#1 tear-my-hair-out pet peeve is working to craft and personalize a rejection letter only to receive a query for a new project within minutes ... and no acknowledgement of the first letter #querytip

Not often considered #querytip, when you send your sample or ms as a word doc attachment, check that the zoom is 100% or 125%. Sometimes I open an attachment and the words ARE VERY LARGE IN MY FACE or *super *tiny *can't *read *it.

Please read if you are #querying. Everything about this thread is 💯 #querytip

#querytip Be wary of overly describing your manuscript. Don’t spend a lot of time saying it’s this or that or this adjective other thing. Jump right in. SHOW me. What’s it really about? Long, vague, adjective-riddled sentences pull agents out. We want to be as excited as you!

I never realized how many authors try just changing the title and then resubmit the same ms. Now our sub system QueryManager tells us when this happens! Explains my multiple feelings of deja vu from before. Please don’t do this, it wastes all our time. #querytip

Same goes for your writing. Make sure you’re reading before you think before you write. Best way to understand your genre is to read it. #Writetip #Querytip (Found photo on social media… instagram.com/p/BtV6Wemn3PL/…

In your query, give a brief reason why you think we'd be a good fit to represent your work. Even a simple "because you list x genre in your guidelines, you may be interested in my ms." Helpful for you to know the reason as well, as all agents are not the same! #querytip

#querytip There are a lot of wonderful interviews and bios out there but--for me at least--the most up to date information on my wants/likes will always be at janerotrosen.com so make sure you check there before sending!

Louder for the people in the back... #querytip #amquerying #amediting #amwriting

Also? If you have an offer elsewhere, tell everyone who has your query/pages! They could throw their name in the ring or wish you luck. Don’t make me waste time reading 50 pages and requesting the full of something already repped. #querytip #amquerying

To clarify to a certain response 🙄 agents rarely ever ask for exclusives to your ms unless it’s an R&R! If they ask you to query 1 at a time, that’s bull. You are free to query as many agents (at separate agencies) as you want #querytip #amquerying

Reminder! If you accept an offer of representation it is courteous and kind to withdraw your submission from other agents. No one likes having their time wasted.

#querytip

#Writers, when you query me Jan 2 and then withdraw that query on Jan 27 due to "no response" (though QM sends an auto confirmation of query), it tells me you have no patience for the industry and care more about yourself than the team you want to work with. #querytip #amquerying

Gentle reminder. Please only query one agent at our agency at a time. With all of us on the QueryManager submission system it now alerts us when you double up. #querytip

Classifying Your Fiction: Literary vs. Commercial #querytip #amquerying thekatsmews.com/2019/01/25/cla…

Often when authors pitch books they tiptoe around the plot. They’ll lead with themes and why this book is important but don’t actually discuss the protagonist or their journey. Getting me invested in a particular character is almost always my best entry point. #querytip

Love how many queries I'm seeing that start with "I chose you because of how much you love championing LGBTQ+ representation."

All the yes. Let's get more out there! #amagenting #querytip #amquerying

Although aggregated lists on blogs and such can be great for researching literary agents, always check the agency's own website for the most current submission guidelines. Outdated posts can give you inaccurate info, which may lead to your query being missed or deleted. #querytip

I don't mind long adult SFF word counts,up to 160k. I've even requested longer when premise was particularly tight&engaging. May request trimming if I'm offering.

I can, however, tell w/in 1st page whether all those words were used wisely or not.

#amwriting #querytip #askagent

To be clear, it's a vanishingly small minority of queries. It just always strikes me as super weird when it happens, because it's weird to have someone make a Thing of your gender in a BUSINESS EMAIL. #querytip