Query Help

[ColGray]

Anyone have experience with writing effective agent query letters and/or who would be willing to help me workshop mine? I've read about them, read queryshark, read other postings, done some prior posts on the reddit /tradpub forum for help and the comments were.... unhelpful (lots of, Here's why your book is unpublishable, and very few, Here's how you could improve the query letter--the point where I deleted the posts).

It is just a different skill and I'm struggling with it.

Thanks!

 

[The Judge]

Perhaps put up the relevant part of the query letter -- ie the mini-precis-cum-blurb about the novel, not your bio or credits -- in Critiques as that will probably get you most help. You could disguise it a little, eg changing names or some of the facts, if you're worried about it being on the open boards.

Meanwhile, I'll move this over to Writing Discussion as it's not so much a Publishing question.

 

[ColGray]

Oh, sorry, i took the agent-query process as central to the trad publishing route. Thanks for moving it!

 

[msstice]

the comments were.... unhelpful (lots of, Here's why your book is unpublishable, and very few, Here's how you could improve the query letter--the point where I deleted the posts).

I don't know why the reddit writing forums are like this. It could be a lack of moderation. I have a few (non-writing) reddit forums I hang out on, but for the rest I just don't bother engaging with because of this lack of productivity. Even so I will have the occasional hostile/rude reply to a post that is so out of left field I do wonder if it is some kind of experiment.

I'm so happy we have chrons.

 

[ColGray]

Right?? Some people just want an outlet for being a jerk!

Agreed - -sad it found me so long to find Chrons!