Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 125
November 6, 2013
The Scoop on Writer Conventions
Killer shyness and lack of funds keeps me from venturing out into the brave world of writers' conferences. But why should that stop me (and you) from learning all about it through other writer's wisdom. I invited Lori Sjoberg, author of Grave Intentions from Kensington, to tell us all about her experience.
First of all, I’d like to extend a big thanks to Michelle for inviting me to share the conference experience!
This past July, I was fortunate enough to attend the Romance Writers of America (RWA) convention. Over two thousand writers, agents, publishers, bloggers, librarians, and other assorted industry insiders were in attendance in Atlanta, Georgia. Every room, restaurant, and bar was absolutely packed! It was a great opportunity to meet up with old friends, make new ones, network, learn, and snag tons of free books and swag.
The convention started with the annual “Readers For Life” literacy signing and ended with the Golden Heart and Rita awards ceremony. In between all that were four jam-packed days full of workshops, book signings, and social events. Agents and editors listened to pitches, and a number of publishing houses held “spotlights” where they shared what kinds of stories perked their interests. Want to know what’s worked for an author who’s sold over a million books on Amazon? That was covered in several workshops. Curious about what the publishing houses are looking for? That was covered as well.
So if you’re planning on attending a conference, here are a few helpful tips:
Don’t Be ShyThe introvert in me cringed at the thought of mixing and mingling with over two thousand romance writers. It just isn’t the way I’m wired. But my reservations quickly melted away in the face of so many warm and welcoming people. There’s a shared camaraderie among everyone in attendance, and that makes it really easy to strike up a conversation. You’d be amazed how far “What do you write?” will get you. By the time I left Atlanta, my purse was packed with the cards of all the new friends I’d met!
Pace Yourself and PrioritizeThere’s so much to do, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. On the very first day, or before you even get there, map out a plan of attack. Decide which events you absolutely have to attend, want to attend, and would like to attend if time permits. Carve out a little down time in between to decompress. Otherwise, you’ll get so frazzled you won’t fully enjoy the convention experience.
Pack WiselyConvention centers are often freezing inside. So even if it’s hot outdoors, make sure to pack something warm. Comfortable shoes are also a must. Through the course of each day you’ll be covering a lot of ground, so make sure to pack a pair of shoes that won’t kill your feet by the end of the day.Also, make sure to leave enough space in your luggage for all of the books and swag you’ll accumulate. Seriously, I packed my suitcase inside another suitcase so I’d have enough room. And it was close. I left Atlanta with over sixty books and a metric ton of assorted swag, and pushed the weight limit on my check-in luggage.
Have Fun!
The RWA conference sells out almost every year. It’s one of those rare events where you can celebrate your love for writing with like minds. It’s uplifting, inspiring, and empowering beyond belief. You never know whom you’re going to meet in the elevator (Last year my roomie and I rode with Nora Roberts – squee!) or in line for coffee at Starbucks. Relax and enjoy the ride!
The youngest of three girls, Lori never had control of the remote. (Not that she’s bitter about that. Really. Okay, maybe a little, but it’s not like she’s scarred for life or anything.) That meant a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits – you name it, she watched it. It fed her imagination, and that came in handy when the hormones kicked in and she needed a creative excuse for being out past curfew.
After completing her first manuscript, Lori joined the Romance Writers of America and Central Florida Romance Writers. Now she exercises the analytical half of her brain at her day job, and the creative half writing paranormal romance. When she’s not doing either one of those, she’s usually spending time with her husband and children of the four-legged variety.
Her contact info is: www.lorisjoberg.com
www.facebook.com/AuthorLoriSjoberg
@Lori_Sjoberg (Twitter).
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First of all, I’d like to extend a big thanks to Michelle for inviting me to share the conference experience!
This past July, I was fortunate enough to attend the Romance Writers of America (RWA) convention. Over two thousand writers, agents, publishers, bloggers, librarians, and other assorted industry insiders were in attendance in Atlanta, Georgia. Every room, restaurant, and bar was absolutely packed! It was a great opportunity to meet up with old friends, make new ones, network, learn, and snag tons of free books and swag.
The convention started with the annual “Readers For Life” literacy signing and ended with the Golden Heart and Rita awards ceremony. In between all that were four jam-packed days full of workshops, book signings, and social events. Agents and editors listened to pitches, and a number of publishing houses held “spotlights” where they shared what kinds of stories perked their interests. Want to know what’s worked for an author who’s sold over a million books on Amazon? That was covered in several workshops. Curious about what the publishing houses are looking for? That was covered as well.
So if you’re planning on attending a conference, here are a few helpful tips:
Don’t Be ShyThe introvert in me cringed at the thought of mixing and mingling with over two thousand romance writers. It just isn’t the way I’m wired. But my reservations quickly melted away in the face of so many warm and welcoming people. There’s a shared camaraderie among everyone in attendance, and that makes it really easy to strike up a conversation. You’d be amazed how far “What do you write?” will get you. By the time I left Atlanta, my purse was packed with the cards of all the new friends I’d met!
Pace Yourself and PrioritizeThere’s so much to do, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. On the very first day, or before you even get there, map out a plan of attack. Decide which events you absolutely have to attend, want to attend, and would like to attend if time permits. Carve out a little down time in between to decompress. Otherwise, you’ll get so frazzled you won’t fully enjoy the convention experience.
Pack WiselyConvention centers are often freezing inside. So even if it’s hot outdoors, make sure to pack something warm. Comfortable shoes are also a must. Through the course of each day you’ll be covering a lot of ground, so make sure to pack a pair of shoes that won’t kill your feet by the end of the day.Also, make sure to leave enough space in your luggage for all of the books and swag you’ll accumulate. Seriously, I packed my suitcase inside another suitcase so I’d have enough room. And it was close. I left Atlanta with over sixty books and a metric ton of assorted swag, and pushed the weight limit on my check-in luggage.
Have Fun!
The RWA conference sells out almost every year. It’s one of those rare events where you can celebrate your love for writing with like minds. It’s uplifting, inspiring, and empowering beyond belief. You never know whom you’re going to meet in the elevator (Last year my roomie and I rode with Nora Roberts – squee!) or in line for coffee at Starbucks. Relax and enjoy the ride!
The youngest of three girls, Lori never had control of the remote. (Not that she’s bitter about that. Really. Okay, maybe a little, but it’s not like she’s scarred for life or anything.) That meant a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits – you name it, she watched it. It fed her imagination, and that came in handy when the hormones kicked in and she needed a creative excuse for being out past curfew.After completing her first manuscript, Lori joined the Romance Writers of America and Central Florida Romance Writers. Now she exercises the analytical half of her brain at her day job, and the creative half writing paranormal romance. When she’s not doing either one of those, she’s usually spending time with her husband and children of the four-legged variety.
Her contact info is: www.lorisjoberg.com
www.facebook.com/AuthorLoriSjoberg
@Lori_Sjoberg (Twitter).
November 5, 2013
Query Questions with Lara Perkins
Much as I love contests it's time to get back to the usual routine. We'll start off with a bang and a new round of Query Questions!
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
As promised, here is Lara Perkins from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency to answer her own set of Query Questions. Remember that Andrea Brown accepts only one query per writer so make sure you hit the correct agent for your submission.
Is there a better or worse time of year to query?
Not really. Certain times of year, like the winter holidays or late summer, tend to be a little quieter, so agents may have more time to read queries, but those are also popular vacation times, of course.
So many factors determine an agent's bandwidth at a particular time--client activity, editor activity, contract department activity, conferences, etc.--that it's often hard even for agents to predict how busy they'll be at a certain time of year.
There's also not much upside to trying to query at the perfect time. Even if you query at the perfect time, the only real benefit is that you may get a faster response. The ultimate outcome will be the same because it will still come down to whether or not the agent loves your query letter and pages.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
Not unless it's a crazy one. If an author puts a comma in the middle of his or her first name or misspells a word in the manuscript's title, then it's pretty clear that the letter wasn't proofed at all. Otherwise, one typo or misplaced comma isn't a problem. I still highly recommend doing everything you can to send a typo-free, carefully proofed query. It's the most compelling evidence you can offer of your professionalism and dedication at the query stage. But mistakes happen, and what really matters is the content and quality of writing in your query.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
I do look at sample pages, almost without fail. If the query doesn't grab me at all or I can tell the author put no time into his or her letter, then I might not read the full sample, but I will still look to see if the first page or so grabs me.
Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?
I check all queries myself. I do my best to respond to all queries that are properly submitted according to my agency's submission guidelines, though our official agency policy is that we do not respond to every query, and six weeks with no response is a pass.
If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages?
I do want to see the prologue. We ask to see the first 10 pages of an author's manuscript, so if an author thinks a prologue is the best way to introduce a reader to his or her manuscript, then I'd like that to be my introduction, too. If an author feels his or her prologue isn't the strongest beginning to the manuscript, then I'd question the author's reasons for including a prologue at all. Some agencies mention querying only one agent at a time and some say query only one agent period. How often do you pass a query along to a fellow agent who might be more interested?
All the time. We're an extremely collaborative agency, and we share queries amongst ourselves regularly. If a query is strong but not right for me, I'll either send to a specific colleague who I think will love it, or share broadly with all my colleagues. This is why we say that a pass from one agent is a pass from the agency.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
If the personalized chit-chat is genuine and shows that an author has done his or her research, then I do appreciate it. Personalization won't make me more likely to offer if the work isn't a good fit for me, but I am more likely to send a personalized response in return. However, I'd rather not have chit-chat if it's just rote or isn't genuine. Really, what I care about is the work. That's what I want to hear about. If an author queries with a fabulous idea, amazing pages, and no personalization, the lack of personalization won't give me any pause about requesting more.
Most agents have said they don’t care whether the word count/genre sentence comes first or last. But is it a red flag if one component is not included?
It is a bit of a red flag if the word count/genre sentence isn't included, though not enough to stop me from asking for more if I love the pitch and the pages. Not including the word count makes me wonder if the author is trying to hide the fact that, say, their MG novel is 250,000 words or their YA novel is 5,000 words.
Not including the genre is mildly risky because then the burden is on your pages and pitch to communicate this information clearly (as they should anyway). If an agent reads your pitch and pages and still has no idea what audience or age group you're targeting, that's a big red flag. It's probably an issue with the manuscript that would be noticable anyway, but not including the genre upfront might make an issue like this even easier to spot.
Writers hear a lot about limiting the number of named characters in a query. Do you feel keeping named characters to a certain number makes for a clearer query?
I tend not to think of it in those terms, but I do believe the focus of a query should be on the main character or most central characters--who they are, what's at stake for them, and why the reader should care about them.
Naming a character in a query signals that character's centrality and agency within the story. It tells the reader to pay attention to this character. So if you name a character and it becomes clear they're not central, the reader paid attention to a detail he or she didn't need to. In other words, naming a non-central character is a distraction. For example, if I were to pitch THE HUNGER GAMES, I probably wouldn't name Primrose Everdeen in the query. I'd refer to her as Katniss's sister because Prim never really transcends her role in relation to Katniss--her choices don't shape the story. I would name Peeta because he is central to the plot and his choices do shape the story.
Space in a query letter is limited, so the more named characters you try include, the fewer words you'll have to devote to each one, and the less likely it is that you'll be able to make each character seem real, "round," and worth reading about.
I’ve heard sometimes query letters confuse age category for the genres, just saying YA for instance. Can you explain the difference between category and genres for readers?
Sure. Category is all about the audience/age group you're targeting. So Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Adult are categories. Genre is all about the type of work you're writing, and it's determined by content, tone, mood, style, etc. Genre can be defined really loosely or more narrowly, but it's a description that gives a sense of the type of story you're telling. So some examples of genre are romance, thriller, high fantasy, comedic novel, etc.
For example, TWILIGHT and THIRTEEN REASONS WHY share a category but not a genre. TWILIGHT and INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE could be said to share a genre but not a category.
How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?
I get approximately 75 - 100 queries per week. I might request 1 - 3 projects a week. And I might take on 3 - 5 new clients in a year.
Many agents say they don't care if writers are active online. Could a twitter account or blog presence by a writer tip the scales in getting a request or offer? And do you require writers you sign to start one?
I'd only be swayed if an author's web presence is extremely significant, and even then, I'd need to love the work. I don't require writers I sign to start a twitter account or blog presence, but I might encourage them. What matters to me is that a writer shows a willingness to participate in, supplement, and amplify a publisher's promotional efforts in every way possible. Some writers have asked about including links to their blogs or manuscript-related artwork. I’m sure it’s not appropriate to add those links in a query, but are links in an email signature offensive?
I have no problem with links in an email signature. I have a link to our agency's Illustrators page in my email signature, so I can't throw stones.
What bio should an author with no publishing credits include?
A simple one, or none. If there's something about you that makes you the right person to tell this story, definitely include it. But at the query stage, I'm a lot more interested in the work itself. If we move beyond the query stage, then there will be many opportunities to learn more about you. In fact, I often ask for a full bio when I request. What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you?
I'm afraid it really does mean "this just isn't right for me"! I wish there was more to it, but this is a very subjective business, and sometimes a good project, a well-written project just isn't resonating for me. It might be because I'm not connecting with the voice or the stakes, or I'm finding the main character hard to relate to, or it's a genre that's not normally my cup of tea unless there's something really unique about the angle taken. I believe in representing work that I not only think is saleable but also wholeheartedly love. Advocating for a project is so much easier if you love it down to your bones, and that kind of connection with a project isn't an everyday thing.
What themes are you sick of seeing?
I'm not sure there are any themes I'm sick of seeing. Treated in a fresh, unique way, I think nearly any subject, nearly any theme can be compelling and evergreen.
What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query?
Ohhh, I'm no fun when it comes to this question. I worry that someone will recognize their query in my reply and I hate to share queries without getting permission from the author, so I'm afraid I'm going to skip this one. I'm sorry! Wet blanket here. What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
A psychological thriller YA, a la Tana FrenchA heart-rending, romantic YA with an amazing voice, a la Eleanor & Park or The Scorpio RacesA clever and emotionally resonant MG mystery, a la Rebecca Stead
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
Favorite movies: Hot Fuzz, Dial "M" for Murder, Fritz Lang's M, A Room With A View, Lost in Translation, The Awful Truth, Pan's Labyrinth, Dazed and Confused, Monty Python's Life of Brian
Favorite books (current and perennial favorites in a big mush of categories and genres): George Eliot's MIDDLEMARCH, Kazuo Isiguro's NEVER LET ME GO, Ellen Raskin's THE WESTING GAME, E.L. Konigsburg's FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, Markus Zusak's THE BOOK THIEF, Sherman Alexie's THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART TIME INDIAN, Walter Dean Myer's MONSTER, Rainbow Rowell's ELEANOR & PARK, Rebecca Stead's WHEN YOU REACH ME, Gary Paulsen's HATCHET, Kevin Wilson's THE FAMILY FANG, Tana French's THE LIKENESS, Mikhail Bulgakov's THE MASTER AND MARGARITA, Philip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy...and so many more...I can't even start on picture books or this list will never end.
Thank you so much for the terrific questions, Michelle!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lara Perkins is an Associate Agent and Digital Manager at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She has been with the agency for over three years, working closely with Senior Agent Laura Rennert, with whom she jointly represents a number of clients, in addition to building her own list.
Lara is a fan of smart and raw young adult fiction, character-driven middle grade fiction with a totally original, hilarious voice, and so-adorable-she-can't-stand-it picture books, preferably with some age-appropriate emotional heft. She's a sucker for a great mystery and is passionate about stories that teach her new things or open up new worlds. More than anything, she has a soft spot for the wonderfully weird, the idiosyncratic, and the entirely unexpected.
Recent deals, together with Laura Rennert, include Matthew Ward's middle grade novel, THE FANTASTIC FAMILY WHIPPLE, sold in a two book, six-figure deal to Razorbill, and P.J. Hoover's young adult novel, SOLSTICE, forthcoming with Tor Teen in June 2013.
Lara has a B.A. in English and Art History from Amherst College and an M.A. in English Literature from Columbia University, where she studied Victorian Brit Lit. In her pre-publishing life, she trained to be an architect, before deciding that books, not bricks, are her true passion. She spent over a year at the B.J. Robbins Literary Agency in Los Angeles before coming to Andrea Brown Literary.
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
As promised, here is Lara Perkins from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency to answer her own set of Query Questions. Remember that Andrea Brown accepts only one query per writer so make sure you hit the correct agent for your submission.
Is there a better or worse time of year to query?
Not really. Certain times of year, like the winter holidays or late summer, tend to be a little quieter, so agents may have more time to read queries, but those are also popular vacation times, of course.
So many factors determine an agent's bandwidth at a particular time--client activity, editor activity, contract department activity, conferences, etc.--that it's often hard even for agents to predict how busy they'll be at a certain time of year.
There's also not much upside to trying to query at the perfect time. Even if you query at the perfect time, the only real benefit is that you may get a faster response. The ultimate outcome will be the same because it will still come down to whether or not the agent loves your query letter and pages.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
Not unless it's a crazy one. If an author puts a comma in the middle of his or her first name or misspells a word in the manuscript's title, then it's pretty clear that the letter wasn't proofed at all. Otherwise, one typo or misplaced comma isn't a problem. I still highly recommend doing everything you can to send a typo-free, carefully proofed query. It's the most compelling evidence you can offer of your professionalism and dedication at the query stage. But mistakes happen, and what really matters is the content and quality of writing in your query.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
I do look at sample pages, almost without fail. If the query doesn't grab me at all or I can tell the author put no time into his or her letter, then I might not read the full sample, but I will still look to see if the first page or so grabs me.
Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?
I check all queries myself. I do my best to respond to all queries that are properly submitted according to my agency's submission guidelines, though our official agency policy is that we do not respond to every query, and six weeks with no response is a pass.
If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages?
I do want to see the prologue. We ask to see the first 10 pages of an author's manuscript, so if an author thinks a prologue is the best way to introduce a reader to his or her manuscript, then I'd like that to be my introduction, too. If an author feels his or her prologue isn't the strongest beginning to the manuscript, then I'd question the author's reasons for including a prologue at all. Some agencies mention querying only one agent at a time and some say query only one agent period. How often do you pass a query along to a fellow agent who might be more interested?
All the time. We're an extremely collaborative agency, and we share queries amongst ourselves regularly. If a query is strong but not right for me, I'll either send to a specific colleague who I think will love it, or share broadly with all my colleagues. This is why we say that a pass from one agent is a pass from the agency.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
If the personalized chit-chat is genuine and shows that an author has done his or her research, then I do appreciate it. Personalization won't make me more likely to offer if the work isn't a good fit for me, but I am more likely to send a personalized response in return. However, I'd rather not have chit-chat if it's just rote or isn't genuine. Really, what I care about is the work. That's what I want to hear about. If an author queries with a fabulous idea, amazing pages, and no personalization, the lack of personalization won't give me any pause about requesting more.
Most agents have said they don’t care whether the word count/genre sentence comes first or last. But is it a red flag if one component is not included?
It is a bit of a red flag if the word count/genre sentence isn't included, though not enough to stop me from asking for more if I love the pitch and the pages. Not including the word count makes me wonder if the author is trying to hide the fact that, say, their MG novel is 250,000 words or their YA novel is 5,000 words.
Not including the genre is mildly risky because then the burden is on your pages and pitch to communicate this information clearly (as they should anyway). If an agent reads your pitch and pages and still has no idea what audience or age group you're targeting, that's a big red flag. It's probably an issue with the manuscript that would be noticable anyway, but not including the genre upfront might make an issue like this even easier to spot.
Writers hear a lot about limiting the number of named characters in a query. Do you feel keeping named characters to a certain number makes for a clearer query?
I tend not to think of it in those terms, but I do believe the focus of a query should be on the main character or most central characters--who they are, what's at stake for them, and why the reader should care about them.
Naming a character in a query signals that character's centrality and agency within the story. It tells the reader to pay attention to this character. So if you name a character and it becomes clear they're not central, the reader paid attention to a detail he or she didn't need to. In other words, naming a non-central character is a distraction. For example, if I were to pitch THE HUNGER GAMES, I probably wouldn't name Primrose Everdeen in the query. I'd refer to her as Katniss's sister because Prim never really transcends her role in relation to Katniss--her choices don't shape the story. I would name Peeta because he is central to the plot and his choices do shape the story.
Space in a query letter is limited, so the more named characters you try include, the fewer words you'll have to devote to each one, and the less likely it is that you'll be able to make each character seem real, "round," and worth reading about.
I’ve heard sometimes query letters confuse age category for the genres, just saying YA for instance. Can you explain the difference between category and genres for readers?
Sure. Category is all about the audience/age group you're targeting. So Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Adult are categories. Genre is all about the type of work you're writing, and it's determined by content, tone, mood, style, etc. Genre can be defined really loosely or more narrowly, but it's a description that gives a sense of the type of story you're telling. So some examples of genre are romance, thriller, high fantasy, comedic novel, etc.
For example, TWILIGHT and THIRTEEN REASONS WHY share a category but not a genre. TWILIGHT and INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE could be said to share a genre but not a category.
How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?
I get approximately 75 - 100 queries per week. I might request 1 - 3 projects a week. And I might take on 3 - 5 new clients in a year.
Many agents say they don't care if writers are active online. Could a twitter account or blog presence by a writer tip the scales in getting a request or offer? And do you require writers you sign to start one?
I'd only be swayed if an author's web presence is extremely significant, and even then, I'd need to love the work. I don't require writers I sign to start a twitter account or blog presence, but I might encourage them. What matters to me is that a writer shows a willingness to participate in, supplement, and amplify a publisher's promotional efforts in every way possible. Some writers have asked about including links to their blogs or manuscript-related artwork. I’m sure it’s not appropriate to add those links in a query, but are links in an email signature offensive?
I have no problem with links in an email signature. I have a link to our agency's Illustrators page in my email signature, so I can't throw stones.
What bio should an author with no publishing credits include?
A simple one, or none. If there's something about you that makes you the right person to tell this story, definitely include it. But at the query stage, I'm a lot more interested in the work itself. If we move beyond the query stage, then there will be many opportunities to learn more about you. In fact, I often ask for a full bio when I request. What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you?
I'm afraid it really does mean "this just isn't right for me"! I wish there was more to it, but this is a very subjective business, and sometimes a good project, a well-written project just isn't resonating for me. It might be because I'm not connecting with the voice or the stakes, or I'm finding the main character hard to relate to, or it's a genre that's not normally my cup of tea unless there's something really unique about the angle taken. I believe in representing work that I not only think is saleable but also wholeheartedly love. Advocating for a project is so much easier if you love it down to your bones, and that kind of connection with a project isn't an everyday thing.
What themes are you sick of seeing?
I'm not sure there are any themes I'm sick of seeing. Treated in a fresh, unique way, I think nearly any subject, nearly any theme can be compelling and evergreen.
What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query?
Ohhh, I'm no fun when it comes to this question. I worry that someone will recognize their query in my reply and I hate to share queries without getting permission from the author, so I'm afraid I'm going to skip this one. I'm sorry! Wet blanket here. What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
A psychological thriller YA, a la Tana FrenchA heart-rending, romantic YA with an amazing voice, a la Eleanor & Park or The Scorpio RacesA clever and emotionally resonant MG mystery, a la Rebecca Stead
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
Favorite movies: Hot Fuzz, Dial "M" for Murder, Fritz Lang's M, A Room With A View, Lost in Translation, The Awful Truth, Pan's Labyrinth, Dazed and Confused, Monty Python's Life of Brian
Favorite books (current and perennial favorites in a big mush of categories and genres): George Eliot's MIDDLEMARCH, Kazuo Isiguro's NEVER LET ME GO, Ellen Raskin's THE WESTING GAME, E.L. Konigsburg's FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, Markus Zusak's THE BOOK THIEF, Sherman Alexie's THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART TIME INDIAN, Walter Dean Myer's MONSTER, Rainbow Rowell's ELEANOR & PARK, Rebecca Stead's WHEN YOU REACH ME, Gary Paulsen's HATCHET, Kevin Wilson's THE FAMILY FANG, Tana French's THE LIKENESS, Mikhail Bulgakov's THE MASTER AND MARGARITA, Philip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy...and so many more...I can't even start on picture books or this list will never end.
Thank you so much for the terrific questions, Michelle!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lara Perkins is an Associate Agent and Digital Manager at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She has been with the agency for over three years, working closely with Senior Agent Laura Rennert, with whom she jointly represents a number of clients, in addition to building her own list.
Lara is a fan of smart and raw young adult fiction, character-driven middle grade fiction with a totally original, hilarious voice, and so-adorable-she-can't-stand-it picture books, preferably with some age-appropriate emotional heft. She's a sucker for a great mystery and is passionate about stories that teach her new things or open up new worlds. More than anything, she has a soft spot for the wonderfully weird, the idiosyncratic, and the entirely unexpected.
Recent deals, together with Laura Rennert, include Matthew Ward's middle grade novel, THE FANTASTIC FAMILY WHIPPLE, sold in a two book, six-figure deal to Razorbill, and P.J. Hoover's young adult novel, SOLSTICE, forthcoming with Tor Teen in June 2013.
Lara has a B.A. in English and Art History from Amherst College and an M.A. in English Literature from Columbia University, where she studied Victorian Brit Lit. In her pre-publishing life, she trained to be an architect, before deciding that books, not bricks, are her true passion. She spent over a year at the B.J. Robbins Literary Agency in Los Angeles before coming to Andrea Brown Literary.
November 4, 2013
Fall Query Extravaganza 7
I'll be doing a limited number of query critiques this fall.
Getting near the end of the queue. Stayed tuned if you want your query showcased. Participants must comment on as many queries as they can to pay it forward. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
As sent to me:
Dear Agent,
Anna is stuck in a rut: the old “stayed at home after high school, working a dead-end job” kind of rut. To be fair, it’s a very comfortable rut that her dad approves of, and that she dug for herself. But still, it’s time for a change.
Change comes in the form of Coy McLeod, visiting Anna’s small hometown from Chicago- a place that is much more exciting than Lydia, Oregon. Coy is as spontaneous, passionate, and independent as Anna is… not. Opposites really do attract.
When Coy gets the idea to take a Shakespeare Festival road trip, Anna agrees to go along, hoping the spontaneity will help her to be more open to new things so she can climb out of her too-comfortable rut. Falling in love with Coy on the trip, however, just makes things more complicated. Instead of having to tell her dad that she doesn’t want to study Business (his idea, not hers), she might also have to tell him that she doesn’t want to stay in Lydia for the rest of her life. She might want to move to someplace new… like Chicago.
As Anna sees it, she can’t make everybody happy. Especially if she can’t even decide what she wants for herself. Luckily for her she’s got a semester left of her Associate’s degree to figure things out.
Oh, crap.
LOVE AND THE BARD is a New Adult contemporary romance, complete at 90,000 words. It would appeal to readers who enjoy contemporary Young Adult novels, such as those by Sarah Dessen, and are now looking for an older protagonist. Thank you very much for your consideration.
Just a note- I've had mixed feedback on a particular line. The last paragraph before the genre/word count one used to say "It'll take a proposal, and death, and a lesson or two from Shakespeare to help her make the right choice," instead of jumping to "Oh, crap." Some people love it, and others have said "avoid vague lists." Do you have an opinion between the two?
With my crazy comments:
Dear Agent, Colon here, not a comma, because it's a business letter.
Just a note that there are no tabs in a query letter. All the paragraphs should be flush to the left side of the margin. Use line spacing options to indent the first line of a new paragraph in your manuscript, but leave it off the query.
Anna is stuck in a rut: the old “stayed at home after high school, working a dead-end job” kind of rut. Personal preference but I'd take out the colon and break it into two sentences. To be fair, it’s a very comfortable rut approved bythat her dad approves of (to avoid ending on a preposition), and that one she dug for herself. But still, it’s time for a change. You've got the average, ordinary girl problem going on here. Which means you've got to have a big finish because this gets done a lot. Also, telling us why she wants a change or showing what causes the change would possibly be more enticing than saying 'she needs a change.'
(But if she didn't want to change or fought change, then that might put a more unique spin on things.)
Change comes in the form of Coy McLeod, visiting Anna’s small hometown from Chicago- a place that is much more exciting than Lydia, Oregon. Coy is as spontaneous, passionate, and independent as Anna is… not. Opposites really do attract. Nothing wrong with this. It just doesn't stand out much. With the competition in romance, I think you really have to work the voice.
When Coy gets the idea to take a Shakespeare Festival road trip (This is interesting. I'd work on playing up this aspect of the query. Like how does the Shakespeare Festival push them toward falling in love. When Coy sits with her in the rain for a production of Romeo and Juliet, her feelings can't be denied.), Anna agrees to go along, hoping the spontaneity will help her to be more open to new things so she can climb out of her too-comfortable rut. Understood. Falling in love with Coy on the trip, however, just (crutch word) makes things more complicated. I'm having a hard time accepting she doesn't want to fall in love with Coy. Why not? He's spontaneous and interesting. What could possibly be holding her back? You don't mention any other love interest. She's supposed to be looking for new things--wouldn't that include love. Instead of having to telling her dad that she doesn’t want to study Business (his idea, not hers), she might also have to tell him that admit she doesn’t want to stay in Lydia isn't the place for her for the rest of her life. She might want to move to someplace new… like Chicago. I'd probably leave the changing of her major out of the query. There's really no room. Instead get more of Coy and Anna's relationship in here.
As Anna sees it, she can’t make everybody happy. So dad wants her to stay there and Coy wants her to leave with him? Better to say this straight out. And is there some reason dad needs her there? Depression? Sickness? Selfishness? Especially if she can’t (even is a big crutch word) even decide what she wants for herself. Luckily for her, she’s got a semester left of her Associate’s degree to figure things out. If she's in college I'd get that in the first paragraph. I thought she held a job and that's it. And certainly once she gets her degree, her father has to figure she might end up moving somewhere else with more jobs. So I don't see why it would be a surprise to him.
Oh, crap. I'm not sure why the 'Oh, crap' at the end. It might work better higher in the query, like where Coy comes to town. Why is Coy in Lydia anyway? What brought him from Chicago in the first place?
LOVE AND THE BARD is a New Adult contemporary romance, complete at 90,000 words. It would appeal to readers who enjoy contemporary Young Adult novels, such as those by Sarah Dessen, and are now looking for an older protagonist. Thank you very much for your consideration. (This last sentence goes on a line by itself.)
Just a note- I've had mixed feedback on a particular line. The last paragraph before the genre/word count one used to say "It'll take a proposal, and death, and a lesson or two from Shakespeare to help her make the right choice," instead of jumping to "Oh, crap." Some people love it, and others have said "avoid vague lists." Do you have an opinion between the two? I find this sentence more interesting. In fact, I'd love to see more of this list of happenings in the query letter. And maybe less of the part about her being an ordinary girl.
I believe you've got the bones to this query down. It needs a little more oomph in the form of voice! Concentrate on what is unique and different with the story. Don't worry about keeping back spoilers from the details.
Getting near the end of the queue. Stayed tuned if you want your query showcased. Participants must comment on as many queries as they can to pay it forward. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
As sent to me:
Dear Agent,
Anna is stuck in a rut: the old “stayed at home after high school, working a dead-end job” kind of rut. To be fair, it’s a very comfortable rut that her dad approves of, and that she dug for herself. But still, it’s time for a change.
Change comes in the form of Coy McLeod, visiting Anna’s small hometown from Chicago- a place that is much more exciting than Lydia, Oregon. Coy is as spontaneous, passionate, and independent as Anna is… not. Opposites really do attract.
When Coy gets the idea to take a Shakespeare Festival road trip, Anna agrees to go along, hoping the spontaneity will help her to be more open to new things so she can climb out of her too-comfortable rut. Falling in love with Coy on the trip, however, just makes things more complicated. Instead of having to tell her dad that she doesn’t want to study Business (his idea, not hers), she might also have to tell him that she doesn’t want to stay in Lydia for the rest of her life. She might want to move to someplace new… like Chicago.
As Anna sees it, she can’t make everybody happy. Especially if she can’t even decide what she wants for herself. Luckily for her she’s got a semester left of her Associate’s degree to figure things out.
Oh, crap.
LOVE AND THE BARD is a New Adult contemporary romance, complete at 90,000 words. It would appeal to readers who enjoy contemporary Young Adult novels, such as those by Sarah Dessen, and are now looking for an older protagonist. Thank you very much for your consideration.
Just a note- I've had mixed feedback on a particular line. The last paragraph before the genre/word count one used to say "It'll take a proposal, and death, and a lesson or two from Shakespeare to help her make the right choice," instead of jumping to "Oh, crap." Some people love it, and others have said "avoid vague lists." Do you have an opinion between the two?
With my crazy comments:
Dear Agent, Colon here, not a comma, because it's a business letter.
Just a note that there are no tabs in a query letter. All the paragraphs should be flush to the left side of the margin. Use line spacing options to indent the first line of a new paragraph in your manuscript, but leave it off the query.
Anna is stuck in a rut: the old “stayed at home after high school, working a dead-end job” kind of rut. Personal preference but I'd take out the colon and break it into two sentences. To be fair, it’s a very comfortable rut approved bythat her dad approves of (to avoid ending on a preposition), and that one she dug for herself. But still, it’s time for a change. You've got the average, ordinary girl problem going on here. Which means you've got to have a big finish because this gets done a lot. Also, telling us why she wants a change or showing what causes the change would possibly be more enticing than saying 'she needs a change.'
(But if she didn't want to change or fought change, then that might put a more unique spin on things.)
Change comes in the form of Coy McLeod, visiting Anna’s small hometown from Chicago- a place that is much more exciting than Lydia, Oregon. Coy is as spontaneous, passionate, and independent as Anna is… not. Opposites really do attract. Nothing wrong with this. It just doesn't stand out much. With the competition in romance, I think you really have to work the voice.
When Coy gets the idea to take a Shakespeare Festival road trip (This is interesting. I'd work on playing up this aspect of the query. Like how does the Shakespeare Festival push them toward falling in love. When Coy sits with her in the rain for a production of Romeo and Juliet, her feelings can't be denied.), Anna agrees to go along, hoping the spontaneity will help her to be more open to new things so she can climb out of her too-comfortable rut. Understood. Falling in love with Coy on the trip, however, just (crutch word) makes things more complicated. I'm having a hard time accepting she doesn't want to fall in love with Coy. Why not? He's spontaneous and interesting. What could possibly be holding her back? You don't mention any other love interest. She's supposed to be looking for new things--wouldn't that include love. Instead of having to telling her dad that she doesn’t want to study Business (his idea, not hers), she might also have to tell him that admit she doesn’t want to stay in Lydia isn't the place for her for the rest of her life. She might want to move to someplace new… like Chicago. I'd probably leave the changing of her major out of the query. There's really no room. Instead get more of Coy and Anna's relationship in here.
As Anna sees it, she can’t make everybody happy. So dad wants her to stay there and Coy wants her to leave with him? Better to say this straight out. And is there some reason dad needs her there? Depression? Sickness? Selfishness? Especially if she can’t (even is a big crutch word) even decide what she wants for herself. Luckily for her, she’s got a semester left of her Associate’s degree to figure things out. If she's in college I'd get that in the first paragraph. I thought she held a job and that's it. And certainly once she gets her degree, her father has to figure she might end up moving somewhere else with more jobs. So I don't see why it would be a surprise to him.
Oh, crap. I'm not sure why the 'Oh, crap' at the end. It might work better higher in the query, like where Coy comes to town. Why is Coy in Lydia anyway? What brought him from Chicago in the first place?
LOVE AND THE BARD is a New Adult contemporary romance, complete at 90,000 words. It would appeal to readers who enjoy contemporary Young Adult novels, such as those by Sarah Dessen, and are now looking for an older protagonist. Thank you very much for your consideration. (This last sentence goes on a line by itself.)
Just a note- I've had mixed feedback on a particular line. The last paragraph before the genre/word count one used to say "It'll take a proposal, and death, and a lesson or two from Shakespeare to help her make the right choice," instead of jumping to "Oh, crap." Some people love it, and others have said "avoid vague lists." Do you have an opinion between the two? I find this sentence more interesting. In fact, I'd love to see more of this list of happenings in the query letter. And maybe less of the part about her being an ordinary girl.
I believe you've got the bones to this query down. It needs a little more oomph in the form of voice! Concentrate on what is unique and different with the story. Don't worry about keeping back spoilers from the details.
November 2, 2013
A NaNo No-No?
Is the NaNoWriMo goal possible for everyone?
I let some friends persuade me into NaNoWriMo this year. They didn't have to work very hard. It's not something I've ever tried before. As I've said on twitter that's because I write like a turtle runs. But I needed a sharp does of motivation.
Confession: I haven't written anything other than a short story since August. And even then, I worked on an old project all summer, rewriting chapters, instead of drafting new material.
I'm hoping NaNoWriMo is the push I need to bring to light the new story that's been in my brain for months. Nothing but laziness has keep me from getting back to writing.
So why I don't plan to produce anywhere close to 50K words, I hope to get back on track to completing my usual chapter a week.
Winning NaNoWriMo is not my goal, but that doesn't mean I won't be a winner all the same.
And I'll be cheering on the rest of you! I admire those who can shut off their inner editor and let fly! Please add me as a buddy no matter your goals. Find me under the name Michelle4Laughs.
Your turn. What are your goals for NaNoWriMo or do you avoid it altogether?
I let some friends persuade me into NaNoWriMo this year. They didn't have to work very hard. It's not something I've ever tried before. As I've said on twitter that's because I write like a turtle runs. But I needed a sharp does of motivation.
Confession: I haven't written anything other than a short story since August. And even then, I worked on an old project all summer, rewriting chapters, instead of drafting new material.
I'm hoping NaNoWriMo is the push I need to bring to light the new story that's been in my brain for months. Nothing but laziness has keep me from getting back to writing.
So why I don't plan to produce anywhere close to 50K words, I hope to get back on track to completing my usual chapter a week.
Winning NaNoWriMo is not my goal, but that doesn't mean I won't be a winner all the same.
And I'll be cheering on the rest of you! I admire those who can shut off their inner editor and let fly! Please add me as a buddy no matter your goals. Find me under the name Michelle4Laughs.
Your turn. What are your goals for NaNoWriMo or do you avoid it altogether?
November 1, 2013
Fall Query Extravaganza 6
I'll be doing a limited number of query critiques this fall.
Right now I'm full up with queries but contact me in November on twitter if you want your query showcased. Participants must comment on as many queries as they can to pay it forward. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
As sent to me:
Editor:
In my 90,000 word YA fantasy FAERIE WIND, faeries are real. They bite.
When Loony Mooney, the crazy, old man down the street, dies, Devin steals the dead man’s undelivered letter, peers into his windows, sneaks into his secret backyard garden, and reads his journals. Even though the entire street called him insane, Devin had seen caring in his eyes and didn’t want his life to be forgotten. The clues she finds reveal that he had been obsessed with finding his daughter, who he proclaimed had been kidnapped … by faeries.
Crazy … until she finds a twisted tree inhabited by the supernatural beings. When a nasty blue beastie sinks its teeth into her arm, she transforms into fae — magic powers included. Being part faerie grants her freedom to do what she wants and not worry about her unknown future, but living in the human world makes her sick. She’s unable to join the faeries. Looking for answers, she rereads Mooney’s journals, reminded of how he failed to save his daughter. Her friends want her human again, but Devin doesn’t know what she wants. A journal entry sends her in search of a way into their realm to find the Faerie Queen. She faces the Fae court and discovers what happened to Mooney’s daughter. Finding her place with the fae will be easy, letting her forget life’s hard choices and daunting future. If she stays, she’ll lose the love and friendship of home, never discovering who she can be.
My credits include a YA short story Marked, published in December 2008 in Leading Edge Magazine. After two honorable mentions in Writer’s Digest Short Story Competitions, I placed ninth with my YA fantasy A Ring of Mushrooms.
May I send you the complete manuscript FAERIE WIND? Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
With my comments:
Editor: This should really read 'agent,' even though it won't be seen. Editors are on the publishing side. Unless you are sending to a publisher. Sorry for the mini lecture.
In my 90,000 word YA fantasy FAERIE WIND, faeries are real. They bite. I like 'they bite,' but maybe go with something a little more unique to your story or with more voice. They bite, and rabies shots aren't gonna fix it.
When Loony Mooney, the crazy, old man down the street, dies, Devin steals the dead man’s undelivered letter, peers into his windows, sneaks into his secret backyard garden, and reads his journals. The last one sounds like he broke into the house too. I'm wondering why Devin is so obsessed. Even though the entire street called him insane, Devin had seen caring in his eyes and didn’t want his life to be forgotten. Seems a little weak motivation to go through a dead guy's stuff. Going back, there is pronoun confusion here. I assumed Devin was a boy and the first 'him' referred to Devin. The street thought Devin insane. I'd rewrite this sentence because the whole street finding Devin insane is more interesting than the whole street finding Loony Mooney insane. That's already implied by his name. The clues she Wait, what? Where I come from Devin is a boy's name. finds reveal that he Looney had been obsessed with finding his daughter, who he proclaimed had been kidnapped … by faeries. I liked the first sentence but feel like the rest of the paragraph is going in the wrong direction. How did we go from crazy old guy to faeries.
Try something like: When Loony Mooney, the crazy old man down the street dies, Devin steals the dead man’s undelivered letter, peers into his windows, and sneaks into his secret backyard garden. Looney might have always been raving, but the kindness in the old man's eyes deserved to be remembered. Instead of finding a legacy for him, journals hidden in the garden are full of rubbish about a daughter kidnapped by faeries.
Crazy Who or what is crazy? This does not transition well with what you had. … until she Devin finds a twisted tree inhabited by the supernatural beings. (Where does she find it? I'd probably go with something like: until Devin explores a twisted tree in Looney's yard.) When a nasty blue beastie sinks its teeth into her arm, she transforms into fae — magic powers included. Being part faerie grants her freedom to do what she wants and not worry about her unknown future(how? I didn't know she was worrying about her future.), but living in the human world makes her sick (The first part of this sentence doesn't connect well with the final part. It's not so clear how they fit together.) She’s unable to join the faeries. Why is she sick in the human world and why can't she join the faeries? You're giving us facts without explaining. Also I'm unsure what Devin wants. Does she want to be human again? Does she want to escape her human troubles? If it's the troubles, you better spell out what her troubles are in the first paragraph. Looking for answers, she rereads Mooney’s journals, reminded of how he failed to save his daughter. (How does this relate to what you say next?) Her friends want her human again, but Devin doesn’t know what she wants. A journal entry sends her in search of a way into their realm to find the Faerie Queen. (Why?) She faces the Fae court and discovers what happened to Mooney’s daughter. Finding her place with the fae will be easy (I thought she couldn't join them.), letting her forget life’s hard choices and daunting future. If she stays, she’ll lose the love and friendship of home, never discovering who she can be.
I think you have too much going on in the last paragraph. It sort of bounces back and forth. Either have this be about discovering what happened to Looney's daughter so Devin can save herself, or have this be about Devin's troubles in the real world and her indecision about where she belongs. I think trying to fit both is making it confusing. Reduce and simplify.
My credits include a YA short story Marked, published in December 2008 in Leading Edge Magazine. After two honorable mentions in Writer’s Digest Short Story Competitions, I placed ninth with my YA fantasy A Ring of Mushrooms.
May I send you the complete manuscript FAERIE WIND? Sorry, but I would probably take this out. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Probably not needed.
I'm liking this story, but the query is still rough. That's not to say it can't be polished to a high shine. That's what we're here for, after all.
I'd say that right now, the writer is trying to fit the entire story into her query. There are two separate stakes and goals given for Devin in the final paragraph. Decide which is the most important or the most enticing and hit that one hardest. Avoid bouncing back and forth from one to the other.
If Devin is troubled about her life, work what's troubling her into the first paragraph. It's probably why she is really driven to investigate Looney Mooney's life so that sentence would be a good place to start. Scared of leaving home and making it at college(unable to face failing grades), Devin focuses on building a legacy for the crazy dead guy who had kind eyes.
A query can't tell the entire story. There are obviously huge parts that have to be left out. Too much information sometimes equals confusion. Also make sure your sentences flow into each other and you'll have a great query.
Right now I'm full up with queries but contact me in November on twitter if you want your query showcased. Participants must comment on as many queries as they can to pay it forward. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
As sent to me:
Editor:
In my 90,000 word YA fantasy FAERIE WIND, faeries are real. They bite.
When Loony Mooney, the crazy, old man down the street, dies, Devin steals the dead man’s undelivered letter, peers into his windows, sneaks into his secret backyard garden, and reads his journals. Even though the entire street called him insane, Devin had seen caring in his eyes and didn’t want his life to be forgotten. The clues she finds reveal that he had been obsessed with finding his daughter, who he proclaimed had been kidnapped … by faeries.
Crazy … until she finds a twisted tree inhabited by the supernatural beings. When a nasty blue beastie sinks its teeth into her arm, she transforms into fae — magic powers included. Being part faerie grants her freedom to do what she wants and not worry about her unknown future, but living in the human world makes her sick. She’s unable to join the faeries. Looking for answers, she rereads Mooney’s journals, reminded of how he failed to save his daughter. Her friends want her human again, but Devin doesn’t know what she wants. A journal entry sends her in search of a way into their realm to find the Faerie Queen. She faces the Fae court and discovers what happened to Mooney’s daughter. Finding her place with the fae will be easy, letting her forget life’s hard choices and daunting future. If she stays, she’ll lose the love and friendship of home, never discovering who she can be.
My credits include a YA short story Marked, published in December 2008 in Leading Edge Magazine. After two honorable mentions in Writer’s Digest Short Story Competitions, I placed ninth with my YA fantasy A Ring of Mushrooms.
May I send you the complete manuscript FAERIE WIND? Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
With my comments:
Editor: This should really read 'agent,' even though it won't be seen. Editors are on the publishing side. Unless you are sending to a publisher. Sorry for the mini lecture.
In my 90,000 word YA fantasy FAERIE WIND, faeries are real. They bite. I like 'they bite,' but maybe go with something a little more unique to your story or with more voice. They bite, and rabies shots aren't gonna fix it.
When Loony Mooney, the crazy, old man down the street, dies, Devin steals the dead man’s undelivered letter, peers into his windows, sneaks into his secret backyard garden, and reads his journals. The last one sounds like he broke into the house too. I'm wondering why Devin is so obsessed. Even though the entire street called him insane, Devin had seen caring in his eyes and didn’t want his life to be forgotten. Seems a little weak motivation to go through a dead guy's stuff. Going back, there is pronoun confusion here. I assumed Devin was a boy and the first 'him' referred to Devin. The street thought Devin insane. I'd rewrite this sentence because the whole street finding Devin insane is more interesting than the whole street finding Loony Mooney insane. That's already implied by his name. The clues she Wait, what? Where I come from Devin is a boy's name. finds reveal that he Looney had been obsessed with finding his daughter, who he proclaimed had been kidnapped … by faeries. I liked the first sentence but feel like the rest of the paragraph is going in the wrong direction. How did we go from crazy old guy to faeries.
Try something like: When Loony Mooney, the crazy old man down the street dies, Devin steals the dead man’s undelivered letter, peers into his windows, and sneaks into his secret backyard garden. Looney might have always been raving, but the kindness in the old man's eyes deserved to be remembered. Instead of finding a legacy for him, journals hidden in the garden are full of rubbish about a daughter kidnapped by faeries.
Crazy Who or what is crazy? This does not transition well with what you had. … until she Devin finds a twisted tree inhabited by the supernatural beings. (Where does she find it? I'd probably go with something like: until Devin explores a twisted tree in Looney's yard.) When a nasty blue beastie sinks its teeth into her arm, she transforms into fae — magic powers included. Being part faerie grants her freedom to do what she wants and not worry about her unknown future(how? I didn't know she was worrying about her future.), but living in the human world makes her sick (The first part of this sentence doesn't connect well with the final part. It's not so clear how they fit together.) She’s unable to join the faeries. Why is she sick in the human world and why can't she join the faeries? You're giving us facts without explaining. Also I'm unsure what Devin wants. Does she want to be human again? Does she want to escape her human troubles? If it's the troubles, you better spell out what her troubles are in the first paragraph. Looking for answers, she rereads Mooney’s journals, reminded of how he failed to save his daughter. (How does this relate to what you say next?) Her friends want her human again, but Devin doesn’t know what she wants. A journal entry sends her in search of a way into their realm to find the Faerie Queen. (Why?) She faces the Fae court and discovers what happened to Mooney’s daughter. Finding her place with the fae will be easy (I thought she couldn't join them.), letting her forget life’s hard choices and daunting future. If she stays, she’ll lose the love and friendship of home, never discovering who she can be.
I think you have too much going on in the last paragraph. It sort of bounces back and forth. Either have this be about discovering what happened to Looney's daughter so Devin can save herself, or have this be about Devin's troubles in the real world and her indecision about where she belongs. I think trying to fit both is making it confusing. Reduce and simplify.
My credits include a YA short story Marked, published in December 2008 in Leading Edge Magazine. After two honorable mentions in Writer’s Digest Short Story Competitions, I placed ninth with my YA fantasy A Ring of Mushrooms.
May I send you the complete manuscript FAERIE WIND? Sorry, but I would probably take this out. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Probably not needed.
I'm liking this story, but the query is still rough. That's not to say it can't be polished to a high shine. That's what we're here for, after all.
I'd say that right now, the writer is trying to fit the entire story into her query. There are two separate stakes and goals given for Devin in the final paragraph. Decide which is the most important or the most enticing and hit that one hardest. Avoid bouncing back and forth from one to the other.
If Devin is troubled about her life, work what's troubling her into the first paragraph. It's probably why she is really driven to investigate Looney Mooney's life so that sentence would be a good place to start. Scared of leaving home and making it at college(unable to face failing grades), Devin focuses on building a legacy for the crazy dead guy who had kind eyes.
A query can't tell the entire story. There are obviously huge parts that have to be left out. Too much information sometimes equals confusion. Also make sure your sentences flow into each other and you'll have a great query.
October 31, 2013
Fall Query Extravaganza 5
I'll be doing a limited number of query critiques this fall.
Right now I'm full up with queries but contact me in November on twitter if you want your query showcased. Participants must comment on as many queries as they can to pay it forward. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
As sent to me:
Twelve-year old Deech Rosselli and his family are placed into Witness Protection in a town run by a U.S. Marshall, seven hundred and thirty two miles away from Brooklyn. Deech gets a new name, new friends, and a whole new set of problems as the middle school is filled with mini mobsters, all imitating what they've seen their parents do over the years.
Deech makes friends quickly and finds himself thriving among forgers, bookmakers, hackers, enforcers, munitions experts, and even the random arsonist as the kids form families of their own during recess.
When the disenchanted principal, himself a former marshall, snitches on the whereabouts of the Rossellis and all the wrong people come to town, Deech and his new friends put together a plan that will trap the principal and capture the mob boss and the men that came looking for them.
A combination of the Sopranos meets Home Alone; MIDDLE SCHOOL MAFIA is 38,000 words of family comedy where the term family has a whole new meaning.
With my brilliant (maybe) comments:
Twelve-year old Deech Rosselli and his family are placed into Witness Protection in a town run by a U.S. Marshall, seven hundred and thirty two miles away from Brooklyn. We all know this got a ton of requests in Nightmare on Query Street so I'm not sure what I can add. Maybe that the first sentence is a tad lengthy for MG? Deech gets a new name, new friends, and a whole new set of problems as the middle school is filled with mini mobsters, all imitating what they've seen their parents do over the years. Made me curious to know where they are. You've told us where they are not (Brookyn), but what town is full of mobsters. Sounds like Vegas.
Deech makes friends quickly and finds himself thriving among forgers, bookmakers, hackers, enforcers, munitions experts, and even the random arsonist as the kids form families of their own during recess. This is full of great information and nice setup, but what does Deech want? So far it's lacking his motivation or what he feels about being in the witness protection program.
When the disenchanted principal, himself a former marshall, snitches on the whereabouts of the Rossellis and all the wrong people come to town, I'd probably put a stop right here and make this into two sentences by changing 'When' to 'Then.' It's rather a mouthful. Deech and his new friends put together a plan that will trap the principal and capture the mob boss and the men that came looking for them. Makes it sound like the mob boss and the men that came looking for them are two separate groups. Are they together or are two sets of villains out to get Deech's family? Also what will happen if they fail? Is it lights out for his family?
A combination of the Sopranos meets Home Alone; MIDDLE SCHOOL MAFIA is 38,000 words of family comedy where the term family has a whole new meaning. I don't see a genre listed.
This is a really great query and feels to me that the only thing missing is a better sense of Deech's goals and personality. I think there is room to squeeze in a short sentence or two about Deech. Right now the query focuses solely on the plot (which is fantastic) but leaves me wondering what Deech is like.
Right now I'm full up with queries but contact me in November on twitter if you want your query showcased. Participants must comment on as many queries as they can to pay it forward. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
As sent to me:
Twelve-year old Deech Rosselli and his family are placed into Witness Protection in a town run by a U.S. Marshall, seven hundred and thirty two miles away from Brooklyn. Deech gets a new name, new friends, and a whole new set of problems as the middle school is filled with mini mobsters, all imitating what they've seen their parents do over the years.
Deech makes friends quickly and finds himself thriving among forgers, bookmakers, hackers, enforcers, munitions experts, and even the random arsonist as the kids form families of their own during recess.
When the disenchanted principal, himself a former marshall, snitches on the whereabouts of the Rossellis and all the wrong people come to town, Deech and his new friends put together a plan that will trap the principal and capture the mob boss and the men that came looking for them.
A combination of the Sopranos meets Home Alone; MIDDLE SCHOOL MAFIA is 38,000 words of family comedy where the term family has a whole new meaning.
With my brilliant (maybe) comments:
Twelve-year old Deech Rosselli and his family are placed into Witness Protection in a town run by a U.S. Marshall, seven hundred and thirty two miles away from Brooklyn. We all know this got a ton of requests in Nightmare on Query Street so I'm not sure what I can add. Maybe that the first sentence is a tad lengthy for MG? Deech gets a new name, new friends, and a whole new set of problems as the middle school is filled with mini mobsters, all imitating what they've seen their parents do over the years. Made me curious to know where they are. You've told us where they are not (Brookyn), but what town is full of mobsters. Sounds like Vegas.
Deech makes friends quickly and finds himself thriving among forgers, bookmakers, hackers, enforcers, munitions experts, and even the random arsonist as the kids form families of their own during recess. This is full of great information and nice setup, but what does Deech want? So far it's lacking his motivation or what he feels about being in the witness protection program.
When the disenchanted principal, himself a former marshall, snitches on the whereabouts of the Rossellis and all the wrong people come to town, I'd probably put a stop right here and make this into two sentences by changing 'When' to 'Then.' It's rather a mouthful. Deech and his new friends put together a plan that will trap the principal and capture the mob boss and the men that came looking for them. Makes it sound like the mob boss and the men that came looking for them are two separate groups. Are they together or are two sets of villains out to get Deech's family? Also what will happen if they fail? Is it lights out for his family?
A combination of the Sopranos meets Home Alone; MIDDLE SCHOOL MAFIA is 38,000 words of family comedy where the term family has a whole new meaning. I don't see a genre listed.
This is a really great query and feels to me that the only thing missing is a better sense of Deech's goals and personality. I think there is room to squeeze in a short sentence or two about Deech. Right now the query focuses solely on the plot (which is fantastic) but leaves me wondering what Deech is like.
October 30, 2013
Getting the Call: Jeffrey Nicholas
This is a fun post because I get to help welcome an new writer into my agent family! Jeffrey signed with my agent, Sarah Negovetich otherwise known as Lady Awesome. Enjoy this dose of inspiration!
Of Piranha Plants and Tabasco Sauce...
...or, How I Got My Agent.
I read more than a few how-I-got-my-agent posts while I was querying, and they were usually helpful, always interesting. Here's mine...
I’d seen a new agent listing on Writersdigest.com and sent off a query and sample chapters to Ms. New Agent. A few weeks later, Ms. New Agent sent a nice reply and requested the full manuscript. I laughed manically then sent it off. I waited. And (cue the foreshadowing) I started another story. I waited some more. I nudged. I waited. One morning, I had emails from two agents. The first was the agent who’d made the full request. She complimented the manuscript but said she didn’t quite love it enough to represent it. Instead, she’d forwarded it a colleague, Sarah Nego; that’s who the second email was from. Sarah’s email stated she really enjoyed the story, but that it needed a little work and she’d be happy to look at it if I made the revisions. Short of an offer, this was about the best possible response I could have gotten. Naturally, I revised. I resent to Sarah and put in my obligatory wait time. When she got back to me with a very kind rejection, I was disappointed. “But I made all your changes!” I wanted to say. “Now you have to make me an offer. That’s how it works.” Well, that’s how it works sometimes. Other times, like this instance, the agent says, “I enjoyed it, but it’s not quite for me. If you write anything else, I’d love to take a look.”
It wasn't the response I’d wanted, but it was still a positive one. And it just so happened that I had another story about ready to go. I gave it one last tidy up and sent it off to Sarah. I queried a few other agents. I got another request for a full. I waited. I watched a lot of Twin Peaks.
One nondescript Monday morning my day was brightened by a short email from Sarah: “I really enjoyed this. Do you have time to talk?”
We set up some time to chat that evening and I spent the rest of the day convincing myself that there must be some other reason, aside from offering representation, that she wanted to talk.*
So that night, I fueled up on coffee and episodes of How I Met Your Mother with my wife while trying not to think about my impending doom—I mean, phone call. When Sarah did call, she jumped right in to some great feedback about my story. I’ve always thought it a bit surreal to hear someone talk about your characters as real people; it’s even more so when that person is a literary agent—and she’s actually saying nice things about them. Sarah made interesting comments, like, “Put some Tabasco sauce on your characters,” and, “Include more video game references.”**
I dutifully took notes as Sarah talked and I waited for the other shoe to fall (“Um, Jeff, do you realize that the entire middle third of your manuscript is written in Wing Dings? Rejected.” Click).
The shoe never fell. Sarah offered representation. I stumbled through a list of The Call questions that I got early that day from my good friend, the internet.
The whole thing seemed too easy, like it shouldn’t be happening. Of course, ask me my feelings during any point of the process leading up to that call and I’d say otherwise. Maybe it’s just the fact that when you do get that offer, it makes everything else that came before it seem worth it (and all that effort and stress and waiting suddenly seems insignificant).
So the next morning at work, I sent “Offer of Representation” email notifications to every agent I’d queried and hadn’t heard from within the past three months. I also sent a nudge to the other agent who had my full, who assured me he’d read and get back to me quickly. By the end of the day, I had two other full requests. By the next morning, I had another.
I now had Sarah’s offer on the table and fulls out (with promises of quick turnarounds) to four other agents. After years drudging through the query trenches, everything was suddenly moving so fast.***
After the dust of that crazy week settled, I decided to go with Sarah for a whole bunch of reasons, not the least of which was the great references some of her existing clients like Michelle gave her. I'm now happy to be able to count myself among them. And while Sarah develops a pitch and editors list, I'll be busy splashing that Tabasco sauce over my characters.
*Sarah and I had a good laugh about this later. She’d basically be the worst agent—no, human—ever if she scheduled personal rejection phone calls.
**There was even talk of a fire-shooting piranha plant. More than anything, I think this is what sold me on Sarah.
***If anyone is thinking of using the “Offer of representation” email to speed the process and perhaps drum up some extra demand for an outstanding manuscript, please, resist the urge. Let alone the ethical side of things, you may be forcing an agent into giving you a No. More than one agent I nudged responded by saying they didn’t have time to review it that week and bowed wishing me the best of luck.
You can find Jeffrey at his blog www.jnicholaswrites.com or on twitter with the handle @jnwrites.
Of Piranha Plants and Tabasco Sauce...
...or, How I Got My Agent.
I read more than a few how-I-got-my-agent posts while I was querying, and they were usually helpful, always interesting. Here's mine...
I’d seen a new agent listing on Writersdigest.com and sent off a query and sample chapters to Ms. New Agent. A few weeks later, Ms. New Agent sent a nice reply and requested the full manuscript. I laughed manically then sent it off. I waited. And (cue the foreshadowing) I started another story. I waited some more. I nudged. I waited. One morning, I had emails from two agents. The first was the agent who’d made the full request. She complimented the manuscript but said she didn’t quite love it enough to represent it. Instead, she’d forwarded it a colleague, Sarah Nego; that’s who the second email was from. Sarah’s email stated she really enjoyed the story, but that it needed a little work and she’d be happy to look at it if I made the revisions. Short of an offer, this was about the best possible response I could have gotten. Naturally, I revised. I resent to Sarah and put in my obligatory wait time. When she got back to me with a very kind rejection, I was disappointed. “But I made all your changes!” I wanted to say. “Now you have to make me an offer. That’s how it works.” Well, that’s how it works sometimes. Other times, like this instance, the agent says, “I enjoyed it, but it’s not quite for me. If you write anything else, I’d love to take a look.”
It wasn't the response I’d wanted, but it was still a positive one. And it just so happened that I had another story about ready to go. I gave it one last tidy up and sent it off to Sarah. I queried a few other agents. I got another request for a full. I waited. I watched a lot of Twin Peaks.
One nondescript Monday morning my day was brightened by a short email from Sarah: “I really enjoyed this. Do you have time to talk?”
We set up some time to chat that evening and I spent the rest of the day convincing myself that there must be some other reason, aside from offering representation, that she wanted to talk.*
So that night, I fueled up on coffee and episodes of How I Met Your Mother with my wife while trying not to think about my impending doom—I mean, phone call. When Sarah did call, she jumped right in to some great feedback about my story. I’ve always thought it a bit surreal to hear someone talk about your characters as real people; it’s even more so when that person is a literary agent—and she’s actually saying nice things about them. Sarah made interesting comments, like, “Put some Tabasco sauce on your characters,” and, “Include more video game references.”**
I dutifully took notes as Sarah talked and I waited for the other shoe to fall (“Um, Jeff, do you realize that the entire middle third of your manuscript is written in Wing Dings? Rejected.” Click).
The shoe never fell. Sarah offered representation. I stumbled through a list of The Call questions that I got early that day from my good friend, the internet.
The whole thing seemed too easy, like it shouldn’t be happening. Of course, ask me my feelings during any point of the process leading up to that call and I’d say otherwise. Maybe it’s just the fact that when you do get that offer, it makes everything else that came before it seem worth it (and all that effort and stress and waiting suddenly seems insignificant).
So the next morning at work, I sent “Offer of Representation” email notifications to every agent I’d queried and hadn’t heard from within the past three months. I also sent a nudge to the other agent who had my full, who assured me he’d read and get back to me quickly. By the end of the day, I had two other full requests. By the next morning, I had another.
I now had Sarah’s offer on the table and fulls out (with promises of quick turnarounds) to four other agents. After years drudging through the query trenches, everything was suddenly moving so fast.***
After the dust of that crazy week settled, I decided to go with Sarah for a whole bunch of reasons, not the least of which was the great references some of her existing clients like Michelle gave her. I'm now happy to be able to count myself among them. And while Sarah develops a pitch and editors list, I'll be busy splashing that Tabasco sauce over my characters.
*Sarah and I had a good laugh about this later. She’d basically be the worst agent—no, human—ever if she scheduled personal rejection phone calls.
**There was even talk of a fire-shooting piranha plant. More than anything, I think this is what sold me on Sarah.
***If anyone is thinking of using the “Offer of representation” email to speed the process and perhaps drum up some extra demand for an outstanding manuscript, please, resist the urge. Let alone the ethical side of things, you may be forcing an agent into giving you a No. More than one agent I nudged responded by saying they didn’t have time to review it that week and bowed wishing me the best of luck.
You can find Jeffrey at his blog www.jnicholaswrites.com or on twitter with the handle @jnwrites.
October 29, 2013
Query Questions with Caryn Wiseman
Much as I love contests it's time to get back to the usual routine. We'll start off with a bang and a new round of Query Questions!
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
It's exciting to welcome Caryn Wiseman of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (In fact, we are having two agents in a row from Andrea Brown. Talk about coincidence.) This agency specializes in representing writers of children's books for all age levels.
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Caryn has been an agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency for ten years, and she has sold more than 200 books. She handles children's books only: young adult and middle-grade fiction and non-fiction, chapter books, and picture books (fiction and non-fiction). She represents NYT bestselling authors, award-winning authors, debut authors, and authors at every stage in between. No matter the genre, Caryn is looking for books with emotional depth and a strong voice; excellent writing in a tightly-plotted, commercial story; and characters that stick with her long after she has closed the book. In YA, she gravitates toward books that make her think and toward books that make her cry; in middle-grade and chapter books, laughter tends to be the common thread. She loves books that are intellectually challenging and take risks, but in a very logical way.
Caryn is drawn to speculative middle grade or YA fiction—usually contemporary with a very smart science fiction or light fantasy element, but she also appreciates being carried away by great world-building in a unique story that isn't grounded in reality. Zombies, horror, and high fantasy will, most likely, not appeal. She would love to see a YA thriller with the pacing and twists of HOMELAND, and a YA Pitch Perfect or Big Bang Theory. She would be thrilled to see more contemporary multicultural middle grade or YA—books that deeply explore another culture, as well as books in which the ethnicity of the character is not the issue. She adores a swoon-worthy romance with an intelligent heroine who isn't simply swept off her feet by a hunky hero. A sweet, funny or poignant middle-grade novel, with a great hook that makes it stand out from the crowd, would hold great appeal, and she's partial to lyrical, non-institutional picture book biographies. She is always open to terrific children's work that doesn't fit these categories as long as it makes her laugh, makes her cry, and keeps her awake at night, either reading the manuscript or thinking about it. She does not represent adult projects.
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
It's exciting to welcome Caryn Wiseman of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (In fact, we are having two agents in a row from Andrea Brown. Talk about coincidence.) This agency specializes in representing writers of children's books for all age levels.
Is there a better or worse time of year to query? Not really, although things do slow down in August and December.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query? No, but it does give me pause. It's always about the writing itself, but if you're making grammatical errors or typos, it shows a lack of professionalism.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong? Pretty much, unless I can just tell that it's something not for me. That doesn't mean that I finish the sample pages, so I need to be hooked pretty quickly!
Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them? I get so many queries these days that I sometimes do have to have my assistant go through them first, or I'd never get to them all. I work closely with her and she really knows what I'm looking for. She's also very good about erring on the side of showing it to me if she thinks that there is a remote chance that I'd be interested.
If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages? Yes, but I'm not fond of prologues in general. There really needs to be a raison d'etre.
Some agencies mention querying only one agent at a time and some say query only one agent period. How often do you pass a query along to a fellow agent who might be more interested? We feel strongly (and our guidelines say) that you can only query one agent at our agency. However, we are a very collegial agency, and all of us, including me, constantly pass along queries that might be of interest to agency colleagues.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript? I'd rather hear about the manuscript.
Most agents have said they don’t care whether the word count/genre sentence comes first or last. But is it a red flag if one component is not included? Yes. It shows that you haven't done your homework.
I’ve heard sometimes query letters confuse age category for the genres, just saying YA for instance. Can you explain the difference between category and genres for readers? Category defines your audience - the age group of the target reader, and the parameters around each, i.e. picture book, chapter book, middle grade and YA; genre is the specific type of book - science fiction, thriller, horror, fantasy, contemporary, etc.
How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those? 50-150 queries. I might request between 0 and 5.
Many agents say they don't care if writers are active online. Could a twitter account or blog presence by a writer tip the scales in getting a request or offer? And do you require writers you sign to start one? It's not required by any stretch of the imagination, but a writer with "the whole package" (great manuscript plus strong promotional skills) has an advantage. I don't want to see a writer tweeting or blogging about nothing because she thinks that she's "supposed to" but if a writer does have an established presence, that's a plus. A writer these days should be willing to establish an online presence once their manuscript has been acquired.
Some writers have asked about including links to their blogs or manuscript-related artwork. I’m sure it’s not appropriate to add those links in a query, but are links in an email signature offensive? No
What bio should an author with no publishing credits include? None, unless he or she has done something very relevant to his or her writing
What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you? It means that I didn't fall head over heels, absolutely, positively, I must have this, I can't stop reading this, in love with the book (which is what I must do in order to offer representation).
What themes are you sick of seeing? The usual - dystopian, vampires, fantasy where child goes to live with elderly aunt/grandmother/stranger and finds a locket/ring/letter that transports her to another world, paranormal in which protagonist has the same dream all her life and finally finds out what it means.
What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query? Someone once sent me a FedEx box that said "Live Lobsters" because his book was set on Cape Cod. Nobody was there to sign for it that day, so the box was sent back to the sender (because there were "live lobsters" in the box). Turned out that there weren't REALLY lobsters in the box; it was just an expensive lesson in not using attention-getting devices for the author.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list? An amazing YA contemporary that makes me laugh and cry (preferably on the same page) with hard-to-shake characters, beautiful writing and a story that I can't put down, like FANGIRL or ELEANOR & PARK. Also, a laugh out loud middle-grade that has serious underpinnings. (I know, that's only two)
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes? These are all kind of random, first thing that comes to mind.Favorite movies: The Way We Were, Crash, The Perks of Being A Wallflower, The Sound of Music (I know, I know), Rear Window, really anything that I sob through (and it doesn't take much)Favorite kids' books: All of my authors' books, FEED by MT Anderson, HOW I LIVE NOW by Meg Rossoff, FANGIRL and ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow Rowell, WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca SteadFavorite adult books: LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN by Colum McCann, FREEDOM by Jonathan Franzen, THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, STATE OF WONDER by Ann Patchett, 11-22-63 by Stephen King
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Caryn has been an agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency for ten years, and she has sold more than 200 books. She handles children's books only: young adult and middle-grade fiction and non-fiction, chapter books, and picture books (fiction and non-fiction). She represents NYT bestselling authors, award-winning authors, debut authors, and authors at every stage in between. No matter the genre, Caryn is looking for books with emotional depth and a strong voice; excellent writing in a tightly-plotted, commercial story; and characters that stick with her long after she has closed the book. In YA, she gravitates toward books that make her think and toward books that make her cry; in middle-grade and chapter books, laughter tends to be the common thread. She loves books that are intellectually challenging and take risks, but in a very logical way.
Caryn is drawn to speculative middle grade or YA fiction—usually contemporary with a very smart science fiction or light fantasy element, but she also appreciates being carried away by great world-building in a unique story that isn't grounded in reality. Zombies, horror, and high fantasy will, most likely, not appeal. She would love to see a YA thriller with the pacing and twists of HOMELAND, and a YA Pitch Perfect or Big Bang Theory. She would be thrilled to see more contemporary multicultural middle grade or YA—books that deeply explore another culture, as well as books in which the ethnicity of the character is not the issue. She adores a swoon-worthy romance with an intelligent heroine who isn't simply swept off her feet by a hunky hero. A sweet, funny or poignant middle-grade novel, with a great hook that makes it stand out from the crowd, would hold great appeal, and she's partial to lyrical, non-institutional picture book biographies. She is always open to terrific children's work that doesn't fit these categories as long as it makes her laugh, makes her cry, and keeps her awake at night, either reading the manuscript or thinking about it. She does not represent adult projects.
October 28, 2013
Nightmare on Query Street Sum Up
There can't be any doubt that Nightmare on Query Street was a huge, gigantic success. This was thanks to the agents and the writers who sent in their entries!
I had the best time and hope everyone else did too! I can't wait until next year!
So now some statistics because (like in sports) you have to endlessly rehash the numbers.
Overall, between the three blogs and 30 entries, there were 75 requests! That is one amazing number!
Team Minion had 28 requests. And what is even better, every single Minion got at least one!
Minions had:1 Scream18 Shrieks9 Shivers
As for the rest of the numbers:
Monsters had:
1 Scream12 Shrieks10 Shivers
Spooks had:14 Shrieks10 Shivers
Any ninja agents are very, very welcome to make further request now that the contest is over. I'm sure the Minions, Monsters, and Spooks won't mind in the least.
Thanks to everyone and see you next year!
October 25, 2013
NOQS Minion 9: UNDER THE BODHI TREE, YA Realistic
Title: UNDER THE BODHI TREE
Genre: YA realistic
Word Count: 65,000
My Main Character's Greatest Fear:
Rani’s greatest fear is she’ll travel the course her parents mapped out for her. One that she doesn’t want, and her life will linger away, before she can realize her deepest desires and capabilities.
Query:
Please consider my 65,000-word realistic YA novel, UNDER THE BODHI TREE.
All Rani Sekhar wants is Nick. And the cute, friendly, soccer-loving boy wants her back. But her strict, traditional Indian parents will have none of it. When Rani is caught red-handed, her furious parents pack her off to India for the summer.
Heart-broken, bored, and pissed off, Rani asks questions about a mysterious former housemaid named Shoba, who’s buried in the family plot. They lead her to answers, but not to the ones she expected: Rani was adopted, Shoba is her real mother, and they belong to a group so shunned no one even talks about them, Dalits.
Formerly known as "untouchables," they’re treated like lepers, a class so scorned they’re considered nonexistent. But they do exist, and Rani is drawn into the intricate world of centuries-old caste system, where rapes, murders, and indignities against India’s underclass are common occurrences. She commits to providing hardworking Dalit women with proper skills, so they can get decent work and regain their honor and self-respect. In turn, Rani realizes her life’s purpose, and, eventually, reconnects with the boy who started her on her journey to self-fulfillment.
I am the author of A KILLING STRIKES HOME (Goldminds Publishing, LLC: January, 2013).
UNDER THE BODHI TREE, a realistic, multicultural YA novel with elements of romance that affirms “who you come from doesn’t determine who you become,” is complete and ready for review.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your reply.
First 250 words:
It sucked to be different, to be the only Indian girl within a hundred-mile radius. Maybe, even a thousand.
Why did her parents have to settle in this godforsaken place? Why not California or the East Coast? Yes, Almond Joy thought living in this small town was hell. That was what her classmates called her. White on the inside, brown on the outside. The almonds? No one explained, but it probably stood for the shape of her eyes. They said it was an endearment.
Rani Sekhar didn’t think so.
Her last year served as a stepping stone to college, with no other purpose. While other kids looked forward to homecoming dances, proms, or senior trips, she was ready to leave it behind and move on to the real world.
Rani climbed out of her white V.W. Golf and slung her backpack over her shoulder. She followed the pavement to where Sophie leaned against the bronze statue of their school’s mascot, a nine-foot bucking bronco.
“How was your weekend?”
Sophie shrugged. “You?”
Endless. “Okay, I guess,” Rani said.
“Kip’s in AP Physics with you.”
School started two weeks before. “Yeah, I—”
“Hey, look. There he is,” Sophie said.
“Kip?”
“The new guy. Everyone was buzzing about him all weekend. No one transfers here. Ever.”
An extravaganza was to be expected. Because a national news magazine had listed their town of thirteen thousand as one of the best for retirement in the Midwest, mostly old people relocated to Franklin.
“Not interested,” Rani said.
Genre: YA realistic
Word Count: 65,000
My Main Character's Greatest Fear:
Rani’s greatest fear is she’ll travel the course her parents mapped out for her. One that she doesn’t want, and her life will linger away, before she can realize her deepest desires and capabilities.
Query:
Please consider my 65,000-word realistic YA novel, UNDER THE BODHI TREE.
All Rani Sekhar wants is Nick. And the cute, friendly, soccer-loving boy wants her back. But her strict, traditional Indian parents will have none of it. When Rani is caught red-handed, her furious parents pack her off to India for the summer.
Heart-broken, bored, and pissed off, Rani asks questions about a mysterious former housemaid named Shoba, who’s buried in the family plot. They lead her to answers, but not to the ones she expected: Rani was adopted, Shoba is her real mother, and they belong to a group so shunned no one even talks about them, Dalits.
Formerly known as "untouchables," they’re treated like lepers, a class so scorned they’re considered nonexistent. But they do exist, and Rani is drawn into the intricate world of centuries-old caste system, where rapes, murders, and indignities against India’s underclass are common occurrences. She commits to providing hardworking Dalit women with proper skills, so they can get decent work and regain their honor and self-respect. In turn, Rani realizes her life’s purpose, and, eventually, reconnects with the boy who started her on her journey to self-fulfillment.
I am the author of A KILLING STRIKES HOME (Goldminds Publishing, LLC: January, 2013).
UNDER THE BODHI TREE, a realistic, multicultural YA novel with elements of romance that affirms “who you come from doesn’t determine who you become,” is complete and ready for review.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your reply.
First 250 words:
It sucked to be different, to be the only Indian girl within a hundred-mile radius. Maybe, even a thousand.
Why did her parents have to settle in this godforsaken place? Why not California or the East Coast? Yes, Almond Joy thought living in this small town was hell. That was what her classmates called her. White on the inside, brown on the outside. The almonds? No one explained, but it probably stood for the shape of her eyes. They said it was an endearment.
Rani Sekhar didn’t think so.
Her last year served as a stepping stone to college, with no other purpose. While other kids looked forward to homecoming dances, proms, or senior trips, she was ready to leave it behind and move on to the real world.
Rani climbed out of her white V.W. Golf and slung her backpack over her shoulder. She followed the pavement to where Sophie leaned against the bronze statue of their school’s mascot, a nine-foot bucking bronco.
“How was your weekend?”
Sophie shrugged. “You?”
Endless. “Okay, I guess,” Rani said.
“Kip’s in AP Physics with you.”
School started two weeks before. “Yeah, I—”
“Hey, look. There he is,” Sophie said.
“Kip?”
“The new guy. Everyone was buzzing about him all weekend. No one transfers here. Ever.”
An extravaganza was to be expected. Because a national news magazine had listed their town of thirteen thousand as one of the best for retirement in the Midwest, mostly old people relocated to Franklin.
“Not interested,” Rani said.
