Red Flag #5: Mislabeling your book just to get in the door. If the agent doesn't rep your genre, calling your SF a paranormal romance will not help. #querytip

Red Flag #4: Belittling the writing of others. No agent wants a client who feels they should write a book because there are no good books being published these days. Remember, the agent you queried makes a career on those books. #querytip

Red Flag #3: No title. Titles don't always come easy & often they will be changed, that being said, a strong title can sell a book. #querytip

Red Flag #2: No formal letter. An author who simply dumps a blurb in your lap without a formal introduction, bio or effort to write the blurb appears unprepared for a professional writing career #querytip

Red Flag #1: Word count. From the early stages of your manuscript know acceptable word count ranges. #querytip for most adult books 50k is too short & 150k is too long.

I read every query & will request if the book looks intriguing, despite any red flags. That being said, there are red flags every agent watches for & that might result in quick rejections. #querytip

Talking Down About Others & Yourself: Three Surprising Query Letter Mistakes by @ericsmithrocks bit.ly/2MPYka6 via @PubCrawlBlog #querytip #pubtip

☕Coffee Time With Kara☕ Five Query Essentials. I've heard authors say that writing the novel is the easy part. It's the query letter that's the most difficult part of the process. #QueryTip #AmQuerying #AmWriting #EditorTip #PubTip #GetPublished #ACFW ow.ly/fyuF30kzof9

When you receive a rejection, don't insult the person who sent it. Just because *this* piece of work isn't right for them doesn't mean they won't want to work w/ you on the next. By insulting them, all you're doing is guaranteeing that you never get that chance. #querytip #subtip

I've seen the occasional literary agency requiring exclusivity if they request your manuscript. Unless they gave you an R&R and asked for it temporarily, that's dumb. Writers, ignore that. #querytip

Do: Send us sample pages when you query; I love to get a sense of your writing.

Don't: Send said sample pages (or query letter) via GoogleDoc or file we have to download. I am paranoid about spam/phishing and this makes me not want to read. #querytip

Guys, if you send me a query as an attachment, I'll delete it without opening it. ☹️ Please don't send attachments unless agents ask for them. If you're not sure, go to their website for submission guidelines. THANKS! 😁 #amquerying #pubtip #writers

#QueryTip No need to send a query to me as an exclusive. I expect and want you to query other agents. You deserve the best representation for your work, be it me or someone else. Query far and wide to find the right fit for you. #amquerying

Hi folks, please make sure you include your name somewhere in your query letter. Thanks! #querytip

13 Ways to Promote Before Publication bit.ly/2KIcckZ via @WriterUnboxed #pubtip

Is this nonfiction? Are they critical to the story? If they aren't critical to the story and the progression of the story I'm not sure you need to include the information in the query. Would it need to be on cover copy? #querytip #askagent

Good morning Twitter! If you haven't yet seen the new @bookendslit YouTube channel check it out. More great information from @bookendslit agents. #pubtip youtube.com/channel/UCukLk… #askagent

Let's say you had multiple offers for a project, picked an agent, & told the others NO. If over time things go sour with your chosen one and that relationship ends, you can query the other agents again with a future project. It's a business. I don't feel jilted. #querytip

I’ve read no less than 7 submissions today that start with a character waking up.
You are better than this.
#SlushInsight #querytip

And that's the real key to a strong book opening, it doesn't have to be "in the middle of the action" as much as it has to be an active scene. #writingtip #pubtip