tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post3270646804696863947..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Your query is not a telephone book*Janet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12776717826321378352019-09-04T22:55:58.325-04:002019-09-04T22:55:58.325-04:00One of Jeckle's favourite dragon series has ne...One of Jeckle's favourite dragon series has nearly every character start with the same letter (because it's a dragon thing). Took me 3 goes at getting past the first 5 pages, and I kept losing track of who was who. Of course, Jeckle had no trouble - he said it's an age thing *eye roll*AJ Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04529233142099749005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-91112718641022670342019-09-03T22:45:27.458-04:002019-09-03T22:45:27.458-04:00Character soup is not my problem, I name the two M...Character soup is not my problem, I name the two MCs and refer to the antagonist as the best friend. Each time I think I finally have a query that works, I let it sit for a day or two and when I come back someone in the meantime had the nerve to switch it with one that sucks.<br /><br />I hope you enjoyed your time off, Janet. As much as we loved seeing some adorable furry friends, it's good to have you back.LynnRodzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10796099106913990163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-25473057022836341902019-09-03T14:09:49.498-04:002019-09-03T14:09:49.498-04:00I have a story in which the protagonist and narrat...I have a story in which the protagonist and narrator is an unnamed 'I'. This character is also never referred to as 'he' or 'she' by anyone else. Writing a query for this one, if it ever gets finished, will likely be a challenge...Kate Larkindalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06202347563426692610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-15595550541391606242019-09-03T13:15:06.492-04:002019-09-03T13:15:06.492-04:00Thanks Lennon, it looks like we'll be fine, ex...Thanks Lennon, it looks like we'll be fine, except for having a whole holiday weekend sucked out of the matrix of time and space.<br /><br /><i>Telephone Book</i> is a last millennium concept, not just last century.Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-83864251418397555652019-09-03T12:34:47.800-04:002019-09-03T12:34:47.800-04:00Lenon, that happens to me, too. I hate it when I h...Lenon, that happens to me, too. I hate it when I have to page back two-hundred pages to discover this person who sneaked in with the cleaning crew is the MC's estranged sister. We need a little context, like those TV shows. "Last time on Gilligan's Island..." <br /><br />BTW Telephone books are an excellent writer resource. When I name a character, and his last name pops into my head, I'm suspicious it's a famous name, e.g. John Wayne, so I look in the Ws and change it to John Wayland. <br />Beth Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02447148196867821907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-47922369412611193072019-09-03T12:31:53.285-04:002019-09-03T12:31:53.285-04:00In one of my rewrites I had named my three primary...In one of my rewrites I had named my three primary characters John, Jess, and Jack. Complete cerebral flatulence. Do not do!Brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08941043145591116608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-3347780197944811672019-09-03T12:14:38.479-04:002019-09-03T12:14:38.479-04:00And Craig, and CynthiaMc, and everyone else in the...And <b>Craig,</b> and <b>CynthiaMc</b>, and everyone else in the storm's path, I hope you can hunker down and weather this one out, too. Lennon Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03570629350169504234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-22290206503277424182019-09-03T12:12:45.038-04:002019-09-03T12:12:45.038-04:00I think some of these same principles apply to the...I think some of these same principles apply to the synopsis, and even the book. If you mentioned someone in chapter 1 and it's now chapter 10 when you bring him back up, you'd better give us some context. <br /><br />I read a book recently where that happened. A minor character was suddenly very important to the plot (there was a big revelation), and I had zero idea who he was. I recognized the name, so I knew the author hadn't failed to mention him. I just couldn't recall one other thing about the character. I was annoyed at the time and didn't bother to flip back through. I just kept reading and figured 90% understanding was good enough. <br /><br />By the way, who's DoY again? <br /><br />Just kidding, just kidding. I'll see myself out.Lennon Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03570629350169504234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-72576178768609536812019-09-03T11:27:47.005-04:002019-09-03T11:27:47.005-04:00This makes me miss Doris Ann :-(This makes me miss Doris Ann :-(Carihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17089762130217570280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-25183209946013863512019-09-03T11:13:45.982-04:002019-09-03T11:13:45.982-04:00I have been hanging around Query Tracker of late. ...I have been hanging around Query Tracker of late. I have seen what may be an uptick in character soup queries. Even worse are those that toss names in and don't quantify or define those characters. They just float around in the broth.<br /><br />I know that writing queries sucks your brains out, but try to at least remember that it is just a sales pitch, not a black hole. The hardest part for me is in finding that medium distance perspective. The one where I can see what the query really says, not what I think it says.<br /><br />I don't even want to get into multiple POVs.<br /><br /><br /><b>OT</b>: I am not the praying kind but I am praying for the Bahamas. Poor place might just be a sandbar when this is over.Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-57133149100041873422019-09-03T08:11:37.236-04:002019-09-03T08:11:37.236-04:00Well, this sent me racing to my query to check it ...Well, this sent me racing to my query to check it out. le sigh.<br /><br />It opens with a quote from Allan Pinkerton:<br /><br />"The southern woman is the greatest weapon the south has."—Allan Pinkerton, Lincoln's spymaster.<br /><br />That's two names already, but I think perhaps people will not trip over them too much. I don't know. Queries make me crazy. Then the MC, of course, and her location. Do locations count? Two well-known generals if someone knows anything about the Civil War at all. I've been assured, most don't, but assume an agent interesting in a Civil War-based novel might.<br /><br />Oh, look, I'm up to five names and I don't think it will make sense without them.<br /><br />All right, off to babysit munchkins on their last day of freedom. We shall wreak havoc and mayhem. Like every other day when Grandma babysits.<br /><br /> JulieWeathershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361549099072091350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-33015231706679788152019-09-03T08:09:55.224-04:002019-09-03T08:09:55.224-04:00Don't worry, it isn't any easier if none o...Don't worry, it isn't any easier if none of your characters have names! Ask me how I know! :D (novella, not novel, but some of the people who accept novella submissions are also people who want a query letter and a synopsis).Jennifer R. Donohuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00363886899308588391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-90946425460392678422019-09-03T07:51:59.566-04:002019-09-03T07:51:59.566-04:00Good to know. This tripped me up in early life que...Good to know. This tripped me up in early life querying. A query is not a synopsis. That is a different monster. E.M. Goldsmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18387494005655553037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30569536030746189132019-09-03T07:36:48.130-04:002019-09-03T07:36:48.130-04:00Oddly enough, I got a local telephone book in the ...Oddly enough, I got a local telephone book in the mail Saturday...<br /><br />Too many names in almost anything makes things too confusing. I have to admit, books that have 30 characters that all have a storyline are books I don't finish. I end up getting confused and it's too hard to keep track of things. A query should be no different. Short, to the point and intriguing. The agent should be slavering for more, not scratching their head.nightsmusichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05984119792540771870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-8059113353872221822019-09-03T07:36:41.049-04:002019-09-03T07:36:41.049-04:00I love deciding upon the right name for each chara...I love deciding upon the right name for each character, but sometimes I find <i>descriptive</i> nicknames work much better. I wrote a very short story in the 1st person in which the unnamed protagonist referred to her boss as Lizard Feet because he wore Bruno Magli lime green lizard skin loafers. (The story began as a 500-word entry in one of Miss Snark's contests. I've rewritten it several times and doubled the word count.)<br /><br />Kittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09868642232827730189noreply@blogger.com