Highlights of Query Boot Camp w/ Janet Reid
Posted by Scott H. at 1/24/2010 5:32 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: submissions Fine Print Literary Janet Reid novels query letters agents
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: submissions Fine Print Literary Janet Reid novels query letters agents
Readers:
Yesterday, I attended "Query Boot Camp" with Janet Reid, a successful agent from Fine Print Literary Agency in New York City. For those young writers and readers, queries are letters writers send to literary agents or editors at publishing houses to generate interest in their work. The word 'query' means 'to ask or inquire about', so the query letter essentially asks,"Would you like to publish my book?"
During the two hour boot camp, Ms. Reid shared a number of wonderful pointers for query creation. Her most important observation of the day--don't take advice from anyone else but literary agents about how to construct a query letter. After all, they ARE the ones who read them each day. They know what they want.
The most difficult part of the query letter is the first few lines. This is where you tell the agent what the book is about. This includes:
a. Who is the main character?
b. What happens to him/her?
c. What choice does s/he face?
d. What terrible thing will happen because of his/her choice?
Sounds simple, right? You know your work better than anyone else. Easy in theory, but difficult in practice. Query letters should run around 250 words or less. Within that time, you must also include things like title, word count, and publishing credits (if you have them). This leaves precious little space to waste words. You must condense a manuscript of tens of thousands of words into an introductory sentence of twenty or less. Once you've captured their attention, you have roughly 100 words to answer the question, "what is this book about?" without retelling the entire story.
"Expect to spend two months writing a good, solid query letter," says Ms. Reid. After all, an author only get one shot at an individual agent, so the work better be polished.
For more detailed information, visit Janet's blog at http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com You won't be disappointed.
~Scott
"Live, Learn, Teach"
www.scotthbooks.com
Hey Mr. Heydt! It's Paige Rumble, just saying hi. I wanted to send you some of my book, but my email isn't working, so I thought that I would do it through your website. So, here goes.This is chapter Two.
Knock! Bang! Crash!
" Rose,come on! Open up the door already!" her mom yelled through the door.
" No mom! I want to bealone!" Rose sobbed.
" Come on Rose. Crying isn't going to bring Harry back. You know that."
" I don't care Mom! Just... just... just leave me alone, ok?"
"Ok, fine. I'll leave you alone. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me.
Three hours later, Rose finally stopped crying. She was still in shock, though. She couldn't believe that Harry was dead. A car accident, her mom had said. But that didn't make any sense. Harry always had his seatbelt on, and he always made sure that no one was coming the other way before he pulled out into the road.None of it made sense, but she would ask her mom about it later.
A soft knock at the door startled her out f her thoughts. " Come in." she wjispered. The door opened slowly, as if the person on the other side thought that she was going to throw something at them. The door opend, and Holly Bush poked her head around it.
" Rosie?" Holly asked tentativly.
" H... H... Hey, Holly."
" Are you ok? I know that youwere one of the closest to Harry. We just wany you to know that we are here for you."
" We? Is there someone else here?"
Holly smacked herself on the head.
" Ummm.... yeah. Andre's here."
That's not the end, but that's asmuch as I'm going to gice you right now. Tell me if you like it, please. I miss you so much. It sucks that you aren't back at school so that I can't come visit you. I'll talk to you soon. Byeee!!!!
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