Querying writers, don't forget--I'm closing to queries in just over 2 weeks, on August 1, 2018! #querytip #subtip

Amidst all the terrible political news, I've been finding a lot of joy in queries. The dedication it took to tell a story, to write a query letter and send it out moves me. Ditto the imagination it took to come up with a set of characters and their story. #querytip #amquerying

My point is: if you’ve received this/other feedback &it stung, I don’t mean to be cruel, but get used to it. Take it as armor&strap it on. There’s more coming even once you “make it.” Have to learn to constantly improve, besting your own best to dodge the feedback of “familiar.”

This may make you think: THIS INDUSTRY IS SO HARD. And yep. Yep it is. Even once you nail this and land representation, authors get this feedback from publishers. And then from reviewers. And then from readers of their next book, always held in their own shadow for comparison.

Not one of these elements, alone, is enough to push a book to greatness. It really needs a balance of all these things: originality in world, voice, plot structure, trope twist, motivation, backstory, stakes, relationships, emotional arc, etc etc etc. The list goes on.

But no matter how original and intricate your twist on something is, nor how unique your worldbuilding, if the voice doesn’t stand out as a unique character with a unique perspective on the world, it still falls into that “too familiar” feel.

Take that established system you love and think: how can you make this the book where readers say “What the EFF! I never would have thought of it like THIS!” How can you make this the book where readers say “I loved X but THIS book does things so differently!”

Fact is: readers always want something NEW. So even if you feel you’ve accomplished something familiar in a unique way, HOW familiar it is to an established readership is a very fine line to walk. Too familiar = boring. Not familiar enough = unclear readership.

Perhaps the motivation was just the same setup I see over and over: character feels life is mundane and just wants something NEW to happen. Perhaps the backstory of the character or world felt generic. Perhaps the character feels directionless.

Perhaps the worldbuilding was so similar to other stories that it just seemed like different characters in the same place. Common examples: a generic regency structure, a swords&sorcery structure w/no original twist, an assassin story that follows redundant assassin tropes.

Perhaps the emotional arc was predictable, or perhaps the stakes felt predictable. Example: Princess must decide whether to save her people or forfeit her crown. Warrior must decide between his loyalty and his one true love. These tropes are familiar.

This can be due to a number of things: perhaps the voice felt like every other story in my query box. Perhaps it felt like a copy of multiple published authors. Perhaps the structure adhered so closely to a formula that I wasn’t surprised by anything.

When I turn down a project for feeling “too familiar,” what I mean is that something about it felt unoriginal or not groundbreaking enough for me to confidently tell editors YOU NEED THIS BOOK IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND.

Highs and lows, guys. #querytip

I feel like practically every agent has said this but apparently it needs repeating: please don't query us via Facebook! I literally have a different name on FB, it's for personal use only, your query will be immediately deleted and ignored forever #querytip

To stay up-to-date on everything going on over at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in New York, you can follow us on Twitter @JDLitAgency and like our Facebook page here: facebook.com/Jennifer-De-Ch… #amquerying #amwriting #pubtip #literaryagent #writingtips

There's nothing wrong with wanting to improve your work...but once a query is out, it's out. If you want to send the improved version to an agent, wait until s/he passes, let some time go by, then ask to re-submit the improved pages. #querytip

You say: "I have made significant revisions since I queried you. Please swap out my original query with this one."

I read: "I didn't send you my best work. I queried when I shouldn't have. Now sift through your emails, delete my crappy old MS, and read this one."
#querytip

#WritingTip The first page is your big chance to hook your reader:

Start with a great first line,
raise a compelling question (or 2-3);
introduce the protagonist (make the reader care); and
launch into a scene with conflict.

#amrevising #querytip

Please remember: your project may seem to closely fit a #MSWL, but a wishlist is still subjective & can be interpreted in many ways. The execution of the project is ultimately what triggers an offer of representation!
#querytip #amwriting #amediting #amquerying