If you send me a query, and you've revised it more than once, read it aloud, and proofed it, you're not wasting my time by sending it. No matter what.
It might not be something I want to read; how will we know unless you query?
It might be something that doesn't fit what I do really well; how will we know unless you query?
It might make me scream bloody murder and hide under the covers (Score! Query for the Win!); how will we know unless you query?
Short point to this post: You are not wasting my time by querying even if it's not right for me. I want you to query. (I want you to query WELL which is the point of all this ranting on the blog and QueryShark.blogspot.com but even bad queries are better than none.)
You are my farm team. I need a bunch of you coming up the ranks to write great novels. I mean someone has to give the slithery Barbara Poelle a run for her money.
Go Team !!
ReplyDeleteGood to know. I had some reservations, as I'm writing paranormal and you seem to lean more toward crime thrillers. Otherwise when I'm ready...in a heartbeat. Indigo
ReplyDeleteThis was important to hear today. Thanks for saying it, Janet.
ReplyDeleteLove this attitude. So true; no matter how good or how bad, it still has to get into your hands.
ReplyDeleteThen there's the moment: Yes or no.
Do you jump for joy or to run and hide?
All that is pointless if queries aren't sent out.
Thanks for the encouragement, Janet! We recently blogged about knowing when it was too soon to query over at our blog and it's nice to be reminded to take the chance and do so!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet post.
ReplyDeleteWait ... so let me get this straight. You do or you don't want us to query??? Geez, Janet, you can be SO confusing! :o)
ReplyDeleteI don't imagine my project is something that would ever interest you, but when I'm ready for submissions, I am so sending a query your way. I just want to be able to say I queried the shark!
ReplyDeleteAhhh...sweet encouragement! We'll get that Slithery Barbara yet!
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ReplyDeleteThis made me feel a whole lot better, so thanks! I need to keep reminding myself "you don't know unless you try" - or query.
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ReplyDeleteYou passed on my urban fantasy in March, and I'm half of the way through my new WIP I started after that. It's YA paranormal, which isn't up your alley, but I'm going to query you anyway. Why? Because you never know. Failure is what happens when you quit trying.
ReplyDeleteY'know, in about a year, once I've written, revised, polished, and spit shined this novel, I'm going to query both you and Barbara. Primarily for the humor value, you understand, but also on the off chance that you both like it and offer rep. I will then request a cage fight.
ReplyDeleteYou can thank me later.
This is exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI would love to query you when I am ready to think about doing that kind of thing. If only you dealt in urban fantasy! That seems too far from what you do even in light of this post, but I follow your blog regardless; your advice helps even if the genre isn't your area of interest. Thank you for this!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely query-ing you when my manuscript is ready. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat great words of encouragement. Querying is such a daunting process, it's good to know that we have an agent's support, even if our manuscripts aren't necessarily what they're looking for. If we don't query, we'll never find the person who is lookin for what we've got.
ReplyDeleteSending query now.
ReplyDelete"Even bad queries are better than none."
ReplyDeleteJanet Reid for the win!
I really appreciated this post, even though I may not ever query you. But that's only because you've outright stated before that you don't want what I currently have to give. No biggie, though. You're still an awesome agent.
ReplyDeleteThat was hilarious!
ReplyDeleteAnd, you are a genius.
The post? Oh yeah, that was golden, too. But I haven't quite recovered from the link yet.
To the query lett--wait, no...no. I don't think this query is good enough for the shark. To the query revision! ...again!
ReplyDeleteI'm starting to get burnt out on my own query letter. This will be the sixth revision. At this point, I may be making it worse. I don't know any more.
In that case...you're welcome.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It is nice to be remanded that even if my queries aren't doing what I want them to I'm not wasting everybody's time.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful, encouraging post. Thank you, Janet, for your respect for our work and for your respect of the challenging process of our getting it into the right hands (after the even more challenging process of getting it right in the first place).
ReplyDeleteYour inbox has now doubled, er... tripled, er... quadrupled, er...
ReplyDeleteJust what I needed to hear before I go to sleep! TX :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly something I needed to hear today.
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