Nathan Bransford - The Forums

Well said, imho.

steve wrote:I like Salinger.
....
He might be the first modern young adult author. No vampires or wizards; just smoking, cursing, chasing girls, and drinking.
I approve.

You can see the query thread at http://forums.nathanbransford.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1418 and also all the excellent advice I rec'd from other NB participants. Thanks for the good wishes! Go BigHeadX!!! Congratulations! That is soooooo great!!! Can I ask, what is your book about? (See, I don't...

Thanks, Hillary! Got another request for a partial this past weekend. The first partial sent me a very charming and informative reply when I explained the exclusive. And even said they would wait! :) Oh! I probably just misread. That's a nice timeline on an exclusive. Presumably you queried that age...

First agent requested full submission and 10-14 day exclusive. Second requested the partial (email rec'd today) and no exclusive. Sorry to confuse things. I'm red-faced because I forgot to mention that the full submission agency gave me a 10-14 day window. I have some experience with film agents and...

I'm red-faced because I forgot to mention that the full submission agency gave me a 10-14 day window.

I have some experience with film agents and in that world things are a bit wide-open and wild west, but I don't know proper literary agency protocol (yet).

Thanks!

I need some advice. Here's the situation: Last week an agency requested a full submission and asked me for an "exclusive" while they read my novel. I asked around (including published/represented authors) and was told that this is not unusual or unexpected. Since then, I have sent out no m...

Got a request for a full submission today. Received some very good query advice here at NB. Many thanks! Don't want to jinx it by spilling the name, but it's apparently a respected NY agency, if this and other forums are any indication. I won't quit my day job (day job? what's that?) but it's at lea...

Thanks, Quill! (Janet already left me behind as roadkill. Must have been the "fiction novel" gaffe. ;) ) You're the man. That is a super query. (Even so, I don't think you should put fiction and novel in the same sentence. It could be a killer for some agents.)(Such as Janet Reid, who I ho...

Yes, a grown man shouldn't cry, nor should he get giddy about a simple request for bio, synopsis, and first 50 pages, but, after a depressing string of "sorry, but..." responses, I am going to wrap my arms around my positive response and hug it all weekend.   ;) Below is the query draft th...

Looks as if you are receiving some fine advice here, but I just have a question. You said you are 7 pages into the story. Are you working from an outline? synopsis? Just curious. I am interested in how others work.
good luck!
John

It really shows how well you write your genre that you've gone through all these revisions and managed to keep your voice. I am going to add a few little things that occurred to me to go along with Quill's extensive (and impressive) critiquing. The first paragraph is awkward to read. There's too mu...

You certainly bring humor and a bit of new life to this suddenly modern genre, but this reader isn't sure if this is a query or a sketch. At about 365 words, some might think it too long and an agent may repeat may not appreciate your approach. That being said, with a bit of judicious editing this ...

FWIW: Very impressed with these observations! Friends, CHOICE ONE: Dear (Agent of choice), Presley O'Connor expects a memorable senior year. What she doesn't expect is the letter that arrives on her eighteenth birthday with her mutilated senior picture and a wish for a happy last birthday. A decent...