#query advice

[ineffably-good]

My querying journey so far...

So many of you know that in between writing ridiculously long fanfics about Good Omens and the ineffible husbands, I write novels in the real world. And then try to sell them. I have not succeeded so far at the selling them part, but I'm shopping my third manuscript around right now and it's exciting to see how much better I think I'm getting at crafting a novel through the process of working very, very hard on this for the last three years.

At the start of this, when I was shopping around the novel I made from one of my fanfics, I used to post a lot about querying and how it was going, but I haven't in ages. Thought I'd share a little bit about that today.

Novel #1 - Adult Fantasy Romance, written in 2021

Status: shelved Queries sent: 43 Requests received to read the full manuscript: 1 Rejections: 39 Percent requests: 2% Things learned: worked great as an AO3 fic, but I can understand what it was lacking, in retrospect, when I tried to novelize it. I'd like to rewrite it someday. There are not very many agents looking for fantasy in any genre, so that's a little limiting.

Novel #2 - YA Contemporary, written in 2021-2022

Status: on hold, needs some rewrites in act two Queries sent: 136 Requests: 11 Rejections: 125 Percent requests: 8% Things learned: I got much better at pitching and querying in this, and my story was also a lot better. At the *very* end of the querying process, on my 11th full, I got some great feedback on what wasn't working in the middle of the book (which I'd gotten that sooner) and because I'm not sure what to do with this yet and was already writing another book by the time I got it, it's on hold. But I loved this story and I will return to it.

Interestingly, I won a pitch contest on this book and placed second with it in an unpublished novel contest. But it did not get picked up.

Novel #3 - YA Contemporary, written in 2022-23 Status: actively querying since summer. Queries sent (so far): 71 Requests (so far): 10!!! Rejections: 30 Percent requests: 14.1% Things learned: trending up on all fronts! I've gotten more requests in the first three months than I did in almost a year on novel #2, and feedback so far even on rejections has been really positive. I feel like I was much more in control of my narrative on this manuscript, and I have a really good feeling that one of the fulls that are out right now is going to lead to something. Fingers crossed!

So... querying is a long, hard process. Most writers don't get their first book published; most debut novels are someone's third or fourth book. But boy, do you learn a lot about the process along the way.

[deardreamerxo]

Hello! Hope this isn't too much of a random question but can novellas be generally sent to agents, or do any agents specialize in that? I don't really see novellas ever discussed much so I wonder if there's even a market for it at all.

Not random at all! In fact, a very valid question as they're almost never talked about. But just because they're rarely discussed, doesn't mean they don't exist.

I checked Publisher's Marketplace and 9 deals involving novellas have been made since 2024 started! We're only in February, so that's quite a few. I did notice, however, that three were from best-selling authors, and two were "sequels" of sorts to published books.

The rest were all very high-concept standalones or series.

So to answer plainly, you can absolutely query an agent with your novella! As usual, do your research and make sure the agents accept or are interested in novellas, but otherwise there's definitely a market.

Personally I don't know if any agents specialize in novellas, but if you do some research on Manuscript Wishlist or QueryTracker, I'm sure you can find some who are open to them. Unfortunately they haven't made it easy since there aren't any official tags on those sites for the format, but that doesn't mean they're not out there <3

[aurinavenir]

Things that DON'T make you a bad writer:

Terrible first drafts.

Being rejected by agents.

Not being able to write every day.

Taking some time off from writing.

Deciding to drop a WIP so you can write something else.

[venusinmyrrh]

Fashion question! If it's cold out and your outfit is going to be covered up by a big puffy coat, is there anything you can do to have fun with how you look?

See, this is exactly why I hate winter. But if you have to add a coat to an otherwise perfect outfit, consider: there are loads of other things you can add!

Some winter accessories that you can mix and match as you like:

Hats, and not just beanies! I love a good winter beret-- it can be cute and très français, or moody and intellectual, or a touch of polish for a rock & roll fit.

Gloves. Knit or cashmere are fine but I'm partial to leather, and bows or shearling trim can take it up a notch with very little effort. Don't be afraid to consider a fun, classic print like houndstooth that goes with everything!

Scarves. Wrap it around your neck and tuck it into your coat, or throw it over your shoulders and pin it with a big ol' fancy brooch or something. This is another great place to add a pop of color-- match it to the coat and hat for a monochrome look, or use it to introduce a fun contrasting hue.

Earmuffs. An underrated winter accessory!

Umbrellas. Yes, the umbrella counts. Make sure it's on point.

Leg warmers?? Controversial, but I have a friend who swears by them, especially with dresses and sheer tights, or even tucked into boots. Not gonna lie... I'm intrigued.

It's also worth considering if a different style coat would make you happy. I understand the practicality of having a big puffy coat for really bad days, but would it also be worthwhile to have on hand a sleek, sophisticated wool peacoat for nice days that just happen to be cold? Or a trench coat, especially in a great color like red or cream, for mild rain? I've found that having a small (3-5) collection of coats goes a long way toward making me feel like I have options that match my outfit.

Imo the ideal coat collection is:

Black

Brown

White or cream (optional, but incredibly sophisticated and you will get so many compliments you will feel like a supermodel)

A color (I love red or pink, but navy, green, or a print would work just as well. My current "color" coat is actually yellow/green/orange/brown plaid and it RULES)

A "weather" coat (for really bad days, depending on where you live)

And these don't all have to be separate coats! A trench works just as well as a regular brown coat as it does in the rain.

Lastly, remember your sunglasses. Besides being chic year-round, they help protect your eyes from wind and from the glare of the snow, and I am constantly forgetting that just because it's chilly doesn't mean the sun doesn't exist anymore. Don't be like me.

[nosferwriteu]

This is my first attempt at a new blog :) I’m not pretentious enough to become some huge content creator but I hope you follow me because I’m cool and also sort of a nerd ✨

<3 you can call me Hayden or Kat (my real name) or whatever you want, unfortunately I have the same name as a murderer so I’m banished to an alias for forever and eternity

<3 I’m Nineteen-and-a-half, and in undergrad (hopefully, eventually, law school) what I really, really, want is to be a writer, but there are no writing schools or programs with any meaningful connections where I live- unfortunately, in America’s butthole (Arkansas). I’m going to keep writing anyway but unfortunately I must have a day job (insert sad face)

<3 I’m writing a silly fantasy novel atm about twin princes who trade their souls for each other, and power, and love, and sacrifice, and all of the magnificent chaos that goes along with it. You may never get to read it but i hope you like the snippets and head canons i choose to share 😙

<3 I have three kids; more specifically two cats and a goldfish.

If you read all of this!! I love you !! Let’s be friends :)

[novlr]

I've often seen many publications and publishers often require a cover letter for submissions along side the work itself. Do you have any advice on how to make a decent cover letter when submitting fiction?

Query letters can be intimidating, but they’re completely manageable if you approach them in three easy steps. We’ll walk you through each one:

1: The introduction

This part’s pretty simple. You say hi to the agent; you get their name right (v. important!), you scatter in some personalisation, and you state your cause: to secure representation for your book. 

A few important things to remember:

Address the agent by their first name — not by “Sir or Madam,” and definitely never as “Sirs.”

If you open your query letter with “Dear Sirs” and send it to an all-female agency, your letter’s going to get chucked in the shredder. If the women of this agency are particularly vindictive, they may then take the shreds and make them into a voodoo doll.

Open with a quick note about why you chose this agent in particular. It might be that you heard them speak at a conference, you loved the books they listed as influences on their website, or you noted that they represent one of your favourite authors. Even though agents know that you’re querying several dozen others, they want to feel like you’ve chosen them for a reason.

2: The pitch

So now you’ve got their attention and made them feel special; it’s time to introduce them to the headliner. In this section, you state the novel’s word count and genre. Then you describe, in just two or three sentences, what the book’s about. Finally, you throw down a few comparison titles or authors that encompass your target audience. 

This is the trickiest part, because these are the lines that’s going to make the agent interested in reading your book. You may find it helpful to get some feedback on your pitch from other writers before writing your query. In your pitch, you’ll need to strike a delicate balance between writing in a literary tradition and writing something new. If your book is too weird and progressive, the agent might not feel confident it will find an audience. But if it’s too similar to titles that are already out, the agent won’t feel like you’re offering anything fresh. 

3: The humblebrag

Now that you’ve sold the agent on your book, the next and final step is to sell them on you. At this point, you can mention any writing you’ve published in the past (including short stories or related articles), any training you’ve undergone as a writer, and any biographical trivia that directly relates to the book you’re pitching. 

You may not have a huge amount of professional history to share at this point, and that’s okay. The agent just wants to see that you’re serious about embarking on a career as a writer.

Then, you thank them for their time and sign off. See? Easy!

Want some more detail? You can read the full post in the Reading Room at the link below!

[original-post-locator]

You can add: “filetype:pdf” to a search query and get related pdfs.

Examples:

[wormchamp72]

wormchamp, my evil ex has been bothering me, can you concoct a message to drive him away?

his name is xander and he hates jeff the killer if that helps with constructing a message

Heh...you don't have 2 ask me twice. Feel free 2 copy and paste this message and send it 2 him:

Dear "Xander":

I see you've been causing some 'trouble' lately (2 put it lightly). *seethes* As @spdrbite's mentor in life, love, and Creepypasta, I feel it is my duty 2 stand up for one of my dearest pupils.

So, in short:

Back off, punk. What makes you think you're so special, huh? What gives you the right 2 bother and torment such a kind, loving individual? I would call you a tyrant, but that implies you have power. You are weak. Pathetic, even. You have no life. You will never amount 2 anything.

I see where you end up---sad and alone at a nursing home your kids send you 2 so they don't have 2 deal with your sorry @$$. You'll be using a plastic spoon 2 get the last of the tapioca out of a pudding cup as your Life 2000 Ventilator pumps lukewarm air in2 your nose, and you'll think: Is this really my life? Is this where I thought I'd end up, all these years ago? You were divorced long ago. Your children hate you. Even the nurses at your home hardly put up with you. There is nothing left for you. You will drop your tapioca on the sticky tile floor and think: please, someone pull the plug.

You are a contemptible, moronic tool of the highest order. Keep this up, and you will receive nothing but karmic justice. Is this who you want 2 be? A Jeff the Killer hating, third-rate swine?

Open your heart, Xander. Open your mind. Though my blood boils when I think of you---nothing more than a two-bit goon, not even worthy of being the main villain---I hold the tiniest bit of hope in my heart for a scamp like you. You can change. You can leave spidrbite his peace. You can be a better man. You can love Jeff the Killer.

But only you can make that decision for yourself.

*glares and growls mencingly, but softens my gaze 2 a stern yet encouraging look so you know my words about change aren't empty, then spits at your feet for good measure*

Sincerely,

The Worm

(@wormchamp72)

[manyfaced-serpent]

Current schedule of availability

Monday & Thursday: Library staff

Tuesday & Friday: community workers

Wednesday: teaching staff

Saturday: inter-reality management

Sunday: Insurgency representatives

Queries, requests for information and requests for advice directed towards specific individuals or subgroups will be answered as stated above, as will inquiries that are not directly addressed but that fall under one of the above areas of expertise.

General inquiries will be answered either by those available on the respective date of questioning, or by a general worker.

Some members of the group may sign off responses with their name or initials, others will not.

Reality cluster: Kaleidoscope

OOC information

Standard rules apply; no sexism, homophobia, racism, ableism

Run by Mod Eden [@rhouxl]

Mod's time zone is CET

Interactions of any kind are encouraged

DMs are open, but asks are preferred for interactions

Tags follow a standard system

Profile picture credit

[distinguishedscientist]

How do I get these painful stomach aches to stop I'm dying :(

Muscle relaxers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen could help relieve some of the pain. As well as sodium naproxen. If your stomach is hurting on the right side consistently, I would get that checked out, as it could be appendicitis. Warm and hot baths can help with aches, as well as using a heating pad. I would alternate between cold and hot if you will be doing this for an extended period of time. It is impossible to completely stop the aches; they'll eventually fade but things do not go away in the blink of an eye, such is life, really.

[most-weasel]

advices and queries, 42

[theinwardlight]

Use vigilant care, dear Friends, not to overlook those promptings of love and truth which you may feel in your hearts; for these are the tender leadings of the Spirit of God. Nor should any of us resist God’s workings within us, for it is His redemptive love which strives to show us our darkness, and to lead us to true repentance, and to His marvelous light. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).

Advices 1, Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends

[legiterallylunar]

not to lifepost but actually being a quaker is so good for the soup guys

[aurinavenir]

Your book is good enough.

Your book is good enough.

Don’t give up on your book.

Don’t give up on your characters.

Don’t give up on your dream of being published.

Someone will love your book.

Be kind to yourself and keep writing.

Your book is good enough!

[hayatheauthor]

Update Regarding My Sudden Hiatus + Author/Publishing News

Guess who's back from the dead!

Jokes aside, I truly do feel terrible for going on hiatus without saying anything, and then I come back and see that I've hit 2k (which btw is absolutely amazing and left me shell-shocked) and that just made me feel worse for leaving unannounced. So, here's everything that's been going on:

(click read more if you want to learn about my experience at my first writer's workshop & pitching to an agent ++ publishing updates for The Traitor's Throne)

If you DON'T want to read more: long story short I'm back and will revamp this blog Monday onwards.

Would you look at that I'm finally getting the hang of Tumblr etiquette!

Anyways, I know if I took the liberty of casually explaining everything we would just be here all day and I would ramble endlessly SO, I'm going to summarise everything into a list:

One of the biggest reasons for my departure was because *insert drum roll* I graduated! That's right, your girl is officially a diploma holder and ready to conquer college! Although I've seen the 'finals week or my final week' meme enough times to start questioning what I signed up for.

My writing life has been a little...disappointing. There's no other way to break it to you folks, but when I started this blog, I was knee-deep in the query trenches, and now, I'm still there. Does that suck? Yes. Am I going to give up? Absolutely not! BUT I do have some changes planned:

I've officially decided if this final shot at traditional publishing doesn't do well, I'm going to give in and self-publish The Traitor's Throne in May-June 2024. Which means you might potentially be able to purchase my baby pretty soon!

BUT I decided to give querying one last shot and actually joined a writer's workshop (which is going on as we speak btw). I joined the online Boston Writing Workshop, I'll drop a review on that on Sunday, but so far I've actually learned A LOT from it, and have decided to give querying another go while implementing what I've learned. Dw I'll also be putting out a review about the workshop on Sunday.

So, here's a summary: I've created a self-publishing deadline for my current project while also giving traditional publishing a final shot. I also joined my first ever writer's workshop this weekend and will be pitching to agents for the first time.

Overall, I think my lack of success in the querying scene kind of made me feel like a fraud when giving writing advice. I'm the type of author who does A LOT of research when I write, which is why I have so many tips on so many topics, but that doesn't make me an expert.

This workshop especially made me realise I've been making some rookie mistakes and focused so much on my story that I forgot the query and synopsis are just as important. Maybe this realisation came too late and I've lost my chance of traditionally publishing The Traitor's Throne, but I am grateful for everything it's taught me.

ANYWAYS—see what I meant by we'd be here the whole day if I didn't use a list??

Let's get back to the important stuff; yes, I will start putting out blogs again, and answering my asks. I'm also thinking of launching a beta reader project where I'll beta read some of your works for free! Stay tuned to see that announcement since it'll come soon.

Thank you so much for supporting this silly little blog of mine, and I hope you have a good weekend! As always, I'll see you on Monday! 💕✨

[pretty-little-martyr]

folks I have a moral dilemma I'd like help with.

I am someone who makes DIY clothing, usually just for friends and loved ones, but recently I've been working on figuring out how to sell them as several friends have told me I should (and im unemployed right now anyway). this is not the moral dilemma, just context

what is the moral dilemma, is that I made a hoodie for my ex-boyfriend (they/it) back when we were together that is honestly sick as hell. this hoodie is the work I'm most proud of. I put a lot of love into it and promised it to them as a late Christmas gift since it took me way longer to do than I had planned for.

however. before I could mail it out this ex broke up with me in a pretty horrible way, confessing:

It actually struggled to view me as a real person and not an object or diety of some kind*

they'd been lying to me about being okay with not having sex in a relationship (despite me checking in very frequently about whether or not it could really handle that and offering multiple times for some manner of polyamory), because

it was hoping I would stop being asexual so I would fuck them eventually (or that it would become asexual to resolve the issue that way)

so obviously we are no longer on speaking terms because that was terrible to go through and on top of all of that, during our final conversation(s) they kept passively referring to me like I was an object or a toy for them which did not play well with my cPTSD. I still have a lot of conflicting feelings, which brings me to:

I promised this hoodie to them. it's theirs. and I don't want it in my apartment anymore because it just hurts to look at. i consider myself someone who keeps promises and I find them very important. I also absolutely have moral OCD about this + cPTSD about having to "make up for" the ways I feel like I'm a bad friend or partner by giving gifts like this. my ex gave me a lot of little gifts while we were together and I feel like I never gave enough back.

however

this hoodie is easily worth at least $50 if not $60. 3 weeks of careful work and the base itself cost $25 because it's an XXL and clothes manufacturers are dicks

my ex lives in Eastern Europe while im in the USA and with the tariffs and all that shit—mailing things to them was super expensive even before all of this nonsense and I dread thinking of how pricey it will be now

my friends all insist my ex doesn't deserve this gift since we broke up and because of how/why we broke up

so tl;dr my dilemma is...

options all based on my friends' responses

*[I worry as someone who deals with unreality myself I could have been more charitable in handling this but as someone who has trauma related to being treated as inhuman which is why I have unreality issues, no I could not. but I still feel a lot of guilt over the breakup as this honestly was a driving force even moreso than wanting to change my sexuality]

as a treat for making it through this post, here's the hoodie in question, handpainted bleach on cotton: