Rachel·How important are comp titles?
- Rachael·
Hi Caitie,
What are your thoughts on comp titles? How recent and where do you like to see them in the query, at the beginning or towards the end?
Thanks so much!
R. Lille Moore - Pj McIlvaine·
What is your biggest turn off in a query?
- Averill·
Hi! I’ve been querying a book for about a year now. I’ve received a lot of requests, and an R&R or two, but no “yes” yet. I have a full out now, but I have a sudden idea for how to revise the manuscript. It would be a different book! If I end up revising it, can I query this to the same agents, especially the ones that requested it before? Or am I better to put my energy into my new project?
Hi Caitie! I think one of my main fears when going out to query is that my actual query is much weaker than my story, and I’ll use up all my agents before I have the chance to perfect it to get their eyes on my actual pages.
What are you biggest tips for how to structure your approach to sending out queries? For example, I’ve heard before to send out in batches of 10 with a handful of both dream agents and not. What do you think is the best method?
- T. James·
Any advice on how to tell if form rejections are a problem with the query or pages vs. just “not for them”?
- Carey Blankenship·
Hey Caitie! Thanks so much for doing this! Do you have any advice on how to strike the perfect balance between giving too much plot away in your query and not telling enough?
Do you like to know about other projects someone is working on, or should they only mention the one they are querying about?
Do you think it’s okay to write across genres? For example, if someone mostly writes picture books, but has also written a novel is that an advantage or disadvantage?
- Gwendolyn·
Hello,
How long is the ideal query? - Sandi van·
Are there particular time periods in history that you’d love to see or are tired of seeing?
- Gwendolyn·
Hi,
What is the most important thing in a query, and what is usually the biggest problem with queries? - Gwendolyn·
Hello,
What sort of thing in a query would get you automatically refused? - Sarah·
I’ve got a YA fantasy with 15yo MCs. I understand this is a hard age to write because it could go MG or YA. As someone who reps both, if you see a query for a YA story that you might sell better as a MG (or vice versa) how do you proceed? Is there anything that could be put in a query to help with this? Do you recommend using “clean teen” wording?
- Re·
Good Morning Caitie
I was wondering what the average (if there is one!) response time is for a full.
Also, if a few agents have requested a full but in the meantime I have rewritten some portions of the book, is it best to wait on their responses or do new queries w/the new version?
Thank you!
Re - Gwendolyn·
Hello,
Is a question an acceptable hook? Hello Caitie!
Thank you for answering our questions.I’ve recently left my agent; we parted amicably in December. My original project was barely shopped, it only went out to three imprints. Should I Query that project because it’s shiny and ready to go, or focus on my new book, which is even stronger, but won’t be ready to query until this simmer, when the market slows? I’m not sure what to do next.
- Katie Mastin·
Hi Caitie,
Thanks for taking the time to be here this morning. It’s much appreciated!!! I have a couple of questions (if you have the time).1) Do you like to see the word count/YA/comp titles in the top, bottom, or it doesn’t matter?
2) If I have a 15 year old protagonist, (and a clean storyline) does that still fall into YA?
3) What most stands out to you as an attention grabber in a query?
4) For all the writers of whom you ask pages, what percentage do you end up repping? (Ex. If you ask for pages from 100 writers, how many do you take on?)
Thanks again so much!!!!
- SusanAntony·
Out of 600 queries, how sparked your interest enough to request pages?
- Michelle·
How do you know if it’s the query or first few pages that needs tweaking if you keep getting form responses on a submission that includes the first few pages?
When using comps, is it better to specify what it is about the comp that is comparable to your manuscript?
- Jasmine·
Hi Katie!
If the book has a whimsical tone, is it important for that to translate into the query as well? (I found I was so focused on condensing all the information that I lost that tone!)
Thank you! - Michelle·
Does it matter if the person querying isn’t from an English-speaking country? Sometimes I wonder if it’s better not to include where I’m from.
- Alex Borns-Weil·
What are your thoughts on opening with a tag line, genre, word count and comps, vs. diving into the blurb?
- Michelle·
When you really like the sample, but feel it isn’t for you, do you always invite people to query something else?
- Michelle·
If you get a lot of “really like this, but don’t love it”, with no other critique, how can you use that to improve your work?
- Dayna Dunbar·
Hi Caitie,
I don’t know if I should describe my novel LEGACY OF ADYA as YA sci-fi adventure or YA speculative adventure. [And how important it is to make the right choice]
It tells the secret story of why the world did not end on December 21, 2012 as predicted by the Mayan calendar. It alternates POV between another planet and Earth, then merges on Earth where it turns into a Da Vinci code-like geo-quest with an alien and three humans trying to stop the Armageddon.
Thoughts?
Thanks so much!,
Dayna - Andrea Brame·
How far into plot does a strong query venture? Inciting incident? Climax? Somewhere in between? In your opinion, what’s just enough to convince an agent to make a request. Can you give away too much information?
- Jasmine·
Second question (if that’s alright):
Is it tacky to have the hook be a question? (I.e. “What if [this hypothetical situation that describes the hook]?”
Thank you! When you accept a new client and give editorial notes, how long will you and the new client spend on revisions before you think the manuscript is ready to submit to editors?
- jackie·
If we’re querying a Middle Grade Contemporary novel, is it appropriate to mention that it’s upper MG, so that when they see the word count, they can gauge if it falls in the right range for upper MG? Or should it just state MG? And what is the best word count range for upper MG?
- Shanice·
How do I figure out what comp to use for my query?
My dystopian book is about a black girl who has to dismantle systemic racism.
Divergent meets Dear Martin or The Hate You Give doesn’t exactly work.
Also, I’m struggling with the query itself because the book is a part of a series and the systemic racism isn’t actually dismantled until the last book.
HELP!
Thank You for your time. - Barbara·
Hi Caitie.
As a new author who tried to do everything right with my first book , I now realize I may have made some mistakes in my querying process. If I change my approach, can I re-submit to some of the same agents or submit to other agents within an agency I queried previously? Feel free to offer any suggestions.I believe in this project and want to make sure I at least get past the querying process and not have it eliminated at that point.
Thanks so much.
Barb - jackie·
I’ve heard from other agents that it’s ok for comps to give an “X meets Y” film comparison to capture the concept/theme, then mention two recent books to capture the audience for your book. Do you agree that’s a good approach?
- Kathy Panzella·
Is it OK to put a list of future books and characters when pitching an early chapter book series? And can you discuss this genre? Thank you.
What are the common problems you see in the sample pages?
- jackie·
If the story ultimately has a social justice plot ending, but discovering that would be an spoiler only included in the synopsis because it’s a hidden part of the stakes, do we allude to that in the comps section? For example: “…would appeal to readers who care about social justice, like fans of [X author and title]”?
- Rektok·
Hi Caitie!
What are the absolute upper and lower word count limits you will possibly consider in a query for a YA contemporary thriller. And why? - Hannah·
If a book is planned to be the first in a series and you like it, will you request a synopsis or anything of the next books?
- Danica·
Do you prefer to see a summary of the overall scope of the story, or only the first third reflected? (I’ve heard that some agents don’t want the rest of the book to be spoiled.)
- Sarah Suk·
Hi Caitie! If an agency sates that you should only submit to one agent at that agency, does that mean that if that agent passes, you can query other agents at that agency? Some places specifically say a no from one is a no from all while others say feel free to query others if you get a pass, but for those that don’t specify, what should we assume?
- jackie·
Once you’re repping a new agent, and you have a new manuscript that you think is amazing and editors will want, but will need some normal editing before you sub, do you ever give editors an informal heads up that you have something they’ll love?
When is it determined that a project will require a multi-house auction?
- Pj McIlvaine·
Like Eric Smith said yesterday, there is no book jail!
Do you prefer/expect a MS to have been professionally edited before the author queries you with it?
Thank you! This was really helpful and encouraging.
- Dayna Dunbar·
I’m trying to decide between describing the genre of my YA novel as sci-fi adventure of speculative adventure. Can you speak to the differences (is “speculative” less sought in the industry?). The reason I’m not clear is that it starts out on another planet but then moves to earth and turns into a geo-quest with humans. It doesn’t feel straight sci-fi… Thanks!
- Alex Borns-Weil·
Thanks so much, Caitie. This was really helpful.
Thanks for the Q&A session! I learned a lot.
- Erika·
What are those things that authors do that make you crazy? (both good crazy and bad cray-cray)
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