tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post1598104911696348544..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Query Question: A PitMad request with an open queryJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-59094202182172953872015-03-15T23:56:44.636-04:002015-03-15T23:56:44.636-04:00I like pie.
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I haven't been game for anythi...I like pie.<br />.<br />.<br />I haven't been game for anything like #PitMad, though I profess a curiosity. Anything that piques an agent's interest without engaging in any dodgy moral or ethical practices can't be too bad, right?<br />--------<br /><br />"Yes, but I've published three books and I'm working on seven more, how many have you published?"<br /><br />Cool, cool. So, how are sales?Her Grace, Heidi, the Duchess of Knealehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17818060864422019573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-89552215190027975152015-03-14T13:34:28.899-04:002015-03-14T13:34:28.899-04:00The rule of the Twitter pitch parties is that your...The rule of the Twitter pitch parties is that your MS must be ready to send out. Kara Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07147342389371681730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19226739756730241832015-03-14T13:32:20.378-04:002015-03-14T13:32:20.378-04:00Michelle Hauck does several--sun vs snow, Query Ko...Michelle Hauck does several--sun vs snow, Query Kombat, and Nightmare on Query Street.<br />I participated in Sun vs Snow this year because there was a mentor aspect: even if no agent chose to request pages from me, I was still going to get query feedback from an agented writer. I was lucky enough to get chosen for team snow, and got 1 request from an agent that recently upgraded to the full. But even if that doesn't work out, for me I feel like my query is ready to be sent out, and I might not have had that confidence without my mentor's help.<br />I also participated in PitMad, and I personally love it. I love meeting new writer friends and seeing what others are writing--great way to meet potential CPs. But I can easily see why it wouldn't be for everyone, and that's okay. I say no harm in trying!<br />For the record, because I made it to the agent round of SvS, I didn't submit to PitchMadness, and I will also be giving NestPitch and PitchSlam a miss. Nice to give others a try, plus there is a lot of agent overlap among contests.Kara Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07147342389371681730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-50895362246174766922015-03-14T09:00:47.443-04:002015-03-14T09:00:47.443-04:00Dena - I too need an uninterrupted block of time. ...Dena - I too need an uninterrupted block of time. It's good to try to actually write once in awhile.Timothy Lowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07514224628760035696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-48468007714485702632015-03-13T22:14:45.526-04:002015-03-13T22:14:45.526-04:00Thanks for the heads up, Jed!! I just looked and t...Thanks for the heads up, Jed!! I just looked and there were more negative than positive reviews about them so I've decided to pass. Nicole Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02862206960198749686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-10208872484086810952015-03-13T22:11:14.350-04:002015-03-13T22:11:14.350-04:00tlo – yes I have a Tweetdeck window open on my com...tlo – yes I have a Tweetdeck window open on my computer, and every few days I stare at it and wonder if I should take the plunge and try to figure out how to use it. But, as usual, life gets in the way. I need a dedicated block of uninterrupted time so I can get my head into it. I also have several emails that say “X person has added you on Google+” that I need to figure out the basics like what in the world does that even mean?!<br /><br />Mark - “we pre-published authors” - I love that! Pre-published, instead of unpublished. Thanks, I needed that.<br />Dena Pawlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14444683810125395220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-1663545279853151142015-03-13T21:46:38.931-04:002015-03-13T21:46:38.931-04:00Amy: Hope you and your family are doing okay.Amy: Hope you and your family are doing okay.Lizzie https://www.blogger.com/profile/15598041241979147543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-65636652692816346512015-03-13T21:42:01.580-04:002015-03-13T21:42:01.580-04:00Carolynn, Amy and her family fled to Papua a few d...Carolynn, Amy and her family fled to Papua a few days ago. Their boat is still in New Caledonia though and they don't know what it will be like when they return.Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-7697674591826952802015-03-13T21:14:20.615-04:002015-03-13T21:14:20.615-04:00I didn't participate this time, but I have in ...I didn't participate this time, but I have in the past. I got two legitimate favorites last time, as well as one from an editorial service and one from a small press. One rejection, one still outstanding (with a non-solicited progress email from the agent this week!).<br /><br />Reasons why I think it's great:<br />- You have to distill your story into about 124 characters (leaving room for the appropriate hashtags), and that is an amazingly difficult exercise.<br />- You get feedback within about 24 hours, which is a nice injection of instant gratification to a career that has little of that.<br />- You get to see what other people are pitching.<br />- You get to encourage other writers by retweeting their pitches (and hopefully get some of that encouragement yourself).<br />- Even if you don't get any favorites, you can connect with other people who write in your genre, and that is valuable in itself.<br />- You get to see what agents are favoriting, which gives you insight into what catches an agent's attention.<br /><br />For those who are interested in doing this in future, a relatively short amount of time on Google will bring up tips and rules of various Twitter pitch sessions, along with tips and hints. One person even posted a spreadsheet they use to check the length of their Tweets before trying to upload them. Tweetdeck is your friend when it comes to scheduling tweets. Twitter won't let you schedule identical tweets ahead of time, so every single pitch you post (which should be no more than 2 per hour per manuscript) has to be slightly different from the others. :)Stephanie Cainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07169145912195690598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-40985599072580987692015-03-13T21:02:56.483-04:002015-03-13T21:02:56.483-04:00It's important to me to be a part of this comm...It's important to me to be a part of this community, as well as all the other ones we're discussing, but with volumes ever increasing here and my being a late-comer (speaking of those of us who can't get on social media during the day - I don't come HERE either!).<br /><br />With no useful wisdom to offer and trying really hard to stay hot on the querying grind, I'll leave y'all with the knowledge that Penelolpe the Publishing Pup is chewing on Gossamer the Editor Cat, but he's more than awright and they both seem to enjoy a bit of play-fight.<br /><br />Fight's going out of me about now, but I did create a profile at the WriterPitch site proper, thanks to ... I think it was Julie who listed a slew of hashtags all at once? I really do apologize for being addlepated, the play-fight is going out of me at this hour! It doesn't mean I'm ungrateful for everything y'all teach this old dog.<br /><br />2Ns, I bestow upon you my "dagnab you are OSUM" for the day:<br /><br />THOU ROCKEST MIGHTILY WITH THY BAD SELF.<br /><br />... aaaaaaaaannnnnnd *conk!*DLMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08768285199864217885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-90650366627535566362015-03-13T20:46:39.743-04:002015-03-13T20:46:39.743-04:00Off topic. We need to keep Amy in our thoughts and...Off topic. We need to keep Amy in our thoughts and prayers. HUGE cyclone in her part of the world (New Caladonia)tonight. Hope her boat and family are okay.Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-48541259738552916832015-03-13T19:56:08.527-04:002015-03-13T19:56:08.527-04:00*laughing so hard* #tenqueries A query addressed t...*laughing so hard* #tenqueries A query addressed to Mr. Law. The agent is also a lawyer. Close enough, I guess.<br /><br />QOTKU will be getting one addressed to Ms. Shark soon perhaps.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05397201685135490220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-41923456717912702202015-03-13T19:29:29.022-04:002015-03-13T19:29:29.022-04:00Nicole, have you had look for the agent on the Abs...Nicole, have you had look for the agent on the Absolute Write forums, in the Bewares and Background Check area? <br />Jed Cullanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05366003552650790684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-90780799484027685122015-03-13T19:24:07.988-04:002015-03-13T19:24:07.988-04:00I got a favorite!! But I'm not sure what to do...I got a favorite!! But I'm not sure what to do. I researched the agent and found them listed on pred-Ed but not on querytracker. Anyone know which site is better to be on?Nicole Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02862206960198749686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-21127515810375736202015-03-13T18:13:38.773-04:002015-03-13T18:13:38.773-04:00@Rena - fantastic! Congratulations!!@Rena - fantastic! Congratulations!!Gingermollymarilynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15684318210445109786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-45444687706241094902015-03-13T17:20:48.905-04:002015-03-13T17:20:48.905-04:00I haven't done #MadDog. Heck, I hadn't ev...I haven't done #MadDog. Heck, I hadn't even heard of #PittBrad before today.<br /><br />The way I see it, the formal queries with invisible messages of "Pick Me! Pick Me! I'll bake brownies!" subliminally written in lemon juice on the page. If you get a paper cut from a letter containing lemon juice messages is it even more excruciatingly painful than usual? Sorry, squirrel moment.<br /><br />Where was I? Oh yeah, #PeachPit, right. So, as I was saying, we pre-published authors might pay $150 or more to go to a writers conference and another $50 to get five minutes face to face with one or two agents. But with #MittPad, we have a chance to get that one-to-one for free!<br /><br />I definitely plan on entering the next one and, when I win (which you know I will), I just want to ask you all to please not #GitMad.Rachel and Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210043425655962435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-65013895617043058542015-03-13T17:16:09.125-04:002015-03-13T17:16:09.125-04:00Agent Match and adpit or two more.Agent Match and adpit or two more.Kathryn Longhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11884435200482991498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-3856444897102410582015-03-13T16:48:10.155-04:002015-03-13T16:48:10.155-04:00I had several requests for my MS during a Twitter ...I had several requests for my MS during a Twitter contest (not pitmad) and have received one response -- a rejection. The agent had a sizable amount of pages to review. I appreciated getting a response, but disappointed it read like a form letter stating "I just didn't connect to the story as I hoped to". Kathryn Longhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11884435200482991498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-14457284585392764772015-03-13T16:02:31.045-04:002015-03-13T16:02:31.045-04:00And the training of the anti-orange hedgehog army ...And the training of the anti-orange hedgehog army is going pretty well. They'll be ready soon. And when they are, nothing will stop them. Nothing. I said NOTHING. Nothing at all. Except perhaps a belly tickle. Jed Cullanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05366003552650790684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35730768711987233972015-03-13T15:59:39.573-04:002015-03-13T15:59:39.573-04:00I corresponded with a brilliant agent because of i...I corresponded with a brilliant agent because of it and, although he said he loved it and made him laugh, he also said he didn't think he could sell it. Although a rejection for that pitch, he wants to see other stuff when finished. Maybe half a win, then.<br /><br />Which means I should be saying it's great. But I think it's very hit or miss, and sending a query in the normal submission way is better. That way you know the query is going to seen. Not a guarantee with twitter pitches. <br /><br />Although, saying that, it is interesting to see other pitches and to connect with other writers who are taking part.<br /><br />Maybe Janet should give it a go. #PitchTheShark<br />Jed Cullanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05366003552650790684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-70786837449376620572015-03-13T15:39:17.697-04:002015-03-13T15:39:17.697-04:00Dena,
If work doesn't allow you to get on Twi...Dena,<br /><br />If work doesn't allow you to get on Twitter, use Tweetdeck. I was able to schedule 24 tweets the night before, then check the results. (Or, in my case, non-results). I did jump on once around 4 pm and was astounded how fast they were flying. How anyone finds anything, much less a gem, in such a pile of rapidly moving slush is beyond me. They say that publishing is a slow moving industry. Not true of Pitmad, for sure.Timothy Lowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07514224628760035696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-73418630519679010772015-03-13T14:54:18.104-04:002015-03-13T14:54:18.104-04:00I did #pitmad once, and I likened it to keeping tr...I did #pitmad once, and I likened it to keeping track of a 200 mph whack-a-mole. Really overwhelming. Still, I may try it again someday.<br /><br />The contests question is a really good one. I'm a part of a group blog that does a contest about every other month, and we're discussing how to incentivize participation with all the other contests that have cropped up since ours started. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the next few years.Karen McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640324898284007337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19802323672960936632015-03-13T14:12:54.522-04:002015-03-13T14:12:54.522-04:00I'm not ready to query but may be the next tim...I'm not ready to query but may be the next time Pitmad is out. <br /><br />It does seem like a good exercise for the reasons Julie mentions. <br /><br />It's interesting to see what people are pitching and see what agents are requesting.<br /><br />@Rena I'm not surprised you found an agent. I clicked on your blog and saw that you are the 2014 NaNoWriMo winner. Congratulations.<br /><br /><br /><br />angie Brooksby-Arcangiolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08000615140577512304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-41991854614125460212015-03-13T14:07:37.324-04:002015-03-13T14:07:37.324-04:00Craig, yes, I know Brooks is, but agents like John...Craig, yes, I know Brooks is, but agents like John Silbersack of Trident were also in the mix and he's fairly experienced.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05397201685135490220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-6624490879386188292015-03-13T13:55:06.159-04:002015-03-13T13:55:06.159-04:00I wouldn't consider #pitmad a contest, in that...I wouldn't consider #pitmad a contest, in that there is not a limit to those who get favorited. Also, this forces you to think about how to pitch your book in an entirely different way, one that may prove useful, whether your tweet is favorited or not. One more thing: You may not be favorited because you missed a rule or detail, and it's up to you to go back to see if that may have been why you were not favorited. It's a form of self-editing.Dave Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15044571494107724455noreply@blogger.com