Twitter Tip Thursday (Agents and Querying Special)

Source

There were so many great tweets on agents and querying this week I thought I'd concentrate on those. So here they are:

When should you query:

There aren't rules about queries except what's in the agent's guidelines. No days are off limits. It's just weird getting them on a holiday. @RachelleGardner

Wise to Query Agents Around the Holidays? -- One Novelist's Opinion. http://tinyurl.com/yc3eauc @BookEditorLM

'Tis the season to query? http://bit.ly/fzMc35 via @QueryTracker @juliemusil

Query letters:

Agent Bob Silverstein On: Query Letter Tips: Four things that make a great letter.http://bit.ly/eo7yES @4KidLit

You know what really grinds my grits? When a published author thinks they get to not follow query directions. No shortcuts! Sorry! @Natalie_Fischer

I think it's cute that I'm getting queries from writers reassuring me this novel was not a @NaNoWriMo concoction. @ElanaRoth

I never need to know in your query EVER why you want to be a writer. I get it already. You wrote a freakin' book @ElanaRoth

How to interpret rejection letters:

Source

I think one thing you CAN read into is if you're ONLY getting form rejections. That should be a clear sign something is awry. @ElanaRoth

@ElanaRoth I don't know about you but I feel like there's a lot of stuff that's "good" but it has to be more than that... @sztownsend81

Yup. This. RT @micolz Don't know if it's been said but also important to look at agent criticism in aggregate @ElanaRoth

Most queries just get the "story isn't right for me." Seems the most basic way I can boil it down. Something isn't right for me. @ElanaRoth

"Not enough hook" can really be a death sentence. Have a CONCEPT and then a plot to expand that concept. @ElanaRoth

"Not enough hook" means I know I can't make that book sound exciting to an editor. @ElanaRoth

"Too close to something on my list" means just that. I have too many dystopians, or whatever. @ElanaRoth

Agents:

Getting The Call Means Your Work Gets Harder: Be sure you are ready to go pro. http://bit.ly/fKQflU @4KidLit

Agent Spotlight: Ann Behar: Looking for children's PB to YA as long as it's beautifully written. http://bit.ly/hxrqks @4KidLit

NEW: Open Forum over on the blog - questions answered! http://bit.ly/dmsmdO @Natalie_Fischer

Reversion of Rights: Important questions with excellent answers. http://bit.ly/dH6Wh9 @4KidLit

New Agent Alert: Stephanie DeVita of Dystel & Goderich guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/New+Agent… @juliemusil

Should you put feelers out before leaving an agent? http://ow.ly/3icR9 @Kid_Lit