Navigating the Slush Pile: query tips

Showing posts with label query tips. Show all posts

Friday, June 28, 2013

Fortune Cookie Friday - Questions and Mistakes

Do not be afraid to ask dumb questions; they are easier to handle than dumb mistakes.

...except an agent's query inbox. Those are for the mistakes, not the questions.

Happy writing!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Fortune Cookie Friday: Yoda on Patience

Fridays always feel like Chinese food sort of days, and what's takeout without a fortune cookie? Thus, Fridays will bring you tips, tricks, advice, and some riddles that might apply to everything but will turn a light bulb on in your head (or maybe I just like talking like Yoda).

It's better to keep your mouth shut and give the impression that you're stupid than to open it and remove all doubt. - Rami Belson

Or, know what you are talking about before speaking or acting. It joins my refrain of "Google it! Google it! Google it!" The answers are out there, you have to know where to look. In this business, any questions pertaining to writing or querying or reading, can be answered online. Google it!

Happy writing!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

The Agent Answers: Paranormal vs Fantasy

My WIP is technically paranormal but instead of creatures it has reincarnating soldiers from the crusades. To keep agents from rolling their eyes when they read my query, should I label it paranormal or fantasy?

For me**, it depends. YA or Adult? I'm much more receptive to Adult Paranormal--if there are naked vampires (werewolves, harpies, Frankensteins, reincarnated badasses in history--I have one of those!--as long as they're naked). In YA I'm a little burnt out on the paranormal, not that someone somewhere won't buy it if it's good.

Honestly, label it what it is. Don't try to cheat, we will call you out on it (I do it by glaring at the wall then rejecting the query). To me, it sounds paranormal. Call it paranormal. This is where comparables help, they tell us so much more than a simple label.

Happy writing!

*There are exceptions to every rule.
**Everything is subjective.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The Agent Answers: Dreaded Middle Pile

You have questions? Do you constantly miss #askagent sessions on Twitter? Is it impossible, despite a hundred Google searches, to find an answer to your question? Then you've come to the right place. Ask a question either on any "Agent Answers" post or on Twitter, and I'll answer as many as I can. My answers will be subjective and should not be considered applicable to every agent (though I do like to assume my opinions are the majority).

Question: Do you and/or most agents have a 'maybe' file that you sort queries into? For the manuscripts that you don't immediately want to request or reject?

Answer: Who remembers my post about the middle pile? You've got the great stuff, that goes in a teeny weenie pile that agents fight over with giant rubber pencils. And you've got the horrible stuff, that goes in a sizable that shouldn't see the light of day.

Then you have the stuff that is well written, okay concept, characters that are fleshed out, and above all, readable. What do we do with this stuff?

When talking about queries, I do this a lot. I think, "Self, this has some merit. But..." That's why a lot of agents ask that you include the first five or ten pages with your query. And if those still make us go, "Self, this has some merit. But..." We'll probably ask for some more. If we're busy or jaded, it's a no.

Do I have a file that these go into? Not really. Sometimes if I read part, most, or all of an ms and I'm not sure if I love or even like it, I set it aside. I'll go back to this folder where requested mss go, and I'll see it and think, "Self, what is this?" If I can't immediately remember, that's a bad sign. And a rejection. If think, "Self, why did you stop reading this, I remember this concept!" then there is something there, maybe the writing was holding me back. That most likely will get it a second look and possibly a Revision Request.

Happy writing!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

The Agent Answers: Word Count

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

The Agent Answers: Paranormal

You have questions? Do you constantly miss #askagent sessions on Twitter? Is it impossible, despite a hundred Google searches, to find an answer to your question? Then you've come to the right place. Ask a question either on any "Agent Answers" post or on Twitter, and I'll answer as many as I can. My answers will be subjective and should not be considered applicable to every agent (though I do like to assume my opinions are the majority).

Question: We always hear that paranormal romance in YA is dead, no one is buying it. Do you think it'd be wiser for paranormal authors to hold back querying a paranormal project?

Answer: No way! Go ahead and query. Sure, I'll probably reject it. But there's a chance an agent will fall in love with it and ask to see something else, or keep you in the back of their mind for when editors are suddenly hungry for paranormal again (back off, a girl can dream, right?). Besides, some editors are still buying paranormal and some agents are still having luck with it. As I like to tell writers, "Good writing will "always" sell." (You may ask why I put bunny ears around the always. Good question. It means, nothing in this business is absolute. Good writing can get passed over on occasion.)

That said, if you don't feel your project can stand on its own, either because of the writing or content, you have bigger problems than the market. Like, are you actually ready to be querying?

Happy writing!

Friday, November 16, 2012

Fortune Cookie Friday: Confucius Say

Fridays always feel like Chinese food sort of days, and what's takeout without a fortune cookie? Thus, Fridays will bring you tips, tricks, advice, and some riddles that might apply to everything but will turn a light bulb on in your head (or maybe I just like talking like Yoda).

Confucius Say
Some Sex Is Good...More Is Better...Too Much Is Just About Right

Yeah, okay Confucius, maybe if you're a fifteen year old boy or writing erotica.

Just because your sex scene is oh so delicious, doesn't mean it belongs where your put it. Or at all. Mind your genre and your audience. Always ask yourself, what is the purpose of this scene? If the answer is, "to make a shit-load of money like Fifty Shades," either you're on the right path, or waaay turned around.

Happy writing!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Fortune Cookie Friday: Straight Jackets

Friday, November 2, 2012

Fortune Cookie Friday: Yoda

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

March Madness: Queries are final... hands off!

I'm not trying to call anyone out with this post. And if you find you've done the no-nos in this post, no need to follow up with another email or comment of apology. Your intentions were good, and I do appreciate it. This is more of a "keep in mind for the future" sort of post.

I'll set up the scenario.

I write a blog post about particulars of the query process. You're reading and reach a particular faux pas and scream "Noooooo!" at the screen like a bad horror movie. Because you queried me two weeks ago. And committed the faux pas. You rush to your email, dig up our email thread, or start a new one with the subject "correction to query submitted Month/Day", and hurriedly (but not so hurriedly you don't forget to be diplomatic or check for grammar and spelling errors) write me a note apologizing for not knowing I prefer my queries a certain way and to please overlook the error or accept the new query. I see the email in my inbox, smile to myself, give you an e-cookie (warm, gooey, chocolate chippy, zero calories--it's an e-cookie, go with it), think "oh, you adorable dear," and delete it (not your query, I'll still answer that, non-biasedly). [query no-nos can be found in my January Query posts such as this one on What Not to Include]

Look familiar?

This entire process is unnecessary. And you're cluttering my inbox. And wasting your own precious time.

Most things that you're wanting to correct are tiny things, things that will not sway my vote from yes to no. The exception may be if you realize you get my name wrong and catch it just after sending the email. Go to that email thread, send me another with a quick apology. I completely understand that mistakes are made. And it is nice to know you were actually (mostly) paying attention.

When you send a query... hands off! No resubmitting, no do-overs, no minor or major corrections, no additions to your bio.

Move on to a new project. Do not rework your query or ms (unless you're submitting to new agents or contests) until you've received all the feedback from your first/second/third round of querying. And since you've been concentrating on something else, you can go back to it with fresh eyes and incorporate the changes.

The only reasons you should be bugging an agent after submitting a query are 1) following up after the agent's preferred time frame to be sure they've received the query; 2) following up after the agent has had your ms for a preferred time frame; 3) to inform an agent of another offer of representation; 4) to withdraw the query/ms from consideration for a myriad of reasons including shelving the project (not suggested--get as much feedback as you can--it'll help you, if not for this project, then for the next) or accepting another offer.

And now that I've gotten half of you fretting over the tiny imperfections of your query, and the other half fretting that I hate you because you did this, I'll leave you with a reminder--

I'm not trying to call anyone out with this post. And if you find you've done the no-nos in this post, no need to follow up with another email or comment of apology. Your intentions were good, and I do appreciate it. This is more of a "keep in mind for the future" sort of post;

--and--

Happy writing!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

March Madness: It's not me, it's you

As heard in conversation between Query and MS:

MS: It's not you, it's me.
Q: I thought we were doing so well together, I complement your themes perfectly!
MS: You do, it's just that I'm missing something in my plot.
Q: I'm flexible. I'll change. Anything you need, I'll reflect your brilliance.
MS: I need to find myself. I need to fill the holes, complete my characters before I'm worthy of you.
Q: What will I do without you? I can't function without you! I have no purpose but to tell everyone about you!
MS: I'll be back, and when I am, you and I will be better for it. I promise, I'm doing this for you.

Some queries get rejected, not because they're poorly written--on the contrary, they can be the best representation of your ms possible--but because something is lacking in your characters or plot. For all I know, your query may not be representing your ms to the best of its abilities and the ms itself is golden, perfect. But I--and many agents--tend to take the pessimistic view and assume your ms is probably lacking the same elements as your query.

Often at conferences, I'll ask a writer to describe the main character. They will then proceed to tell me what happens to them in the plot. No, no, no. I asked about the character. Who is your character? Why should we care? What makes them tick? What will draw readers to them?

For example, try describing your best friend. Would you start by telling me about how, in the ninth grade, she went on this epic journey across the state to meet her biological father? That's a really cool story, one I'd like to hear from her if I ever meet her. Or would you tell me, a perfect stranger, about her bubbly personality and perseverance even when things seem bleak? Does she dress as a goth but always accessorizes with pink because of a girly streak she's proud of? Does she have this super quirky habit of writing people's names on her arm in sharpie when she meets them so she can remember their name better because she has a poor short term memory and she's determined to improve?

Now that's a character worth reading. And writing.

And when I read a query that begins, "Jessica was a normal teenage girl until the new kid at school starts paying attention to her and before she knows it, she's sucked into a werewolf clan," my eyes glaze over and my right pinkie toe starts to twitch.

Honestly, I don't want to read about a normal teenage girl. I want to read about an extraordinary character who experiences extraordinary things. In fiction, normal does not exist. Every character needs quirks, issues, a past to overcome. Think Sarah Dessen, Jennifer Echols. No vampires. No werewolves. Contemporary. And, arguably, "normal" characters. And, arguably, rather "normal" lives and events. But something about the "normal" girl and the "normal" events is off--something sets off a chain reaction, rippling not only to the plot, but to her personality and emotions. Suddenly, the tiny little things we knew about her--a fissure in a parental relationship, an OCD tendency, a drug habit--is magnified tenfold as she clings to anything she can while the plot ravages her life.

(I'm not knocking paranormal--you all know me, I love me some vampires. But I feel like talking about contemporary today. All of this can, and should, be applied to all genres.)

Let's have some fun.

"Jessica, a normal teenage girl" suddenly becomes "Jessica, a girl who obsessively buries herself in her garage band and mastering guitar riffs rather than deal with the reality of her mother's death and her father's drinking."

And the new kid at school? Let's give him a makeover too. Turn him into the boy next door, Chris. Chris and Jessica used to play in the sandbox together, but Chris's perfect family unit made Jessica uneasy as she watched her mother go through round after round of chemo, until she finally drew away from him--and his tone-deafness--completely. Are you tempted to make Chris an A-plus student who will tutor Jessica so her grades will improve so the school and child services don't start asking questions about her home life? Now, where would the fun in that be? As an agent, and a reader, I'm looking for intriguing and unique characters all around. And plot. Yes, plot. So make Chris a football star. No football, you say? Now you're thinking. Okay, hockey (cuz I know as little about hockey as I do football). Chris's own grades are slipping. They may be next door neighbors, but they don't pay attention to each other (and no, Chris has not been holding a candle for Jessica since sixth grade when she started to pull away from him; he's moved on) until they're stuck in study hall together.

"The new boy at school" becomes "an old friend" and the "werewolf clan" becomes "Chris's big Italian family who starts to pay way too much attention to Jessica's problems, and empty refrigerator." The implied "needing to stay away from the werewolves to save her own life" becomes "needing to keep the whole family at a distance to keep them from discovering her father's dark secret, a penchant for too much booze and losing his temper on the only other person in the house--her. But Jessica is beginning to realize that just because her family is falling apart, doesn't mean she can't have one, and losing herself in music has cost her something more important--warmth and friendship. But Chris isn't at all eager to welcome Jessica into his big noisy family or rekindle their old friendship--he wants out of it all." Because he's a werewolf and no one knows it. Just kidding.

Holy crap, see how much more fun that would be to write? And pitch? And read?

So, at a conference, when I ask WHO your character is, be prepared with quirks, maybe a tiny (like, five words) backstory, and her true personality.

Another example? Let's!

<Disclaimer: I honestly hate picking on Twilight, I do. But nearly everyone has read it so it makes for a good bad example. And I am nit-picking, deliberately overlooking the good so I can make a point. I'm not beginning an argument here over the qualities of Twilight, because there is actually a lot of good that can be said. But for today, go with it. And I am getting a little tired (ok, not really) of always talking about Anna and the French Kiss or Lola and the Boy Next Door. They're just too awesome for their own good. But, since they are so awesome, they'll go in the "good good example" category.>

Describe Bella Swan.

...I'm waiting.

She's a decent looking girl who is forced to move in with her father in the rainy Northwest. She's pale, despite having moved from Florida. She's never had a boyfriend. She's independent (wants to get her own job, pay for her own things). Book smart.

Ya. That's all I've got. She's normal. I want "normal."

Describe Twilight's plot.

The mysterious boy at school who has never paid attention to another girl, suddenly starts paying the new girl attention, even though it will endanger her because he's a vampire and can easily kill her, and his enemies will use her to their advantage for their sick games; but he involves her anyways because really he's just a horny teenage boy.

By the way, I'm 98.2% sure I would have rejected that query.

Describe Lola.

She's a budding costume designer and never wears the same outfit twice. Her passion for creativity outweighs any teasing she might get at school. She is so dedicated to the idea of being creative, worldly, and mature that she forgets sometimes that she is still just a teenager--which makes dating an older man hard for others to understand but makes perfect sense to her.

I want her hair

Not only do I want to read about her--I want to be her.

Describe Lola's plot.

When Lola's next door neighbors move back in after two years away, her confidence is severely tested. Her childhood friend, and one time love interest, Cricket is suddenly back in the picture, as wonderful, nice, nerdy, and caring as she remembered. Her parents see this as an opportunity to show Lola how much better it would be to date someone like Cricket, rather than her older musician boyfriend--but her boyfriend doesn't appreciate, or understand, Lola's sudden insecurities, a reminder that she is, in fact, much younger than him. Lola must discover who she truly is under the extravagant makeup, wigs, and costumes.

I'm 99.993% sure I'd have requested that query. And I haven't even mentioned the biological mother or quirky best friends or Lola's monstrous costume project.

So if your query, decently written, isn't getting the hits it should be, you may not have to (only) rework your query. It may be your ms. Same advice applies if you're getting comments on your ms along the lines of "I didn't connect with your characters; the plot didn't pick up fast enough; I liked your characters, but the plot wasn't solid or new."

Happy writing!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

February Requests: Format

Agents will request partial or full manuscripts in one of two ways: paste it in the email, or attach it. And it's usually pretty clear how they want it. They'll say paste or attach.

Pasting materials:

Hit "reply"
Add your note: (agent's name), Thanks for requesting (so many pages) of (title). You'll find the requested material pasted below. I look forward to hearing from you. (closing signature)
Press "enter" a few times
Go to your manuscript and copy the desired number of pages (you can go over a few to get to the end of a sentence or scene)
Go to your email and paste the desired pages
Send

Attaching materials:

Save the desired number of pages in a .doc document (try not to use .docx as some ereaders have difficulty reading it)
Don't use fancy graphics as it detracts attention from your manuscript and can show up funky on some monitors and ereaders
Refer to my blog post Formatting for Ereaders if you want your manuscript to look pretty whether on a computer or ereader
The file name you save your document under should be the title of your manuscript. Be sure your name and email is on the title page of your manuscript (so I know who it belongs to)
In the email thread hit "reply"
Add your note, (agent's name, Thank you for requesting (number of pages) of (title). The requested material is attached. I look forward to hearing from you. (closing signature)
Attach requested material
Send

It may seem pretty self explanatory, but you'd be amazed at how many people don't do this. It's simple. I need nothing else. No explanations of how you came up with the idea, how I shouldn't just the first 50 pages because it picks up after that, how much you worship the ground I walk on, etc.

Remember. Simple is good. It's your ms that needs to speak volumes. Not you.

Happy writing!

Friday, February 17, 2012

February Requests: The Return Email

I love organized chaos as much as the next person... But this is one of my biggest pet peeves. And it comes down to being an organizational issue.

Let's set it up.

You query me.
I hit "reply" and request pages.
You hit "reply" and attached requested pages.
I hit "reply" and ask for more pages, materials, etc.
You hit "reply" and send requested materials.
I hit "reply" and offer representation.
You hit "reply" and etc, etc, etc

Get the picture?

This makes it super easy on me because now I have all of our correspondence in one location, one email thread. I can easily toggle back through our conversation to refer to certain information.

Or you can do it this way.

You query me.
I hit "reply" and request pages.
You begin a new email thread with "Requested Partial" and title in the subject heading, with the original correspondence quoted in the email so I can easily refer to it, with attached or pasted pages.
I hit "reply" and ask for more pages, materials, etc.
You hit "reply" and send requested materials.
I hit "reply" and offer representation.
You hit "reply" and etc, etc, etc

In a case in which you need to inform me of an offer of representation:

You send me a query.
I "reply" and ask for a partial manuscript.
You "reply" and send pages.
I read the pages but meanwhile...
You "reply" (to the same thread of emails) and inform me that you have an offer
I "reply" and ask for the full manuscript.
You "reply" with the full.
I "reply" within the allotted time with my answer.

Or you can do it this way:

You send me a query.
I "reply" and ask for a partial manuscript.
You "reply" and send pages.
I read the pages but meanwhile...
You begin a new email thread with "Offer of Representation" in the subject, with all original correspondence between us in the email and a short note informing me of the offer.
I "reply" and ask for the full manuscript.
You "reply" with the full.
I "reply" within the allotted time with my answer.

Whew. That was hard. Not.

You should see my inbox. It's a mad house in there. If I see a new message in an email thread I've already responded to, I will pay attention to it. And it makes it really nice if I need to go back through my inbox for our correspondence and I don't need to toggle through multiple email threads for the info I need. And, hopefully, this will make it nice and easy on you too, in your own crazy writer inbox.

Now, I'm not going to write you off entirely if you deviate from my lovely setup here. But please, make it easy on everyone.

Happy writing!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

January Query Time: FAQs

Thanks to everyone who submitted their questions. Below you'll find a lovely list of Query Frequently Asked Questions. (and yes, these are very, very frequently asked, so I'm glad to finally have a post dedicated to them)

If I have no fiction credentials, what do I put in the author bio in the query? Can I leave it off?

Yes! Just leave it off. The agent doesn't need to hear about how you've been writing since you were six or how you were inspired by your dog. Leaving it blank won't reflect badly on you at all. It will make your query simple and to the point (which I do love).

For the "summary" part of the query, what sort of word count do you like to see?

Great question! Let's see... I'd say 150-300 words would be good for the summary. That's not counting the intro, thanks, and bio. Back cover blurbs (like the "synopsis" I post each week for Wednesday Reads) tend to run about 100-200. You can get good practice by trying to write a 100, 200, and 300 word blurb and see which works best.

I have a series planned, but the first novel is a standalone. Do I mention that?

It could matter less to me if you have a series or a single book--the writing has to prove it first and the idea of the first book needs to intrigue me enough to read it. But ya, you can mention it. (title) is the first planned book of the series (series title) but is a stand alone. Don't spend any more time than that on it.

How do I query a novel that is part of a series (not a stand alone, cliff hanger, etc)?

Again, mention that it's part of a series. You don't have to inform us that there is a cliff hanger. My reasoning is, either we're interested in the idea for this one book (and will therefore want to see more) or we won't be. Then when we get to the manuscript, either we'll read all the way to the end and love your writing, or we won't. We'll cross the "change the ending or leave it" bridge when we get to it.

Should I mention if I'm currently under contract for publication?

Yes. Even if it's a small press, it will show the agent two things. One: someone wants you. Two: you have the dedication to do whatever it takes. Be sure to say who the publisher is, when you'll be published, and the genre.

Should I mention if I was previously agented (but parted amicably)?

Yes. More likely than not, it'll move your query out of the slush pile and earn you a quicker response. Someone has already vetted that you're worth the deeper look, so we pay attention. Ask your prior agent if you can name drop him/her. If it's a big name we all recognize, you'll get a fast response.

Do I mention if I have self published (a book I'm not currently querying)?

Sure! Again, it shows your dedication. If your sale numbers were high, you especially want to mention that.

What do I need to include if I'm seeking representation for a self published book?

Firstly, think hard about your goals before you self pub. Are you looking to be the next Amanda Hocking? That takes a lot of dedication and marketing and writing several books in a short period of time. If your sale numbers are very low and/or your book is more than 6 months old, that reflects badly on your dedication. You need to include the synopsis, sale numbers, pub date, avenue of publication, and links so we can check it out if we so desire (Amazon, Barnes&Noble, etc). If you have any quotes or recommendations from notable authors, include that.

What's your average number of queries rejected? Week? Month? Year?

I get approx 10 queries a day (depending on time of year, blog exposure, conferences, etc). I might request materials from 1 of those queries. Say 70 queries a week might get 5 requests (that's a 93% rejection rate). Let's go with that 93%, so out of the 3,640 queries I get a year, that's 3,385 queries rejected, only 255 requested. And I'd say, approximately, I might read more than 50 pages on 30 of those (I think I'm being very generous on that number). Last year, I offered on 8 manuscripts--7 of which came from queries. So, approximately, you have a 0.19% chance of being signed from the slush pile.
HOWEVER. If your query is captivating, you've done your homework, your writing is solid, your characters unbelievable (in a believable sort of way), and your plot rockin, you have a superb chance at getting noticed and signed. Which is to say, it's not about luck at all--it's about passion, dedication, and skill.

How important is it that I draw comparison between my work and that of others? (readers of X would enjoy this; my ms is Y meets Z)

Besides showing your ability to follow directions, it also shows you know your market and have done your homework (dedication and easy to work with). Agents can usually spot the market intended through your genre and query, but in case it's not clear we need that extra information. However, if the comparison is unclear (I can't picture what Happy Feet meets Gangs of New York would entail--thanks Rick for the awesomeness) or is obvious that you don't know what you're talking about (if you use thrillers to describe your ChickLit), it can hurt you. I have seen queries which I loved, but the comparison line drove it home with such ingenuity and (what I like to call) the YES! factor, leading me to read the ms as soon as I received it. In most cases, the comparison is bland and obvious (I definitely know a Sarah Dessen look-a-like when I see one), but it will neither help nor hinder your query. If I'm interested, I'm interested.

What sort of comparisons work best?

There are lots of different sorts. There's the MovieA meets MovieB. BookA meets BookB. If done well, you can do MovieA meets BookB. The always fun If AuthorA had a baby with AuthorB. You see the list goes on and on. Honestly, no one format works best. It has to be true to you and your ms. Try out several on friends, critique partners, strangers, Tweeps, fellow conference attendees, to see what works best.

How do I write a synopsis for my 130k book? I'm trying to condense it but there is too much to talk about.

Firstly, the word count is too high. For any genre. Unless you're a tried and true author and you've had your name on the New York Times Bestseller list. Most likely the reason you have too much to talk about, is because there is too much to talk about. If the plot is solid, and no extraneous characters or info, the synopsis should follow smoothly. As for how to write a synopsis, all I can suggest is try, try, try again. Write a one page synopsis, and a longer synopsis because agents request different lengths. There is a lot of info out there on how to write a synopsis (Google it).

I queried a manuscript to some agents a few months ago, but have completely rewritten the manuscript, leaving only a few things the same (title, characters name, etc). Can I query those same agents with this "new" manuscript now? How do I inform them I'm querying a fully revised manuscript?

I'm assuming they only have the query, not the partial. If so, then no, don't tell them. If you've included sample pages with your query, when they request to see more pages you can include a note to let them know you've revised so the first pages won't look the same. A revised ms will not sway them to read it based on the query; either they're interested in the idea or not. If they have the ms already, and you want them to read the revised, you can try, you have nothing to lose. But I'd recommend against it. When you query agents, leave your ms alone. Don't touch it. Work on something else. Only when they've all responded do you revise. It makes the process less complicated, gets you working on something else to get ready to send out, and gives you distance from the ms for a better revision.

You suggested in an earlier post to include your website in your query. Does a blog count or should I invest in a big fancy author website?

Below your name, in your signature, you can include your blog link, Twitter link, and anything else that is pertinent and relevant. You do not need to make a fancy author site. You do not need to include these things in the body of the query (bio section). It takes up space and attention. It's much less intrusive in the signature and if I care to, I'll click it myself (don't say, here's my site for you to check out, ugh). If you have an extraordinary amount of followers or views, you can include that in your bio. I also like to know if you're in any special blog groups (ie, YA Confidential, Bookinistas, YA Highway, etc), that you can include in the bio.

Do I need to tell you about my pen name? Or use only my pen name?

Honestly, I find pen names annoying in queries. You're not hiding your identity from me (I hope) so don't sign that way. In your signature, you can include w/a pen name (meaning, writing as). Do not tell me in your query that you're writing under another name, and for the love of the world, don't explain to me how you came up with the name. We can deal with pen names when we get there.

When I send an update to agents with my manuscript to let them know I have an offer, do I tell them the name of the agent?

No! At least, I hate knowing and I think it looks unprofessional. If an agent specifically asks, you may tell them, but they don't need to know. Here's why I don't like knowing. Publishing is often referred to as a big family; we all know each other. And if my agent friend is the offering agent, I may back off on it to be nice. Or, to certain agents, I'll offer only because I feel like I'm in competition with them. I like to be perfectly blind and think only about myself and this timeline I have to decide against.

Happy writing!

Friday, January 27, 2012

January Query Time: What to include

Now we get to the particulars.

I find the list of "what to include in your query" to be much shorter than the "do not" list. Here's what you need: salutation with agent's name, about two paragraphs (3-6 sentences each) of summary/back cover blurb, briefly about the author, sign out.

Your query should look something like this:

Dear (name of agent),

about the ms

little more about the ms--word count and genre included

about the author

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

(name)
(email)
(website if applicable)
OR your usual closing signature

Nice and clean, right? This is my favorite sort of query. It launches right into the book with the main character, a tiny bit of world building if it's fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, etc, the main struggle, love interest. Done. The author bio is in first or third person (no preference) and includes relevant information.

You can also do another format:

Dear (name),

(title) is a (word count) (genre). I'm submitting to you because you mentioned on your blog you want to see more (genre) queries/you like (specific book)/you represent (specific author)/my friend is your client-mother-brother-co-worker. One line hook.

about the ms

little about the author

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

(name)
(email)
(website if applicable)
OR your usual closing signature

Note the use of the word SPECIFIC several times throughout the opening paragraph. I can always tell when someone hasn't actually done their research. If you like my blog or I've mentioned liking one of your comparable titles or we've met somewhere, be specific. Anyone can say "I like your blog, here's my query." (Yes, it's happened.)

Your "about the ms" should be simple and to the point. By simple, I mean use simple sentences. Don't get fancy. Agents read a lot of queries daily, and I for one tend to skim-read--if I find something of interest, I slow down. But if your sentences are too long, packed with info, convoluted, I can't retain as much info as quickly (and there's a good bet your ms will look like that too). By "to the point," I mean get in and get out. Here's an example:

(name of main character) is (brief description). She's thrust into (main conflict). She must rely on (love interest) which is an issue because (personal dilemma). (evil character) will stop at nothing to (what's at stake).

Your query is obviously going to be more involved. But there are the main points you need to hit.

Why should we care about you main character? Who is she/he? How will we connect with him/her?
What's her life like before the problem?
What and how does the main conflict get thrust upon her?
Who is the love interest? Or other character of large importance--keep this absolutely limited to one or two people (three on occasion). You don't want to bombard the agent with info and characters; also, it takes to long to portray their significance and "why we should care."
Who is the bad guy? This can be grouped up there with the main conflict. Remember your "man vs man" "man vs self" "man vs nature" from third grade.
What's at stake? Vitally important. Is the world going to implode? Is the main character going to lose her family? Her sanity? Her self respect? The chance to avenge her father?

Read back cover blurbs of books. Seriously. Sit in a bookstore aisle and pull books off the shelves. Note how they draw you in, first to the character, then to the conflict. And notice how brief it is. For the books that you read, note how many subplots and characters get left out. It's necessary. Which is also a good reason to have critique partners help you, and you help them. It gives you perspective.

Ask all the questions you want to ask. Next week, I'll answer them.

Happy writing!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

January Query Time: What not to include

I'll try to keep on topic and off of rants and fun stories about horrible queries I've seen. Like this one time...

We've discussed why a query is important, what it is, what it's not. Here's a handy list of what not to include. Thursday will be what to include, how to format, etc.

Apologies. Nothing turns me off more than a writer apologizing for taking up my time. Or telling me how swamped I am. Or being humble, or anything like that. In this regard, keep it impersonal. Formal.
Aggression. Don't blame me for you being rejected. Don't blame readers or publishers or the state of the economy. Besides distracting me from the important stuff--the query--it makes me not want to work with you.
Excuses. If you make an excuse for why your word count is too long, just don't query. If you find yourself needing to explain the first few pages or why you need to get past the first fifty to really get into the story, you shouldn't be querying. You know deep, deep, deep down that there's something wrong. We want a close-to-finished-you-slaved-over-it-went-to-classes-and-had-beta-readers-read-it query/ms.
Don't tell me it's been professionally edited or that your friend who's an English major has edited it. And especially don't tell me that you'll have it edited if I think that's best. (you should be getting the gist--get to the query)
You don't need a hook. My preference is getting straight to the query. And don't introduce it with, "Thanks for your time. Here's my query..." or "Now, on to the query!"
If you use a hook, please, please, please, keep it to one line. Two at most. If the sentence is overly wrought or too long, I get bored. It's TELLING not SHOWING. Your query SHOWS, you TELL.
To introduce your author bio just say, "I've been published by (specific publisher, name of book, year of publication)" or "I'm a member of (specific organizations)." Etc. Don't say, "Now, a little about me." Again, it's distracting (you won't get automatically rejected if you break this rule--my rule--but do keep it in mind).
Don't say you've been writing for years, since you were a little kid, just quit your job to write full time, your mother loves your stories, etc. It looks amateurish. If you have nothing in your bio, thank the agent for his/her time and close.
Don't offer an exclusive. Don't say who it's currently out with.
I don't care if you tell me it's a simultaneous submission. I assume it is--it's a smart practice. I hate finally getting to a query after a month only to find out I was the only one it was submitted to. I made you wait a month before you could get to anyone else! Remember my job-application metaphor? Would you put in an application for only one job at a time and wait until they got back to you?

Get to the query. Have you ever called someone up or visited someone and you just need one bit of information from them? You make a little polite chitchat and suddenly you can't get away from the person. And before you know it, you know all their woes and the name of their first dog--fluffy-kins. It was a rottweiler. Agents are looking for that one bit of information--not the extras. That can come later with the phone call.

Last week, I said that the query is not a business letter. Particularly, I was thinking about the header you include on business letters--your address, my address, etc. Maybe in the days of old, when people still used snail mail, that was common practice for queries. But you don't need it (also, it's a telltale if you didn't do your research; for example, our agency has moved its main offices from CA to WA, so if you use the old address, I know you're not doing your research). It's distracting. You won't get rejected over it, but most of my advice this month tends to be towards the "cleaner and tighter, the better". (I'm going to talk more about this business letter thing next week--it deserves the attention.)

More on Thursday.

Happy writing!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

The 13th Rejection

Starting March 13- end April 13

How's the new blog post title "The 13th Rejection"? I'm playing around with new titles because I don't like plain "Rejection Rate." Have any better titles? Let me know!

Someone asked last month what my actual numbers were, instead of just percentages, and why I give percentages. My mind works best in fractions and percentages (one thing my mathematically-minded father was able to drill into my non-scientific brain). Each month, I answer about 300 queries and the partials depends on how many I have requested. This month, I've read and replied to about 50.

This month, based on queries, I rejected 86% of queries, much lower than it was last month. That's 259 queries that were rejected based on the query letter. Remember, as busy as agents are, we are looking for any reason to reject your query. You put all that effort into your manuscript, make sure you put just as much effort into the query letter. Go to sites such as Query Shark and ask your critique group to critique the letter (you DO have a critique group right?). There are many contests going on all the time, check out blogs for contests for query critiques. These are invaluable because the critiquers will probably be professionals and will give you honest advice (as honest as if you had paid a professional, which is also an option for you).

Based on partials, I requested to see more pages (50, 100, or the full ms) for only 6%. Out of 48 partials, I requested to see more pages on 3. I read only one full ms this month. Why the higher query numbers and low partials numbers? The queries were good and/or contained excellent ideas/plots/characters. But the partials weren't ready yet and/or started in the wrong place. The biggest reason is that I wasn't drawn in right away: VOICE.

But you've all heard this before. I talk about voice in every other blog post and spout the importance of the first sentence, first page, first five, first fifty pages in all the other blog posts. Someone hasn't been paying attention. Use your critique groups. Get professional critiques. Take classes. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Queries have been replied to up to March 29
Partials and fulls have been replied to up to March 6

Happy writing!

Monday, January 24, 2011

The Dark Side

I'm being swayed to the Dark Side of the Force... er, that is, e-readers.

A few months ago I nearly disowned my mother for owning a Kindle. Last week I found out my best friend ONLY reads on her e-reader now. I've been as resistant to change as Anakin Skywalker. I vowed I would only get a fancy gizmo one day if I was travelling a lot, it would help me keep up with my work, and I could download documents to it to read manuscripts on the go.

Thanks to a tip on Twitter (more gray than dark on the scale of evilness), I found out that I could download manuscripts to my (mom's) Kindle! I figured it out, thanks to Google, and spent all day on my couch reading, without being weighed down by my laptop. Who knew it was super comfy to read Kindle on the couch? Makes Snuggies obsolete too, you can hold and control the pages without freeing your hands from the blanket.

While I will still refuse to buy a book (unless I go on an extended trip) for the Kindle, preferring to buy it or borrow it, I'm not super anti-Kindle anymore. However, I really don't need an e-reader that can read my mind or tie my shoes, so don't expect me to have anything super fancy if you see me on the street (or conference).

So, be nice to the agents you are querying. Make sure your file is compatible to sending to those handy E-Readers (word or rtf or lol or wtf... ok, so I don't actually know them all). How else are e-readers going to change our world? Not just the world of readers either, but of how the behind-the-scenes people (agents, editors, etc) conduct business?

Happy reading!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Queries: Credentials

A few of you have asked, so here's my answer.

How much do you need to tell an agent about yourself in your query letter? The best parts. We don't need a full bio in your query. If you've been on the best seller list five times and are looking for a new agent, put that. First.

But really, all the fluff, save that for your bio. We'll probably ask for it. The query is to get us interested. Concentrate on that.

But the question is, how much of yourself to include? I don't care if you've been writing since you could hold a pencil. I don't care if you were on your high school newspaper. BA in Creative Writing from Dartmouth? Perhaps. MFA? Could be. Leading historian on the subject your writing about? Sure, why not. You see the trend, these are relevant.

But honestly, I don't care. Some agents might. Unless you have a real solid platform, I gloss over the details. I'm interested in your book. If you can't sell your book, if you can't write it properly to get me interested, I won't care if you have won five Amazon awards. It might tip me over the edge in your favor if I'm feeling generous--I do like to see something besides you've given up your entire life for your dream to be published. Write a good query letter.

You wrote a good query letter? Cool. Then your credentials don't matter. I take a chance on writers all the time. If you can not only write a good query letter but also a full length novel without losing my interest, I don't care if English is your second language or you wrote it on napkins at a coffee house in your spare time.

That said, get as strong a platform as possible. Work on your writing career. Keep working on your writing. Take classes. Meet other authors, agents, editors. Go to conferences. It can only help you. Plus, it gives us something to pad your bio with when we try selling it to the publishers. And that's impressive. It makes it easier on us. And if you're super into marketing your own book, on or off line, that's even better.

That's my ramble for the day. First and foremost, be a writer. A good writer, if that's not asking too much. Everything else should fall by the wayside. (And note that these are my preferences. Many agents do require experience. And everyone, including myself, like to see that you are always working on your craft--it tips us off that you will be easy to work with, eager to learn, and probably won't need that much guidance.)

Happy writing.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Query Letter Rejection Rate

People always ask agents, how many queries do you actually request? The number is staggeringly low. How low? I wanted to find out. So I started keeping track of all the queries I was responding to over a month's period. I counted only the initial response to the queries, whether it was an automatic no or if I requested a partial or proposal.

It turns out that I have an 86% rejection rate I think this is actually rather low. Other agents will probably say their rate is 90% or higher. Many of the queries I should have rejected, but something about them made me pause. Next round (reading the partial or proposal) will see maybe 80% rejection.

Here are a few reasons I requested a partial (fiction) or proposal (non-fiction) based off the query.

great platform (non-fiction). More times than not, it's the platform we are looking for. Evaluation of whether the idea is marketable comes in the next round.
good story and/or concept. This includes ideas that are hot right now and highly marketable.
something got me hooked. I can read the worst query in the world and be left wondering what happens. (I should not be requesting these. Bad query more times than not means bad writing. As an Agent-in-Training I am allowing myself a stupid period. One day I will be all knowing, but for now I am a grasshopper.)

If you aren't getting requests from your query, you might have a bad query. One of my favorite blogs is Query Shark, which walks readers through real queries and fixes them.

Here are some of the biggest reasons I reject queries:

no platform (non-fiction). Platform sells, if you don't have it, get it before you query.
screenplay. We do not accept screenplays, yet I will see a query for one about once a week.
bad bad bad bad query. About once a week I'll stare in disbelief at my computer screen and want to cry.
wrong genre (fiction). Check out the agent's list before you query. It saves everyone a lot of time.
Simply not interesting.

I took some notes while responding to these queries. I see these mistakes so often and agents are constantly complaining about them on Twitter and their Blogs. Another of my favorite blogs is SlushPile Hell, because it's what every agent wishes she could say to the writers. I know you (my very intelligent readers) will not make these mistakes. It's the writers (I think, I hope) that aren't doing their research that make these mistakes and give you (my wonderfully intelligent readers) a bad name.

If we can't figure out what you are requesting/offering, we won't spend time trying to figure it out.
Full length novels are 60,000-100,000 words. Too much over and it's a no. Under, and it's a no. Even the first Twilight book was under 100,000 words.
Use the agent's name, not "Dear Sir or Madam." Do you even care? If you don't, then I don't either.
Make sure I can understand the first sentence of your query. Don't use words that I'll have to look up. I have a large vocabulary, but I'm not a walking thesaurus (which you obviously used).
Use some specifics in your query, what exactly is the protag fighting against? It's the conflict we, as humans, love. I don't care that you have been writing since you were two and are going to be the next Hemingway.
Get your genre and word count right. For example, "chick-lit" will never ever be 130,000 words. To me: chick-lit=mindless chatter. 130,000=philosophical debate on life. And the two shall never meet!

So, what's today's lesson? Learn to write a query letter. It will make your positive response rate so much higher. And it will make the agent's lives so much better!

As I wade through the "slush" that will be my career (some days I'm just not sure what I was thinking!), I wonder if I will ever find a good manuscript. Then I find a good manuscript (these are the days when I rub my English degree in my Dad's face), and it's all worth it.

Happy (query) writing!

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