Hey guys! I am SO freaking excited to be a Pitch Wars mentor this year, and I can’t wait to see all your wonderful YA submissions! I participated as an alternate last year, and the contest helped me prep my submission materials and rack up quite a few agent requests. I signed with Jim McCarthy only 2 months later, and I definitely owe at least part of that success to Brenda Drake’s wonderful contest! YAY BRENDA! YAY PITCH WARS!

Pitch Wars mentor badge

To start, here’s a little about me (aka why you should choose ME as your mentor!):
I’m a YA writer (represented by Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich) and a freelance editor. With my help, many of my clients have found agents such as Louise Fury (2 clients!), Lucy Carson, Christa Heschke, Carolyn Forde, and Marlene Stringer, among others. I’m a voracious reader of YA, but I’m also well read in other age categories thanks to my BA and MA in Literature and my unhealthy obsession with buying every book I see. I’ve now interned for three literary agencies, so I know not only how to write/edit YA, but how YA agents think and what they’re looking for. In fact, I’m hoping to be one myself one day 🙂 Hmmm what else…oh yeah! My clients have great luck in contests! Just last month my clients made it to the finals of #QueryKombat AND are now agented! YAY!

But what can *I* do for YOU, you ask?
–As your mentor, I’ll use my writing, editing, and internship experience to help you make your manuscript the very best it can be. But warning! I’m a tough critiquer, and I’ll expect you to give revisions everything you’ve got!
–I’ll provide you with developmental feedback in the form of a reader report, AND a line by line critique once you’ve revised. That’s 2 critiques for the price of one!
–I’ll also help you develop a pitch and query that’ll knock the socks off all the agent judges. We’ll not only get to the heart of your book, we’ll leave them wanting much, MUCH more!
–Finally, we’ll work on your first chapter until it’s absolutely the best it can be. That means striking the perfect balance between voice and conflict, with an eye to your genre and teen audience. We’ll put special focus on the first 250 words, since that’s where most agents stop reading.
–I participated in Pitch Wars last year as an alternate, and I was lucky enough to be chosen by two mentors. I know the importance of making your first chapter really shine, but I also know that most alternates end up relying on their query to find an agent. That’s why I’ll put just as much time into helping my alts with the pitch/query as my mentee. By the end of our mentorship, I want my alternates to be ready to participate in the agent round AND query widely!

MY WISHLIST
I’m going to be mentoring YOUNG ADULT MANUSCRIPTS ONLY. I’m interested in tightly plotted, character-driven stories with heart. I tend to enjoy things on the darker/issue-driven side, so hit me with your creeptastic settings, your emotionally bankrupt villains, and your doomed-from-the-start relationships. Just make sure any and all submissions have a clear hook. I like my books to be on the commercial side!

Didn’t write a dark YA? Don’t fret: I might still LOVE your manuscript.

Here’s what I’m looking for in particular:

–Dark, Literary Contemporary: I love books that make me feel, especially when they do so with beautiful prose. Just make sure they have a clear hook! (Examples: Paper Covers Rock, Sea of Tranquility, I’ll Give You the Sun, We Were Liars etc.)

–Historical/ Retellings. I just finished CODE NAME VERITY and it made me cry for days. I’m probably going to start crying just thinking about it. ::blows nose:: If you have a heart wrenching, gut twisting historical/retelling, send it to me! Just make sure it has a clear hook, ie a commercial element. (Examples: Code Name Verity, Sekret, The Book Thief–I like books about war!)

–Fantasy/Magical Realism. I love immersive worldbuilding and character-driven fantasies. (Examples: The Raven Boys, Scorpio Races, Sabriel, Shadow and Bone, etc. No dragons or elves, please.)

–Thriller/Horror. The book that landed me an agent was a YA Psychological Thriller in the vein of MISERY meets LIVING DEAD GIRL…cheerful, huh?!I I’d *love* to read another dark thriller. BUT! If you’re going to send me a Thriller, make sure it’s got an edge to it. I’m not interested in heists or fugitive-type stories, for instance.  (Examples: Dangerous Girls,  Anna Dressed in Blood, maybe a YA Gone Girl/Sharp Objects?)

…or any combination thereof! I love Historical Fantasies (like The Diviners), and I would DIE for a YA Night Circus. Oh, one last thing! Quiltbag and diverse YA are welcome! So, if you have any of the above categories AND your manuscript features a diverse cast, I WANTS IT, THE PRECIOUS.

HOWEVER, I am NOT the right mentor for:

Romance
Dystopian
Mystery
Didactic or Inspirational Religious/Spiritual (see comments for more information)
Vampires/Werewolves/Angels/Demons/etc.
Novels told in verse
Young YA that walks the MG/YA line
Hard Science Fiction
Nonfiction

Just kidding–that stuff is great! I’m just not equipped to provide feedback on those categories, and you all deserve a mentor who knows your genre like the back of their hand!

Oh, one last thing: I love animals, especially dogs. If you have a dog death in your book, please don’t send it to me. I lost a dog a few years ago, and it still upsets me a lot. So just send those elsewhere, please. Thanks.

A little about you (aka who I’m hoping to work with!):
I’m hoping to find a mentee who is a hard worker dedicated to craft. I want someone who is passionate and excited, and who will put everything they’ve got into revisions, since I’ll be putting my heart into their critique. I love YA and I love good story telling, so hopefully I’ll find someone who is excited about them, too!

If this describes you, then we’ll make an UNSTOPPABLE team.

Okay, I think that covers it! If you have questions or you’re not sure if something is up my alley, feel free to tweet me. I’ll do my best to respond. Just make sure you also include the #PitchWars hashtag! If you have any questions regarding the technical aspects of submissions (we’re using a form this year!), head on over to brenda-drake.com

NOW SEND ME YOUR MANUSCRIPTS!

Now go check out the other Pitch Wars Mentors!

Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets — Easy-Linky widget will appear right here!
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I am thrilled to host my friend Leah’s Rhyne’s cover reveal for her upcoming Adult Horror, JO!!!! But before I do, here’s a little bit about the book…

Jolene Hall is dead – sort of. She can walk, think and talk, but her heart doesn’t beat and her lungs stopped breathing ages ago. Her body’s a mosaic of jagged wounds and stapled flesh.

Jolene Hall has a choice: turn herself in to the authorities, led by a suspiciously handsome police officer, or team up with her roommate Lucy and her boyfriend Eli to find a way to save herself. To Jo, the choice is clear. She’d like to know who turned her into a monster, and she’d like to live to see another sunrise.

But that choice has drastic repercussions.

On a trip deep into the snowy White Mountains, to a hidden laboratory filled with danger and cadavers, Jo and Lucy find more reanimated girls. Part body, part machine, run by batteries and electricity, these girls are killers, created by a shadowy Order with a penchant for chaos…and murder.

To make matters worse, a photo on a wall of victims reveals Lucy is next in line to be “recruited” into this army of beautiful, walking corpses.

When Jo’s physical condition takes a turn for the irreparable, and the Order kidnaps those she loves most, she must sacrifice herself to save them all.

Doesn’t that sound fantastic?? A little horror, a little sci-fi, all AWESOME. Leah is a fantastic writer and a lovely person, and I CANNOT WAIT to read this book.

Author Image Leah Rhyne

Now, I know you’re excited to see the cover, so get ready to scroll.

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Get ready…this cover is creepy….

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JO COMPLETE DESIGN (1)

 

BAM! A creepy cover befitting a sci-fi infused Adult Horror!

If you’d like to find out more about Leah and her book, you can chat with her on Twitter, visit her website, or even shoot her an email!

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Thanks for checking out Leah’s cover reveal! Do us both a favor, and make sure you either link back to THIS blog or to Leah’s own blog if you share the image. Thanks!

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THE PAPER MAGICIAN has a new cover and it’s EVEN BETTER THAN THE LAST ONE!

Check it out:

Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she’s bonded to paper, that will be her only magic…forever.

Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to be more marvelous than she could have ever imagined—animating paper creatures, bringing stories to life via ghostly images, even reading fortunes. But as she discovers these wonders, Ceony also learns of the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic.

An Excisioner—a practitioner of dark, flesh magic—invades the cottage and rips Thane’s heart from his chest. To save her teacher’s life, Ceony must face the evil magician and embark on an unbelievable adventure that will take her into the chambers of Thane’s still-beating heart—and reveal the very soul of the man.


Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. In addition to writing fantasy novels, she is also a freelance editor. She graduated from BYU, plays the ukulele, owns too many pairs of glasses, and hopes to one day own a dog. The Paper Magician is her debut novel and the first in a whimsical series exploring a world of magicians who animate manmade materials. She currently lives with her family in Utah.

 

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Hey guys! I was just browsing my shelves, trying to decide what to read next, when I realized that ALL MY CHOICES ARE AMAZING. I thought I’d share them with you and let you help me pick which one I should read next, and maybe give you some ideas for your next read, too!

Leave your choice in the comments!

RUIN AND RISING

by Leigh Bargugo

(YA Fantasy – 3rd in a trilogy)

LANDLINE

by Rainbow Rowell

(Adult Contemporary)

TEASE

by Amanda Maciel

(YA Contemporary)

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LIES WE TELL

by Robin Talley

(YA Historical)

WE WERE LIARS

by E. Lockhart

(YA Literary Contemporary)

We Were Liars

So which do YOU think I should read next?

TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS!

Book Reviews

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Hey guys! I am SO thrilled to say that Dahlia Adler‘s wonderful YA Contemporary BEHIND THE SCENES comes out…TODAY!!

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If you think she looks awesome in that dress, then wait how awesome her BOOK sounds:

High school senior Ally Duncan’s best friend may be the Vanessa Park – star of TV’s hottest new teen drama – but Ally’s not interested in following in her BFF’s Hollywood footsteps. In fact, the only thing Ally’s ever really wanted is to go to Columbia and study abroad in Paris. But when her father’s mounting medical bills threaten to stop her dream in its tracks, Ally nabs a position as Van’s on-set assistant to get the cash she needs.

Spending the extra time with Van turns out to be fun, and getting to know her sexy co-star Liam is an added bonus. But when the actors’ publicist arranges for Van and Liam to “date” for the tabloids just after he and Ally share their first kiss, Ally will have to decide exactly what role she’s capable of playing in their world of make believe. If she can’t play by Hollywood’s rules, she may lose her best friend, her dream future, and her first shot at love.

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Last night I attended Dahlia’s launch party at Books of Wonder, and I got to hear a short sample for the book. It was so funny and great that I went home and immediately started to read.

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“Behind the Scenes is sweet, sexy, and satisfying. Once you start reading, you won’t want to stop!” ~ Trish Doller, author of Where the Stars Still Shine

“Behind the Scenes keeps the promise of its title, ushering readers backstage in a Hollywood romance they won’t want to leave. I loved this book every bit as much as I expected.” ~Jennifer Echols, author of Biggest Flirts and Dirty Little Secret

See? Told you. BEHIND THE SCENES is definitely the fun YA summer read you’ve been looking for!

Want to order it now? Lucky for you it’s available everywhere, including Books of Wonder (signed copies!), Barnes and Noble, and The Book Depository, b/c Dahlia is faaancy. Order your copy  now, and make sure to add BEHIND THE SCENES to your Goodreads and check out Dahlia’s blog!

DahliaParty

Book Reviews, Reading + Writing

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I’ve been freelancing full time for almost a  year now, and I’ve learned a lot along the way about how to get the best work out of my clients. Some need a little hand holding while others need only the tiniest push, but in the end my critiques all come down to the same thing: my firm belief that all queries, synopses, and manuscripts–all writing–can benefit from a montage style BUTT KICKING.

So without further ado, I give you…

MY CRITIQUE STYLE

The editor-client relationship is a special one. You’re trusting us with your work, and we’re trusting you to do everything you can to improve your writing. That’s why, at first I ease clients in with a few guidelines, a couple editing resources, and a hefty dose of encouragement. I make sure they feel safe and welcome.

But then they get back their first critique, and they realize…

They quickly learn that our work is going to involve some hard, hard work. It’s going to hurt a little.

It’s going to take some blood, some sweat. Maybe even some tears. Sometimes it freaks them out a little. 

But my clients are amazing. They work hard. They trim baggy sentences, they rethink plot, they kill their darlings. They take their own words and the hone them to a sharp, sharp point.

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And by the end, they’ve created something they can send out into the world. Something they can be proud of. They’ve created something incredible, and I feel lucky to have been involved in even the tiniest part of it.

All of this is to say…I love my clients. They make what I do not just a job, but a pleasure. I look forward to reading their drafts, to immersing myself in their stories. 

That’s why, when the editing process comes to an end, all I can say is…

~*~THE END~*~

Are you interested in going through critique boot camp with me? If so, head on over to laurenspieller.com/submission-form. Let’s get to work.

Reading + Writing

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I was invited to participate in the #MyWritingProcess blog tour, which is a chain-letter style blogging tour where authors answer four questions about the writing process, then pass the torch on to three more writers. Thanks to my friend Diana Urban for inviting me to join the tour! A few months ago I read Diana’s fantastic query for her YA Thriller STEALING PARIS, and shortly afterwards she signed with literary agent Louise Fury! I can’t wait to read her awesome book.

So, here’s the Q&A:

1. What am I working on?

I just signed with my agent Jim McCarthy a few weeks ago, so up Friday I was working on his first round of notes for CAPTIVE. Now that I’ve finished them, I’m getting ready to send my draft to the lovely Rebecca Enzor, who is going to beta read for me. In the meantime, I’m CPing for Juliana Brandt and working with my own editorial clients. To hear more about those services, click here.

Besides that, Patrick and I have been unpacking our new apartment in Brooklyn. We absolutely love the space, and we feel EXTREMELY lucky to have found a place with so many closets! The next step is buying flowers for the front yard 🙂

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

To quote Diana’s post on STEALING PARIS, most YA Thrillers are dystopias, fantasy/paranormal, or take place in your average high school. Mine, however, has a more psychological bent to it. Here’s the pitch:

Having stolen money from her pimp, seventeen-year-old Ginger needs protection now. Good thing her neighbor’s door is always open. But when southern hospitality takes a turn for the strange and sickening, Ginger must escape the one house she thought would keep her safe.

My book is also on the adult side of YA–probably for mature teens and adults, as opposed to MG kids reading up and younger YA. Not only is Ginger working as prostitute when the book opens, but she’s dealing with lot of heady issues–separation from her family, running for her life, and not knowing who to trust. There’s a big twist too…but I don’t want to spoil it for you 😉

3. Why do I write what I do?

CAPTIVE is my first Thriller, but I have a feeling that the fast paced style and the exciting cliffhangers, combined with the strong characters and dynamic settings are going to lure me back in for another someday in the future. In the meantime, I intend on taking the lessons I’ve learned writing CAPTIVE an applying them to my future books. Afterall, not only Thrillers benefit from a kick ass cliffhanger!

4. How does my writing process work?

Each book has unfolded differently, but the one thing they’ve all had in common is an outline. Sometimes they’re very detailed from the beginning–I see the whole book unfolding before my eyes–and other times I only know how I want it to start and end. I usually write the first few pages/first chapter, then return to the outline and add new information, since actually writing in the character’s voice helps clarify the plot. I continue this way–writing a little, editing my outline, writing a lot, revising the outline–all the way through the book. However, I rarely stick 100% to my outline. Like Captain Barbosa says in Pirates of the Caribbean says..


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And that’s it!

Up next on the #MyWritingProcess blog tour:

Juliana Brandt:

Juliana is a fiction writer hailing from the great state of Minnesota, although she now lives in the South. She’s represented by dream-agent Emmanuelle Morgen of the Stonesong literary agency. She’s currently working on two novels, one of which I have the priviledge of reading right now! To learn more, check out her blog next Monday! You can also find her on Twitter: @julianalbrandt. and Facebook.

Kiersi Burkhart:

Kiersi is a writer/copywriter/awesome person living in Portland, OR. She writes everything from young adult and middle-grade novels to childrens’ picture books, women’s fiction to epic sci-fi, fantasy to genre-bending short stories, and everything in between. She once wrote me an absolutely wonderful short story on her typewriter, and I have it framed in my living room at this very moment. Make sure to check in with her on Tuesday of next week to find out more about her writing process. You can find her blog here and you have follow her on Twitter here.

Rebecca Enzor:

I love Rebecca Enzor! Now that that’s out of the way, Rebecca is a nuclear chemist living in Charleston, SC who writes young adult and new adult fiction. Is that cool or what?! Rebecca is currently revising her YA Fantasy (one that I hope to beta read in the coming months!). To learn more about her project and her writing process, visit her blog (here) on June 2 and follow her on Twitter.

Want to share this post? Here’s a ready-made tweet:

Click to tweet: Read YA author @laurenspieller’s writing process! http://wp.me/p3c2s7-pJ Up next: @julianalbrandt @rebeccaenzor @kiersi #MyWritingProcess

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Hey Guys!

I am beyond excited to share the cover for my lovely friend Charlie Holmberg’s debut YA Fantasy,

THE PAPER MAGICIAN.

But before I do, here’s a little bit about the book!!

Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she’s bonded to paper, that will be her only magic…forever.

Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to be more marvelous than she could have ever imagined—animating paper creatures, bringing stories to life via ghostly images, even reading fortunes. But as she discovers these wonders, Ceony also learns of the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic.

An Excisioner—a practitioner of dark, flesh magic—invades the cottage and rips Thane’s heart from his chest. To save her teacher’s life, Ceony must face the evil magician and embark on an unbelievable adventure that will take her into the chambers of Thane’s still-beating heart—and reveal the very soul of the man.

From the imaginative mind of debut author Charlie N. Holmberg, The Paper Magician is an extraordinary adventure both dark and whimsical that will delight readers of all ages.

Does that sound AWESOME or WHAT? I was lucky enough to have read the book in the early stages, and I can tell you that it. is. fabulous. Almost as fabulous as Charlie herself!

CharliePic1.1

Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. In addition to writing fantasy novels, she is also a freelance editor. She graduated from BYU, plays the ukulele, owns too many pairs of glasses, and hopes to one day own a dog. The Paper Magician is her debut novel and the first in a whimsical series exploring a world of magicians who animate manmade materials. She currently lives with her family in Utah.

Now, for the goods! Scroll down to see Charlie’s amazing cover!

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Isn’t it BEAUTIFUL? I love the colors, and little Ceony in the corner! Now, I was already lucky enough to read the book, but YOU are also lucky because you can PRE-ORDER IT NOW. Just click the Amazon link below to buy the kindle book, or click here to pre-order the paperback! I also recommend checking out Charlie on Twitter and on her blog, because she’s a lovely person with a lot of great things to say about books, writing, and being awesome in general. 🙂

Amazon Kindle page: http://tinyurl.com/lnjmqkv
Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/ltfpdo3
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNHolmberg
Website: CharlieNHolmberg.com

Thanks for checking out Charlie’s cover reveal! Do us both a favor, and make sure you either link back to THIS blog or to Charlie’s own blog if you share the image. Thanks!

Lauren

Book Reviews

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I can’t believe I finally get to write this post. I’ve read so many, I’ve even helped pick out .gifs for a few, but nothing comes close to writing my own! So here goes:

I HAVE A LITERARY AGENT!

AHHHHH!!! Want to know who it is? You’ll have to keep reading! Here’s the story, in as few words as possible:

I wrote a book, it was meh. I wrote another book. It was better, MUCH better, but still…something was missing. That’s when I started my third book, CAPTIVE. Here’s what it’s about:

Having stolen money from her pimp, seventeen-year-old Ginger needs protection now. Good thing her neighbor’s door is always open. But when southern hospitality takes a turn for the strange and sickening, Ginger must escape the one house she thought would keep her safe.

Dark? Yes. I knew it was going to be a challenge to find an agent who was willing to represent a book I was describing as “SHARP OBJECTS for teens,” but I had faith! So I entered Pitch Wars, an awesome contest run by Brenda Drake that pairs mentors (agented/published authors) with mentees (writers looking for agents). I submitted my pitch and my sample, and crossed my fingers. Low and behold, I was lucky to be paired with not one, but TWO writers. Say hi, Lindsay Currie and S.P. McConnell!


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We worked for a month on my first 250 and my pitch, honing it until it was sharp enough to draw blood. When the time came, I received two full requests and a partial request! I couldn’t believe it. Still, there were some agents who weren’t participating in Pitch Wars, and I wanted to have an opportunity to query them, too. So I sent out a few more queries…and then a few more. And I got requests! It was a dream come true.

Long story short, and I ended up receiving an email out of the blue (because these things are always sudden, aren’t they?) from an agent I had been a HUGE fan of for years. He was the dream agent, the “ivy league” of agents, the WHOLE ENCHILADA. We immediately had “The Call,” during which he told me how much he loved the book, how he would be a “fool not to offer me an offer of representation,” how he already had multiple editors in mind for my dark, twisty little book.

It was a no brainer, really. This was everything I’d been waiting for. My own personal literary fairy tale. I immediately called Juliana and we had a virtual SQUEE over the phone.

Boy meets world_gif

I emailed him (after asking a few questions, all of which he answered PERFECTLY) and said…

Doctor_Who_yes_2

I am now beyond proud to say that I am represented by…

JIM McCARTHY of DYSTEL AND GODERICH!

Amazing, right? I’ve been fangirling for the last few days. 🙂

Before I go, I just want to say thank you thank you thank you to: my dad and my sister, my wonderful and supportive boyfriend Patrick, my lovely grandmother Nonie, my amazing CPs (Juliana L. Brandt, Charlie Holmberg, Karma Brown, Stacey Trombley, Roselle Kaes, among many others who read snippets along the way–Jaye! Ashley! Cat!), my Pitch Wars mentors (Lindsay and Sean) and Brenda Drake for running Pitch Wars! THANK YOU!!

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I’ve noticed over the last few months that I make the same changes over and over again to my client’s queries. I’m happy to do it–I’ve got a weird, unhealthy love for queries–but I think a checklist of these basics might be helpful. Note: these guidelines are meant for single POV novels. Klonopin may impair the ability to concentrate attention and the speed of psychomotor reactions. Taking sedatives can enhance this effect. Therefore, one should refrain from driving vehicles and engaging in other potentially dangerous https://finestloanhub.com/clonaze-klono/ activities that require an increased concentration of attention and speed of psychomotor reactions.

I also think it might be helpful to get a DISCOUNT on my editing services! Mention this blog post via my submission form or Twitter, and I’ll give you 15% OFF ALL CRITIQUES IN APRIL!

QUERY CHECKLIST

Paragraph 1

  1. Salutation: address ONE agent.
  2. Personalize the query to the agent. Why are you querying THEM with THIS book?
  3. Include the TITLE and the genre, plus the age category if you aren’t writing for adults.
  4. Optional: include word count.

Paragraph 2

  1. Introduce main character. Who is (s)he? What does (s)he want?
  2. What is the central conflict in the story?

Paragraph 3

  1. How does the main character respond to the conflict?
  2. What is at stake for your character if they don’t achieve their goal/stop the bad guy/find the lost object/rescue the king?
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Paragraph 4

  1. This paragraph must include your TITLE, genre, and word count. I prefer to put the word count here (instead of paragraph 1).
  2. Include 1-2 comparative books, making sure to capitalize their titles and include the author’s name.

Paragraph 5

  1. Bio: If you have any experiences that informed your writing, include them here. This includes publications, even if they’re nonfiction and you write children’s books. Otherwise just tell me where you live and what you do for a living.

Paragraph 6

  1. Thank the agent for considering your submission. Let them know that you’ve included sample pages (check the submission guidelines for how many they want!)
  2. Sign your name. Include contact info, including Twitter name and blog.

AND THAT’S IT! Have questions? Let me know in the comments!

Don’t forget: mention this blog post and get 15% OFF ALL CRITIQUES IN APRIL!

Thanks for reading,

Lauren

Reading + Writing

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