejection.

Query 6: Not addressed to me. A business letter must at least address the person you are writing to. DELETED.

Query 5: This query had WAY to much going on in the plot. I couldn't really understand what was going on. Not being able to write a clear query isn't a good sign. PASS!

Query 4: This one was a bout 50,000 words too long for its genre, and the plot idea didn't interest me enough. PASS!

Query 3: This one felt overly sentimental and too familiar plot-wise. Didn't excite me enough. PASS!

Query 2: Not address to anyone, and high fantasy. My guidelines say NO HIGH FANTASY. PASS!

Query 1: So gory, I can barely make it through the query without feeling ill. My guidelines say NO GORE. PASS!

Q10. YA High Fantasy. First five pages are a glossary of characters, kingdoms, customs, etc. Projects that need this much world-building explanation is not a good fit for my taste. Just a personal preference! Pass.

#tenqueries

Q9. YA Romance. Unique characters in an interesting predicament + a great hook! Realistic teenager voice. First chapter ended on a cliffhanger. Request!

#tenqueries