#5 Don't pitch someone and then say "This is really for OTHER AGENT at your agency who isn't here, so was hoping you could pass it on." Really? Just query them. Agents aren't there to be your middle man. Plus, you took a spot someone else could've used #amagenting #querytip

#4 Don't start with "You don't rep this, but I figured I'd try anyway." We don't like this in the query box; we don't like it in live pitching. We say what we accept for a reason and you assuming you're "better" than others isn't a good look #amagenting #querytip

#3 Don't start your pitch with "I've never done this, so you guide me." NO. If it's your first time, it's okay to be nervous. Read off a page. Talk with eyes closed. Idc, but tell me the story. Do not tell the agent it's their responsibility to teach you #amagenting #querytip

#2 Don't bring physical objects (pages, actual books, gifts, etc.) for an agent. We don't want to carry things around. If we request, send it digitally, otherwise it'll get lost, ruined, or maybe even thrown away. Don't give us MORE to keep track of. #amagenting #querytip

#1 Don't book a meeting w/ an agent to discuss a rejection they sent you. This is SO awkward and SO rude and definitely not how you want to be remembered.

Also, agents see tons of queries. Don't expect them to remember your exact one. #amagenting #querytip

::surges awake while drifting off to sleep:: I don’t know who needs to hear this #pubtip, but the first paragraph you write when drafting a pitch letter usually should come last in your final, and vice versa. First last! Last first! Remember this alwaaaaaaaayyyzzz 😴

SO MUCH THIS. YOU set the timeframe. YOU take your time to make the choice. The fastest is not always the best for you. The first is not always the best for you. #pubtip

Writers: if an agent is pressuring you to sign with them and pull your book from other agents, think long and hard about why they are doing that and whether it’s in your best interest to do so *before* you agree. #querytip

I'm very, very finicky about the fantasy I'm drawn to...but a good general rule is that if it makes perfect sense for anyone in your manuscript to wear a tunic, it's probably not for me. #querytip

Interpreting Query Rejection Letters youtu.be/ikFbx4QVqwg via @YouTube #QueryTip #PubTip

This is an excellent #querytip. I see this all the time in sample pages and rarely does it work. #amagenting

#Pubtip Make sure to fully know and understand your genre as well as the market. I have been rejecting a lot of authors who seem to have just sat down and wrote something not realizing there is no place out there for that book (even in the self-pub realm).

Vagueness is (almost) never going to work in your favor. It’s difficult—trust me, I UNDERSTAND (I’ve written my own queries, and pitches for clients, I know it’s not fun)—but absolutely necessary to really dig into details to increase your odds of success in the query trenches.

Don’t give me a vague “their world is changed” or “conflict arises”. GIVE ME DETAILS. How are their lives changed? What plot stakes are there? Personal stakes? Tension?

DETAILS ARE YOUR FRIEND. Yes, there is a sweet spot—obviously packing TOO many details in will confuse agents—but you need to have SOME to make your query stand out.

3) And arguably most importantly, it makes it almost impossible to see market potential in a vague query. Every book needs a good hook—but SFF in particular NEEDS to have something to make it stand apart from every other SFF book on the market.

2) It ends up being applicable to many, many stories... which is not what you want. You want your query to ONLY apply to your story. Take out the names—is your query tailored and specific enough that if someone read it they would ONLY think of your book?

1) When the query is very vague, it’s EXTREMELY difficult to get excited about it. There’s nothing to grab onto that’s different and intriguing.

#querytip don't feel like you need to update agents any time someone requests a full or shows interest in your manuscript! You only need to notify agents if there's a change in the STATUS of your query (i.e. offer is made, withdrawing, etc.)

#amwriting #amquerying #querytip #writetip #WritingCommunity #NaNoWriMo2019 - You can subscribe to our YouTube channel for loads of great tips and content!