tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post6181685562313100234..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: The Missing LinkJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-13834011542721039592016-09-09T12:43:22.444-04:002016-09-09T12:43:22.444-04:00OUCH! Clearly they haven't read your archives....OUCH! Clearly they haven't read your archives.<br /><br />Plus, if you need to explain more than 1 thing... perhaps your query needs to be rewritten!Morgan Hazelwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17713547255894719134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-45116817672266531422016-09-09T11:07:04.871-04:002016-09-09T11:07:04.871-04:00Kae
This is the post on vivandieres.
This is the...<b>Kae</b><br /><br /><a href="http://julieweathers.com/blogging-z-v-vivandiere/" rel="nofollow">This is the post on vivandieres.</a><br /><br />This is the original version Chris read. He said if I wanted to I could add in two sentences and explain more fully what vivandieres were or describe her uniform. Have Baron thinking about it. He's already wondering what a woman is doing out there, so it's easy to add just a bit more and finish the process.<br /><br />He said many times by having someone think about something, you can avoid the info dumps. JulieWeathershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361549099072091350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-51467000190859712842016-09-09T10:06:57.933-04:002016-09-09T10:06:57.933-04:00Rosanna: Thank you for asking the question! And I ...<b>Rosanna</b>: Thank you for asking the question! And I envy you your cup of Seattle's Best.<br /><br /><b>Colin</b>: Thank you for responding! I hope I did it correctly. <br /><br />I'm marveling over Carolynn's Uncle Dutch, wishing I could hang out with Adib and drink tea, and wishing even more for a giant handful of DLM's chocolate-covered espresso beans to help me resolve the ending to a PB manuscript... <br /><br />Links in queries sound like a very bad idea indeed. I wonder if David Foster Wallace used footnotes in his queries? I still can't bring myself to eat lobster after reading his "Consider the Lobster" essay.<br /><br />Claire Bobrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15666082441972111293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-60347917468824439102016-09-09T05:37:05.303-04:002016-09-09T05:37:05.303-04:00I've come in late, but glad I did because it&#...I've come in late, but glad I did because it's been a hoot reading the vomments today. <br /><br /><b>BJ</b>, thanks for the tip about reading yesterday's comments, I zipped through to catch up on the fun =)<br /><br />I'd love to know where the querier got the idea to add links... out of their own head, an un/published author, the woman across the road watering her plants? <br /><br />When I was at conference a few weeks back, I overheard a conversation between some aspiring authors who were going to pitch. One had printed off chapters, ready to hand to the agent. I butted in and suggested they put them away (with explanation). To no avail. And where did she hear those brilliant words of wisdom? From another first-time-pitchee *sigh*. <br /><br />Sometimes I think people choose to believe the advice they hear if they think it will increase their chances of taking another step up the 'ladder to publication'.AJ Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04529233142099749005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-48287904700006888322016-09-08T21:54:10.842-04:002016-09-08T21:54:10.842-04:00kdjames Still wise words. :)
BJ Yeah, I'm pr...<b>kdjames</b> Still wise words. :) <br /><br /><b>BJ</b> Yeah, I'm pretty sure I need that class. Reading the Shark archives are helping though. :)Karen McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640324898284007337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-56658997469462099122016-09-08T21:29:01.603-04:002016-09-08T21:29:01.603-04:00Hi Julie! You've intrigued me with that snippe...Hi <b>Julie!</b> You've intrigued me with that snippet "add two sentences and educate the reader about 'vivandiere' without it seeming like an info dump". I'd LOVE to hear the full story! Could you, perhaps, blog about it sometime? Once the MG WIP has had its way with me, I'd like to get back into my historical fiction, but the thought of how to avoid the dreaded info dump has me spinning my little woodland creature hamster wheel...Kae Ridwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10356868531870405990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-17674349808704604502016-09-08T20:54:27.211-04:002016-09-08T20:54:27.211-04:00Aw thanks, John! I appreciate the kind words!
An...Aw thanks, <b>John</b>! I appreciate the kind words!<br /><br />And glad you might've gotten something from that, <b>Karen</b>. And thanks for the congrats :) Lennon Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03570629350169504234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-11164393476543806512016-09-08T19:50:08.438-04:002016-09-08T19:50:08.438-04:00Jamie,
One of the research books I read about Civ...Jamie,<br /><br />One of the research books I read about Civil War spies and two books I read about Col. Mosby were like that with extensive footnotes. In my case, I loved it, especially the Mosby memoir, because he was meticulous in documenting what he said. He furnished places to go verify historical documents, battle orders, letters, diaries, etc, which was very good because his recollection of some engagements clashes with popular thought. I'll be going with his version since he backed his up with the battle orders and where they could be found.<br /><br />To someone just reading the memoir for enjoyment, I'm sure all the notes were distracting.<br /><br />JulieWeathershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361549099072091350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-20383934522505332632016-09-08T19:43:33.229-04:002016-09-08T19:43:33.229-04:00I remember reading a comment here by the sharque w...I remember reading a comment here by the sharque where she said, "What the hell is a mage?" She figured out it was a spell slinger.<br /><br />I gasped. I think someone had queried her and mentioned mage. Obviously, Some agents do better in fantasy realms than others. Not naming names here.<br /><br />On the other hand, she did know what a murder hole and an oubliette was.<br /><br />One of the things that C.C. Humphreys and I discussed at Surrey last year, and I'm not trying to drop names but I mention this because he is well known for his historicals, is how to weave in bits and unfamiliar terms without making it seem like an info dump. He was critiquing a piece of mine that had a vivandiere in it. He showed me how to add just two sentences and I could "educate" the reader without making it feel like a history lesson.<br /><br />The place for educating people, however, is not in query letters. You can word things so they don't need footnotes or links.JulieWeathershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361549099072091350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-1857474931669340862016-09-08T18:29:25.515-04:002016-09-08T18:29:25.515-04:00... not to each other, unless anyone should get th...... not to each other, unless anyone should get the wrong end of that last comment's stick... :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-54716790470881144182016-09-08T18:28:44.588-04:002016-09-08T18:28:44.588-04:002Ns: *APPLAUSE* Well done!!! :D
I'm very flat...<b>2Ns</b>: <i>*APPLAUSE*</i> Well done!!! :D<br /><br />I'm very flattered, but we are both happily married already. ;)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-21514802928973909752016-09-08T18:13:37.322-04:002016-09-08T18:13:37.322-04:00YIPPIE it worked.
Colin will you marry me?<b> YIPPIE </b> it worked. <br />Colin will you marry me?Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-48534769955688122532016-09-08T18:10:38.205-04:002016-09-08T18:10:38.205-04:00This is a BOLD test.This is a <b> BOLD </b> test.Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-33423369798489696392016-09-08T18:08:52.372-04:002016-09-08T18:08:52.372-04:00Karen: I'm very proud of my query. Considering...Karen: I'm very proud of my query. Considering I had a lot of help from a certain Shark... I took her querying class at a conference, and wow. I learned A. LOT. I highly recommend it.<br /><br />RosannaM: Welcome back! BJ Muntainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977414826388000094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35740118562671006582016-09-08T18:02:39.650-04:002016-09-08T18:02:39.650-04:00Dena - LOVE your comment! The speed I was scrollin...<b>Dena</b> - LOVE your comment! The speed I was scrolling through them (on my phone) it really was the easiest of all to read, with all that white space :DKae Ridwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10356868531870405990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-10166964578731385272016-09-08T17:33:25.203-04:002016-09-08T17:33:25.203-04:00Ah but Carolynnwith2Ns, slinking comes so natural....Ah but <b>Carolynnwith2Ns</b>, slinking comes so natural. Do you remember the story about the boy who was raised by wolves? I was a bit like that except the forest was a trailer park and the wolves were my Mom's many cats. <br /><br />I'm kidding, of course, cats don't raise children. They train human slaves and raise kitty minions. abnormalalienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08666555569560028852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-3635993669776963912016-09-08T15:32:00.411-04:002016-09-08T15:32:00.411-04:00Karen, I agree. Bob is a fantastic teacher, and he...Karen, I agree. Bob is a fantastic teacher, and he's not bad with that whole writing thing either. :) But keep in mind this isn't a direct quote, just me paraphrasing a memory.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35208142749778126732016-09-08T14:31:56.685-04:002016-09-08T14:31:56.685-04:00kdjames I love Bob Mayer! I saw him speak a few ye...<b>kdjames</b> I love Bob Mayer! I saw him speak a few years ago, and he was phenomenal. I'm tacking this quote to my wall. Total genius!Karen McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640324898284007337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-73375422536849701942016-09-08T14:27:52.653-04:002016-09-08T14:27:52.653-04:00This post reminds me of something Bob Mayer said i...This post reminds me of something Bob Mayer said in an online class, years ago, that really stuck with me (paraphrasing): You don't get to send an explanation with your book. It has to make sense on its own.<br /><br />Seems the same would hold true, but even more so, with a query. If it needs further explanation, you haven't done your job with the writing.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-72355933583311653812016-09-08T13:51:23.402-04:002016-09-08T13:51:23.402-04:00Lennon: Congratulations! And thanks for your helpf...<b>Lennon:</b> Congratulations! And thanks for your helpful tips. You're right--it is about learning the feel of the novel and figuring out what to keep and what to leave out--both for the query and the novel itself.<br /><br />And thank you,<b>BJ</b>! I'm awaiting some feedback on the query and am so glad you did well with yours!Karen McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640324898284007337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-20837034706006476952016-09-08T13:38:12.741-04:002016-09-08T13:38:12.741-04:002Ns: Wonderful! You're very welcome. :)
Rosan...<b>2Ns</b>: Wonderful! You're very welcome. :)<br /><br /><b>Rosanna</b>: Yay! You did it!! :) You're welcome. If you want to <i>italicize</i>, just do the same but use I instead of b. Adding a link is not that much more complicated, but I'll let you check out my explanation <a href="http://www.colindsmith.com/blog/2015/01/04/how-to-hyperlink/" rel="nofollow">HERE</a> if you want to do that.<br /><br />:)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-15676718115001965522016-09-08T13:19:35.806-04:002016-09-08T13:19:35.806-04:00Colin,
Thank you so much. I am laughing. The choc...<b>Colin</b>,<br /><br />Thank you so much. I am laughing. The chocolate could be coming soon, but the happy dance will have to wait until after the alcohol.<br /><br />As far as the non-laughing stuff, I shudder.RosannaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06399732751877180737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-13975042060131142522016-09-08T13:14:22.737-04:002016-09-08T13:14:22.737-04:00Colin,
thank you,
thank you,
thank you, that'...Colin, <br />thank you,<br />thank you,<br />thank you, that's it.<br />All these years and finally I have the right word.<br /><br />He also said: "Him has gone, him has went, will he never come to me, must I always go to he, oh, it cannot was."<br /><br />Hey Jamie, no slinking. <br />Rosanna, be BOLD. See, I can't do it either.<br /><br />Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-10492633193943733382016-09-08T13:07:44.360-04:002016-09-08T13:07:44.360-04:00Rosanne: Here's how to bold without laughing:
...<b>Rosanne</b>: Here's how to bold without laughing:<br /><br />1) Think about kale, synopses, and turning up to a pitch session in your underwear.<br /><br />2) Type < b > (without the spaces)<br /><br />3) Type the text you want bolded<br /><br />4) Type < / b > (without the spaces)<br /><br />5) Think about chocolate, free alcohol, and your novel going to auction with all the big publishers. (You can laugh, smile, and happy dance now)<br /><br />That should do the trick! :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-27941410059847201942016-09-08T12:18:39.970-04:002016-09-08T12:18:39.970-04:00Hey All, newbie back to play. I am with Beth about...Hey All, newbie back to play. I am with Beth about all the distracting extra bits coming at me when I am trying to read. But I'm afraid I don't feel like Batman. I, apparently, have enough trouble worrying why can't I tell what a store front looks like.<br /><br />As far as linking in a query--are you out of your mind? If I ever decide to need a link in one of these comments, I will:<br /><br />a. Request prettily that Colin do it for me, or<br />b. Figure out a different way to say what I wanted to say, or<br />c. Maybe read Colin's explanation for how to do it (but life is complicated enough already so C. is really doubtful)<br /><br />And for the record, I will probably always be a late-chimer-inner as I am writing from the Pacific Northwest, so while I am sitting here in my jammies, sipping my Seattle's Best coffee (sorry Starbucks!), the rest of you might be eating lunch!<br /><br />(Colin, could you please tell me how to bold? Without laughing? Thanks!)RosannaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06399732751877180737noreply@blogger.com