Search found 9 matches

by jayinhouston
December 22nd, 2009, 5:14 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: MG historical novel, query revised
Replies: 25
Views: 9256

Re: Query critique for MG historical novel

hey mark, hopefully i helped. like i said, i love historical fiction. sounds like the book has potential for action and emotion. and of course (most importantly in my eyes), a heaping helping of good old-fashioned patriotism.

good luck!
by jayinhouston
December 22nd, 2009, 3:33 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: MG historical novel, query revised
Replies: 25
Views: 9256

Re: Query critique for MG historical novel

I like the genre. After reading though, your query reads more like a synopsis than a query. The entire plot is spelled out in details which may make an agent think "Hmm. Interesting story, I bet that's a good book." But that's not the point. If you subtract some of the details and replace ...
by jayinhouston
December 17th, 2009, 6:33 pm
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: the secret to writing a query
Replies: 13
Views: 7434

Re: the secret to writing a query

Oh, I get what you guys are saying now. It's kind of like blacklisting adverbs and "was" verbs. True in most cases, but not always. I know a "rule": Don't tell anyone you're a first-time author. I heard that on a few message boards, and there were various reasons behind it. It's...
by jayinhouston
December 17th, 2009, 5:52 pm
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: the secret to writing a query
Replies: 13
Views: 7434

Re: the secret to writing a query

I understand what you're saying about confidence. Actually, I think that could apply to a lot of things--work your butt off, put your best effort out there, and be willing to see what happens. It sounds a lot like what Diana Peterfreund said in her blog once (trying to dig up a link somewhere) that...
by jayinhouston
December 17th, 2009, 2:14 pm
Forum: Finding An Agent
Topic: the secret to writing a query
Replies: 13
Views: 7434

the secret to writing a query

Let me first preface this by saying that I've not yet sent out a query, nor have I posted mine for review on this board, so I'm not sure how much truth there is to what I'm about to say. But I'm going to say it anyway. In reading some of these critiques, I'm amazed at how many of you are bogged down...
by jayinhouston
December 14th, 2009, 2:24 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Even Trees
Replies: 8
Views: 4174

Re: Even Trees

great premise.
by jayinhouston
December 10th, 2009, 7:23 pm
Forum: Ask Nathan
Topic: Old Ask Nathan Thread
Replies: 793
Views: 405103

Re: Ask Nathan

I'm not sure how it's possible to not know if you've been included in a memoir if you know the author. I haven't read Obama's memoir, but if he mentions a lesson he learned from his 3rd grade teacher, you can Google that information and find it. Is it more important that they're not able to recogniz...
by jayinhouston
December 10th, 2009, 7:02 pm
Forum: Ask Nathan
Topic: Old Ask Nathan Thread
Replies: 793
Views: 405103

Re: Ask Nathan

Hey Nathan, I'm working on a comedic memoir/collection of essays. So in other words, they're common stories told through the eyes of an uncommonly handsome man. I'm almost finished and hope to query you soon. I'm currently working on a story that covers all the lowlights of my unheralded football c...
by jayinhouston
December 10th, 2009, 6:35 pm
Forum: Ask Nathan
Topic: Old Ask Nathan Thread
Replies: 793
Views: 405103

Re: Ask Nathan

Hey Nathan, I'm working on a comedic memoir/collection of essays. So in other words, they're common stories told through the eyes of an uncommonly handsome man. I'm almost finished and hope to query you soon. I'm currently working on a story that covers all the lowlights of my unheralded football ca...