Literary Agent
#QueryTip: Consider creating a log line, using the main elements of your story:
The protagonist
The inciting incident
The objective/goal of the story
Stakes
Here's a formula to get you started, plus reasons why a log line will serve you long into the future...🧵
Literary Agent
Reminder: These formulas are only starting points. Revise in your own words to showcase both your story and your writing. Use what works and change the rest to best champion your project. Best of luck, #amquerying!
4/4
Literary Agent
#Querytip Market Positioning Statement Formula
This [adjective], [category] is a [positive adjective] [genre] with the [element] of [COMP] and [element] of [COMP], in a [style] perfect for fans of [COMP].
3/4
Literary Agent
#QueryTip Theme Positioning Statement Formula
[Adjective] and full of [noun], [TITLE] shows us [main emotional truth]. The story explores themes of [theme], [theme], and [theme].
2/4
Literary Agent
#QueryTip When you write a pitch, give more than story + hook. Craft 1-2 sentences to position your project in the market, plus share the themes explored in your story-–family, friendship, self-discovery--and why your readers will care.
Here are formulas to get you started...🧵
Editor
#querytip #amwriting Submitting your manuscript under a genre label it clearly does not fit will NOT increase your odds of it getting picked up.
Literary Agent
Hey all!
I've been notified some people are getting an error message when trying to see my Query Manager. I'm currently closed, but be sure to use the link in my bio when I reopen!
#amquerying #querytip
Literary Agent
Another #QueryTip about me:
I am not the right agent to champion a second-person narrative. I struggle with the craft choice. As a reader, I prefer not to be told how I think or feel.
But remember, taste is subjective. Another agent might feel differently. Best of luck!
Literary Agent
Up early, reading queries and fulls on a Sunday morning, and seeing lots of italicized beginnings.
#QueryTip Consider letting italics go. If the draft and story are strong enough, the text will not need emphasis. Your words will pop on the page nonetheless.
Literary Agent
#querytip My agent pet peeve is authors sending me the same query over & over again even though I’ve already rejected it every time. And no, 0 revisions have been done. So if you’re sending out mass queries, keep track where you’re sending it so it’s not blowing up agents’ slush.
Literary Agent
#AmQuerying authors, a quick #QueryTip: Make sure you've researched the target wd ct for your genre. Too far outside the target is an automatic pass for me. Today I've read queries w/YA at 150K wds & Romance at 25-30K wds. Double check before querying bc I'm sure I'm not alone.
Literary Agent
Announcement time!
I am hoping to re-open to queries in Nov! Trying to really go through all client ms and subs by then, so keep an eye on this space =]
#amagenting #querytip #amquerying
Literary Agent
Hi friends, My #querytip for today: I suggest not posting "another day, another agent rejection" type posts. Why give the impression you're not a hot commodity? Finding an agent can be a lot like dating😉
Literary Agent
Quick #querytip for fantasy authors especially-- I know it's Fun to Capitalize things, but not only is it distracting, it's not how humans process information! Think about the last three years-- we went from talking about the Novel Coronavirus to COVID-19 to "lol, caught the vid"
Literary Agent
emmy, purveyor of spines @emmy_of_spines
1/ People come to me all the time asking if they can query me with MS's that are more than 100K words, even though my query guidelines say that I don't accept them. It happens by Email, it happens here on Twitter, it happens in pitch events.Evergreen tweet, ESPECIALLY for hopeful debut authors. #QueryTip #WritingCommunity
Literary Agent
When we say ‘include a synopsis & the 1st 3 chapters’ we mean it…#querytip
Literary Agent
#querytip A pass is not the end of the road. If you frame every rejection negatively that is disheartening & makes it harder to continue. So many of my passes have more to do w me than the actual quality of the work. I talk about publishing being subjective. I'm not joking. 7/
Literary Agent
#querytip Silence just means that my attention is on other things. At least for me. I do respond to every query and submission, but it will occasionally take longer than I want. It's not because I am purposely ignoring you, it's that other things have demanded my focus. 6/
Literary Agent
#querytip Patience, generosity, kindness matters. Will there be people who abuse it & don't deserve it? Yes. But I try to always apply those 3 ideas in dealings w others & I find that there is reciprocity. We are humans caught up in being human, being kind makes it less hard. 5/
Literary Agent
#querytip Don't lie. Don't make up offers you don't have, don't pretend your book is polished and finished if you just typed "The End," don't pretend you've written one thing when you've written something else. You will always get caught. Just...don't lie. 4/