Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
182 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

#QueryTip Why Write a Log Line?

It’s important to be able to pitch your story in a single sentence

Hint: If you can’t, then the project might be overly complicated, abstract, or not fully formed. (aka your draft is too early for prime time)

4/9

Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
182 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

#QueryTip: Log Line Formula

When [the inciting incident happens], [the protagonist] must [achieve the objective], or risk [the stakes], before [ticking clock].

2/9

Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
182 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

#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...🧵

Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
182 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

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

Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
182 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

#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

Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
182 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

#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

Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
182 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

#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...🧵

Theresa Cole
@TheresaMCole
Editor
Acquiring Editor for 🦉 @CityOwlPress and #MysticOwlBooks . 🦉 INFJ Addicted to 🌞sunshine, ☕️coffee, 🏍motorcycle riding, and ⛺camping.
28 MSWL
2 Tips

#querytip #amwriting Submitting your manuscript under a genre label it clearly does not fit will NOT increase your odds of it getting picked up.

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

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

Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
182 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

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!

Jennifer March Soloway
@marchsoloway
Literary Agent
Jennifer#4 @AndreaBrownLit | she/her | @MillsMFALit alum | PB+MG+YA+Adult | In love with all things story | ✨Revision is magical!✨
182 MSWL
45 AskAgent
105 Tips

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.

Nicole Payne
@tnicolepayne
Literary Agent
Made of one part Scientist, one part zombie, & two parts chocolate. She/Her. Literary Agent @GoldenWheatLit . Query me @ querymanager.com/npayne
42 MSWL
13 Tips

#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.

Catherine Hedrick Armstrong
@C_H_Armstrong
Literary Agent
Lit agent at @TPurcellAgency (thepurcellagency.com). Leader of #TeamCathie . Header courtesy of @kwrites4 .
46 MSWL
17 AskAgent
3 Tips

#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.

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

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

Amy Stapp
@AmyStappNY
Literary Agent
Obsessed with books, travel, and all things French; aspiring turophile and lover of champagne. Agent with @WolfsonLiterary IG: amystappny
28 MSWL
10 Tips

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😉

Lauren Bajek
@laurenbajek
Literary Agent
Associate Agent at @LizaDawsonAssoc & assistant to @hannahnpbowman . Genrequeer, writer, parent. Pronounced BYE-ik. she/her.
23 MSWL
1 Tips

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"

Helen Heller
@helenheller
Literary Agent
Terrifyingly blunt expat Geordie literary agent who loves good writing, great stories & fashion.
36 Tips

When we say ‘include a synopsis & the 1st 3 chapters’ we mean it…#querytip

Eva Scalzo
@evascalzo
Literary Agent
a boricua🇵🇷 who has never met a tangent she wouldn’t follow | lit agent @ Speilburg Literary | AALA & SCBWI | she/her/ella/ms. | links in bio
89 MSWL
444 Queries
39 Tips

#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/

Eva Scalzo
@evascalzo
Literary Agent
a boricua🇵🇷 who has never met a tangent she wouldn’t follow | lit agent @ Speilburg Literary | AALA & SCBWI | she/her/ella/ms. | links in bio
89 MSWL
444 Queries
39 Tips

#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/