Nathan Bransford - The Forums

That stuff about myself in the last paragraph was meant for this forum only. LOL!

Also, I'm going to have to re-write that long sentence. I wrote that last night, and posted it five minutes later. It sucks. Thanks for the encouragement though.

Okay, I attempted to incorporate a part of the race into the query. I think I know what some of you are going to say next - namely, that the new sentence is 'too long'. A 'long sentence' like the one I've written below, however, should communicate to anybody reading this query that the novel is aime...

Hmm, okay, more about the plot then. And more about the characters, and how they interact. Jesus. I have no idea how I'm going to accomplish this - so much nonsense happens in this story. For example: How am I going to explain how Waldo finds himself in the jungle in India, walking a tightrope over ...

Ink, So you're saying that my present query, on page one of this thread, doesn't work for you... like, at all... and that you want me to explain the novel from start to finish? Okay, now I'm seriously confused. I thought that a query letter was supposed to intrigue the agent? What you're asking me t...

Thanks. You've blogged about query letters before, obviously - but if I were to read your own query letter I believe it would give me a much better insight as to what you're looking for as an agent. Also, completely off topic, but somebody said to me that San Francisco is fast becoming America's sec...

Why did I write the novel, and why should anyone read it? For fun maybe? Why can't we read simply for the sheer pleasure of it? I would say that books like THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY are pretty meaningless. They're just fun books, written to entertain. And in my opinion, there aren't enoug...

Thanks.

I posted a query letter in the appropriate sub-section of your forum, and have been revising the letter based on the suggestions made by other forum members (a few of whom I appear to have pissed off). Some of the suggestions were wonderful, and strengthened my letter (I think), but I explained that...

I meant the story itself. Not the thread. I was wondering why some people seem to be taking THE STORY so seriously - it's supposed to be a fun, enjoyable read. I can't really go into deep explanation of the plot - it's just a silly book. Sir Hugo's age, for example, is irrelevant! The amount of mone...

I'm neither surprised nor confused, Username. The difference is Waldo. The adventure-seeking young orphan has more immediate appeal than any of his siblings. Put him back in. Acknowledge he is Sir Hugo's outcast son, and give us a highlight or two from the actual race. You can see in the thread tha...

And what 'occupies' the book?

It's about a race around the world! Don't over-think it!

Was it not obvious that 'Crumpet Towers' and 'Crumpet Toothpicks' were meant to communicate that the story is... over the top... silly... completely tongue in cheek? Why are people taking this so seriously? If you were to read about a guy living in a place called 'Crumpet Towers' of all things, and ...

The most worrying thing you wrote, Quill, is you believe the story to be aimed at 'middle grade' readers. In my query letter to agents I said up front that this story is really a children's book written for adults. The style is inappropriate for immature readers. The people who have responded enthus...

I printed my original query, and the revised query, on a single sheet of paper and took the paper with me to my favorite coffee shop, and sat there for about three hours and asked the patrons I'm acquainted with, and also the employees, which query they liked the best. Out of the eleven people I ask...

THE INCREDIBLE RACE (60,000 words) Sir Hugo Cornelius Crumpet, the multi-millionaire owner of the world's largest toothpick manufacturing company, Crumpet Toothpicks, has passed away. Sir Hugo’s offspring have assembled at Crumpet Towers, believing his estate will be divided equally amongst the six ...