I reviewed 35 queries yesterday/today.
Category breakdown by QueryManager:
9 women’s fic
9 commercial fic
8 contemp romance
3 historical fic
2 romantic comedy
1 general romance
1 multicultural fic
1 upmarket fic
1 gothic fic
All passes. Here's why...
#querytip

#QueryTip I always ask prospective clients, "Do you have a critique group?" Beyond beta readers, I think it's helpful to read others' work and reciprocate with feedback, as well as give/get support to weather the highs & lows of publishing. Don't have a group? Get one. #amwriting

Avoid making crystal ball predictions in your query letter.

🚫“This book will be a NYT Bestseller.”
🚫“This book will win X award.”

I want to work with people who have their feet on the ground, and realistic expectations for what is a very competitive industry. #querytip

#querytip if you're a previously agented author looking for new representation for a MS that was already out on submission, there likely isn't much a new agent will be able to do with it. We all submit to the same editors, and there are only so many places to send a project.

a basic #querytip: frame the length of your novel in number of words. number of pages isn't very helpful because there are a lot of factors that change the number of words on a page. is font size 10 or 14? single or double space? is it 8.5x11 or other?

Want some tips and tricks on how to write a synopsis? Check out the @belcastr blog's newest article!
#amwriting #WritingCommunity #amquerying #querytip

belcastroagency.com/synopsis-dos-a…

#querytip reminder when choosing your genre in the query manager drop-down:

if your book has magic, or paranormal creatures, or is dystopian...

it's not contemporary.

it can be in a contemp setting!! but it isn't *genre* contemporary. make sure to choose the correct genre!

Curious what to ask when on THE CALL? Check out @belcastr's newest video! #amquerying #querytip #WritingCommunity
youtube.com/watch?v=X1CFc-…

Another #querytip, specificity is key. Don't make vague statements to whet our appetite. Tell us what actually happens! Explain why things are the way they are. Give us examples that exist in your project. If I have lots of questions about the specifics, I'm likely to reject.

The five questions your query should answer: Who is your character? What do they want? What are the obstacles to them getting what they want? How will they try to overcome those obstacles? What will happen if they fail (a.k.a the stakes)? #querytip

After you sign with an agent, your needs and wants might change. If that happens, DO NOT PANIC. It just means you need to talk to the agent and find out if they're able to adapt to these changes. If so, GREAT. That is the dream. If not, then it's time to move on. #querytip

Writers--when looking for an agent, it's really important to assess *your needs and wants* in addition to what sort of book the agent is looking for. It's hard to know the answer up front, but talking to agented authors is a good place to start. #querytip

#Writingtip: You don’t always have to tell us where a character is looking for us to understand what they are seeing.

Control F: Look - in your MS and destroy as many as you can
#querytip #WritingCommunity #amwriting

Agents and publishers have specific submission guidelines, and you must follow them, always. #querytip #amquerying

The number of submission in my inbox that are already published keeps growing.
If your book is available for sale on Amazon, it's published.
Query the next project. (And I don't mean book 2 in the series.)
#QueryTip #amwriting #amquerying

Yes! This whole thread! ❤️
#amwriting #querytip

quick #querytip: you don't need to withdraw you query for typos

if you're revising your query or pages? sure!

but i pinky promise, a typo or two, or misspelling my name, even addressing to the wrong agent, is NOT going to make me reject your query. deep breaths! ❤️

Important #querytip!

#querytip: When sending a requested full or partial, please name the file something easily identifiable such as TITLE/lastname/full/date, and resist sending it as mycopyFINALv3.
It's too easy to get lost in the shuffle with no title or name on my ereader.
Don't be shuffled.

Querying pro-tip: put your character’s identity in the front next to their name.

Don’t bury the lede: we as agents and editors want to know early if this character is one normally under-represented in books and you are providing that representation.

#querytip #amwriting