#querytip Obscenely-long word count is an auto-reject for me

#pubtip I feel like authors worry about the title of their MS, like it can make or break the query.

Of every book I've published, very few kept the original title from beginning to end, and it usually changed multiple times during the editing process. Don't stress it so much.

Just explained my author:
SELL IN. Books that publishers ship to retailers.
SELL THROUGH. Books purchased by consumers thru retailers. Bookscan tracks 80% of these sales.
SPECIAL SALES. Bulk discounts, back-of-the-room sales, corp orders
#pubtip

I’ve spent much of this week talking w/ agent friends about a specific kind of professional violation: the exciting author who makes a verbal commitment, disappears, and then either signs with s/o else or just poof! Is in PubMark one day w/a surprise deal. (Incoming #pubtip rant)

Because we have to be absolutely sure before we offer on a project, a submission that is on the fence may take much longer to respond to. I may read the sample 3 or 4 times over a few months to see if my initial reaction holds, if it grows on me, or if I lose interest. #querytip

Today's queries include comps to Henry James, Dostoevsky, James Joyce, Mark Twain, Faulkner, and Sylvia Plath. #querytip: ...don't do this? Don't compare yourself to the classics?

Not sure about other agents, but I LOVE when a query starts with a catchy first line that basically sums up the whole plot. Think of your "what if" question or the pitch you used during #pitmad. The line the NYT bestsellers list would use for your book. #querytip #amquerying

How to Get a #LiteraryAgent (and how we find clients!) #PubTip #QueryTip youtu.be/U80FmOSOlA8 via @YouTube

If you love my #pubtip threads, Kate’s Substack is amazing FYI

Today I rejected 4 manuscripts that came in labeled as Middle Grade, despite clearly being works for adults. 3 were in genres I don't rep at all. Read the form, folks. #querytip

A great query gets my attention, but a great first few pages is what gets me to start reading the manuscript when I go home that night. #querytip

Sci-Fi and Fantasy writers. Give your query letter to a friend or family member who knows nothing about your book. If they are confused by the query letter, we will be too.
#Querytip #SlushInsight #amquerying

#querytip
How not to query: email with 33 attachments and ask me to email a reply with my submission requirements.

#amquerying #amwriting

Do You Know The Difference Between Literary, Upmarket and Commercial Fiction?

Knowing how to categorize your work is one of the most important skills a writer needs to know–especially while querying. bit.ly/1WLrOpD #pubtip #querytip

#querytip: Industry standard is to give agents 2 weeks notice when you receive an offer of representation. I've been seeing/hearing of a lot of one-week notices lately & that's not enough time for most agents to read, given our other commitments to our clients!

Wowwwww, some of y'all are ridiculous. Don't be rude to people. #subtip #querytip If I pass & you come back with rudeness & condescension, I'm not going to respond to that, I'm going to delete it.

Those of you pitching "romance" remember - There are two basic elements that comprise every romance novel: a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.
#amwritingromance #querytip #SlushInsight

Even if your story is plot driven, let us know who your protagonist is, what it is they desire most and what is at stake if they fail. It’s your character the reader is going to emotionally invest in. #querytip #amquerying

I'm getting a lot of submissions for word counts that are outside standard word counts for the age group / genre they are in. Make sure you are doing your research and you're falling in line with those standards, especially if you're a new author.
#querytip #SlushInsight

I've been seeing a lot of queries that list multiple genres in the subj line or pitch--this is often a red flag for me that the project isn't ready. When pitching your book make sure you're being specific and accurate with your genre! #querytip