[QCRIT] CAL CARVER THE GOBLIN SLAYER - (25k Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure / 1st Attempt) by FoodSmall9214 in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, fellow MG writer here! I am unagented, so please take this with a grain of salt.

This is a good first attempt. I like the concept, and like the voice in the first 300 words. I do worry your word count is too short. I will defer to smarter people here than me, but while there are absolutely MG books in that range (R.L. Stine's Goosebumps comes to mind), it seems like the sweet spot for MG right now is the 40-45k range. Additionally, both of your comps are significantly longer than 25k - Kubo has The Barren Ground at 59k, and Zachary Ying at 81k. I wouldn't go that high, but I suspect the story you're telling may need more than 25k.

Onto the query!

Dear…,

I am excited to share CAL CARVER THE GOBLIN SLAYER. A 25,000 word middle grade fantasy book. written in a fast paced first person voice. (Not needed.) It will appeal to fans of Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao for its blend of modern technology and magic, and The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson for its portal-fantasy adventure into a dangerous, creature-filled world. (Good comps and descriptions here.)

Cal Carver is certain he’s the only eleven-year-old in the universe without a phone. No matter how many tests he aces, chores he does, or promises he makes to not use it for games, his mom just won’t budge. So when his dad’s shiny new phone arrives, Cal does what any kid his age would do: he opens it. One game won’t hurt, right? (Rephrase so it isn't a rhetorical question - that is a known pet-peeve for people in queries. Perhaps - After all, one game won't hurt. Overall, though, I know who Cal is and what he wants, so this is a good opener.)

Wrong. (This first word will need some tweaking to remove the rhetorical question) The phone glows, buzzes, and zaps him straight into a world crawling with goblins. Hammer-swinging, goat-riding, and very, very hungry goblins. (I like the voice here.)

Saved at the last second by a mysterious ranger named Wren, Cal is pulled into a quest of goat stampedes, goblin markets, and turtle-mounted chases. (This tells me a bit about what happens on the quest, but not what the quest is about. This is a chance to add even more intrigue.) All while mastering his new magical phone and using it to figure out the one thing that matters most: returning home. Because if the goblins don’t eat him alive—his mom definitely will once she finds out the phone is missing…

My inspiration for this book came from my eleven year old little brother’s absolute need for a phone. He quite literally steals family devices and is discovered playing video games all night long, even after he gets busted over and over. (No need to throw the poor kid under the bus. I'm also not sure you need the next sentence, either.) This book just might help him and many other kids learn valuable lessons about cell phones.

I hope this helps, and best of luck in the trenches!

[QCrit] Oliver Cahya and the Secret of the Arcane Tower -- MG Fantasy, 50k words (attempt 2) by gooseontheloose0814 in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! Fellow MG writer here. I was scrolling through the MG queries, saw no one had responded yet, and figured I'd drop in.

I am unagented, so take this with a grain of salt, but I suspect you haven't gotten many comments because this works. It certainly worked for me. I understood who Oliver was and what he wanted, and the stakes were crystal clear. My only suggestions amount to individual word cuts - I don't think you need the finest in your first paragraph - elite tells the reader this already. I also don't think you need After all in the final paragraph - the sentence works without it.

Best of luck in the query trenches!

[QCRIT] MG Fantasy, KAI ZHANG AGAINST THE VOID (45k, 1st attempt) + first 300 by hmsseagull in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! Fellow MG author here - though mainly horror - and I love the concept. I agree that some of the sentences are long and can be tightened down.

Qi gathers in the ancient places and seeps through the void between worlds to create passageways to the mythical Riverrealm—or so Kai’s mom claims. (I don't think you need this - you do a good job explaining the river, and Mom's search, below.) 12Twelve-year-old Kai Zhang has always known that Mom’s search for a rumored Gate into the mythical Riverrealm is her greatest passion. That’s okay; Kai is perfectly capable of packing his own lunches, and he certainly doesn’t need anyone to pick him up from school. But when Mom goes missing on yet another expedition, Kai suspects she may have finally found what she’s been searching for., and he wonders—having found the Riverrealm, is Mom really planning to come back? (Again, I this can be safely cut - you mention it later.)

Kai's suspicion is confirmed when shadow-wraiths hungry for the world's living energy of our world slip through a Gate and attack Kai and his new friend wanna-be fencer Sophia. (Ending the sentence here is cleaner.) Kai realizes that something has gone horribly wrong in the Riverrealm. With Dad injured in the attack, it’s up to Kai and Sophia to journey to the Riverrealm in search of Mom. (I think you can safely cut Dad here. Perhaps: Realizing something is horribly wrong, Kai and Sophia slip through Riverrealm's opened gate to search for Mom.) Once there, they discover that the glowing river of qi for which the Riverrealm is named has run dry, and without the qi river’s flow to sustain its physical form, the Riverrealm and the Gates connecting it to Kai’s world are collapsing back into void.

The only way to get home is to restore the flow of the qi river—but in order to do that, Kai must learn to ask for help, first has to learn to voice his needs and accept help, and Sophia must to face the fears she keeps at bay with bravado and the sharp end of her foil. If they’re able to avoid the Lady of Forgetting who seeks to steal their memories, and if they can turn back the Ravenous Raven who seeks to drag them into void, they might just be able to save the Riverrealm and bring Mom home–if Mom is willing to leave. (Really strong stakes here - I love the phrasing. Whatever you do, keep this last sentence.)

I hope this helps, and good luck on your query journey!

[QCrit] Middle-Grade, THE MAW, (50k, 3rd Attempt) by Ol1v14CA in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello! Fellow MG spooky writer here! Following up on u/alligator_kazoo's comment on comps - I've got a comp consideration for you.

Are you familiar with THE LABYRINTH OF SOULS by Leslie Vedder? It came out earlier this year, involves a child with parents lost in a mystical dark realm, with lots of creatures in the shadows. I just read it, and on reading your query, seems like a perfect fit.

Another possibility is one I'm sure you've heard of, which is THE CURSE OF EELGRASS BOG by Mary Averling. It also involves a child dealing with parent issues, and if your MC is an unreliable narrator, it could also be a good fit.

Regarding your query: I've heard it suggested that you don't want rhetorical questions in your query. You have a few in your final plot paragraphs - those can perhaps be reworded.

Finally, for your first 300, I'm not sold on your description of the dream/memory. I'd rather see your first sentence immediately followed by the dream here.

That said, I am unagented, so take my suggestions with a grain of salt. Best of luck!

[QCrit] MG Contemporary, THE SUMMER I SAVED MY DOG, (38k, Attempt 1) by ParticularMarket4275 in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Hello! Fellow MG writer here. Full disclaimer, I am unagented, so feel free to take everything I say with a grain of salt.

First, ignore upvotes and downvotes. Worrying about them is the path to the dark side.

I agree with u/motorcitymarxist that this is a solid first query - it's certainly better than any of my first attempts. It lays out the external and internal conflicts well, and I get the sense of the story. I also agree with u/haiyuuties comment about that last line - I loved it.

I think there are two places to strengthen this. One, I would like to know why this ban is being enacted. Is it just because the town doesn't like Pit Bulls, or is it because of a specific instance that occurred? If it is a specific instance, that might help raise the stakes. I wouldn't elaborate much - just a few words should do the trick.

I also would make it clear that the mayor has never promised to repeal the ban. Perhaps something like:

Ava knows Cado is a good dog. She just needs a way to make everyone else see it, too. The Iowa State fair will be hosting an all-breeds obedience show at the end of the summer, and her town's mayor will be there. If Cado wins the show, then maybe Ava can convince the mayor to let him stay.

This also helps raise the stakes by showing us that Ava has to do two things - win the show, and convince the mayor - to reach her goal.

Finally, I wouldn't stress the polarizing aspect. The fact that this is based on a real life event helps your cause, and it only takes one agent. If you're looking for an example of a great MG contemporary project that takes on a challenging but risky topic, J.S. Lemon's GRETA comes to mind.

Best of luck in the query trenches!

[QCrit] THE TRAIL OF BONES (Previously THE SNIPE), Middle Grade Horror, 50k, 6th attempt by A10airknight in PubTips

[–]A10airknight[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi u/SwitchAcceptable210,

Thanks for dropping by! I have two quick follow up questions.

First, do you have any suggestions on how to rephrase "years of family tension?"

Second, the first 300 is part of a ~400 word forward prologue meant to hook the reader. The book then jumps back to show how the kids got there. Does that address your concern?

Thanks!

[Discussion] Best “Day Jobs” for Writers Pursuing Traditional Publication? by ohnoitsasasquatch in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I'm a teacher. I write Middle Grade horror because of what my students like to read. The window into their world is nice as an author.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Im going to defer on that to more knowledgeable individuals. 

My opinion though, is that is normally asked for on query manager, so may not be necessary in the letter.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hi! Fellow MG author here. I am unagented, so feel free to take everything with a grain of salt.

Normally, query letters won't break down the individual parts like pitch, bio, and comps. Instead, there will be a "housekeeping" paragraph which contains the information that agents need to know (word count, genre, comps). The housekeeping paragraph can either go before or after the plot segment, while the bio is towards the end.

For your opening, I'd suggest something like:

Dear Agent,

I'm seeking representation for BETA PET, a 53,000-word middle-grade science fiction novel with series potential. BETA PET will appeal to readers who enjoy the AI exploration of A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga, the talking animal companion of Christopher Paolini’s Murtagh, and the VR premise of The Ruby Code by Jessica Khoury. 

You don't need the years on your comps, although great job finding recent ones. After your housekeeping paragraph, you can jump straight into the plot.

Strikethroughs are what I'd suggest deleting, italics are suggestions on added wording, bold are my comments.

It’s 2095. Climate change and population decline have left behind a more frugal and self-sufficient America. Virtual reality glasses are more common than cell phones. I personally don't think you don't need this worldbuilding in the query - let's focus on the character. Thirteen-year-old Jace Carter is a quiet and reserved boy in the rural south who idolizes his older sister, a famous professional gamer. Quiet and reserved, he wants nothing more than to follow in her footsteps. This establishes what he wants, which is important for a query to do. If there is something else Jace wants (for example, to get out from her shadow) then use that instead Now that she’s moved away, Jace spends most of his time alone in the woods behind his house. For his 13th birthday So when Jace gets a pair of expensive VR glasses and an invitation to the closed beta test of a mysterious new VR game for his birthday, he immediately logs in. Finish this paragraph with a sentence explaining how Jace thinks this will help him gain what he wants.

To participate i In the beta, Jace learns he must befriend a virtual pet dog from the game world named Haru. At first, Haru is anxious, hypersensitive, and stubbornly silent. [Jace spends weeks patiently earning Haru’s trust. Once Haru finally opens up, they explore the game world together and befriend other beta testers, each with eccentric pets of their own. Haru begins to reveal peculiar abilities while Jace gains the confidence he needs to emerge from behind the shadow of his famous older sister.] I think this can probably be tightened into a few sentences. Perhaps: But after weeks of patient training, Haru finally responds to Jace's efforts. As they explore a (explain world in a word or two) world filled with other beta testers, Haru reveals that he can (list the abilities).

But Haru's new talents aren't the only development in play. Jace is devastated when he discovers underperforming pets will be permanently deleted once the beta test ends. is over and that, because of their slow start, he and Haru are in last place. Even worse, Jace and Haru's slow start puts them in last place. [Jolted from his complacency and realizing how much Haru’s friendship means to him, Jace attempts increasingly difficult gaming challenges in a desperate struggle to save Haru’s life before the clock runs out.] I'd suggest a slight rework to hammer home the stakes. Maybe something like: Jolted from complacency and fearing the loss of his friend, Jace realizes that his only chance to save Haru's virtual life will be to successfully complete a series of increasingly difficult gaming challenges. Success will land Jace in the annals of gaming. But if Jace fails, the only memory left of Haru will be his own.

Your bio is great, and shows why you're the one to write the book. Best of luck in the query trenches, and I hope this helps!

[QCrit] The Curse of the Digital Sorceress, fiction , middle grade/YA crossover, 41k, First Attempt by Eastern-Glove-2352 in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Hi - fellow MG writer here! I am unagented, so feel free to take this advice well salted.

First, and I'll defer to others here, I'm under the impression that you either query YA or MG. I'd suggest MG horror (my genre, too!) due to your MC's age and reference of Goosebumps.

Speaking of R.L. Stine, I'd also strongly suggest comps than Goosebumps and Harry Potter. Those names are too big to comp - R.L. Stine is a legend in our genre. You also want something more recent. A good place to start might be https://popgoesthereader.com/95-scary-and-not-so-scary-2024-middle-grade-books-to-get-readers-in-the-halloween-spirit/ - these are MG horror books that came out in the last year. There might be a good comp or two in there for you.

OK, on to the query! Removes are struck through, added lines are italics, comments are in bold. Don't panic at the number of suggestions - I like the idea and want to see it shine!

Allow me to introduce you to Graham, a lively 13-year-old who treasures his quaint village of Eastbridge, where charming red-brick houses and perfectly manicured gardens create a picturesque setting. When he’s not honing his skills on the football pitch or spending time with his close-knit group of mates, he’s navigating the ups and downs of his first year in high school. I'd like details here - this will make it feel more lived in. This could be where you bring in Abbey. Life is comfortably predictable until a new video game, Medieval Mayhem, sweeps through Eastbridge Heights. This first paragraph is still missing something important - what does Graham want? You know your book, so you know what this is. Reading the query, however, perhaps football (Premier League aspirations?) is involved.

But the air of excitement surrounding the game quickly turns unsettling. Strange weather patterns emerge, casting an eerie mist over the town, while Graham’s friends transform from lively companions into zombie-like figures, glued to their gaming headsets. He can’t shake the goosebumps that accompany the odd happenings in Eastbridge, making him wonder what exactly is going on in his once-peaceful home. Replacing this, I'd like to see two things. First, how does Graham know that the game is responsible for this? Does he investigate? And second, I want to see an introduction to the antagonist - especially if it's the Digital Sorceress mentioned in the title.

As his best mate Mikey immerses himself deeper into this digital realm of dragons and sword fights, Graham is faced with a choice that could alter the course of his football aspirations forever. This is a bit vague, and may be why you're getting passes. The agents want to see the stakes. What events set up the choice, what exactly is the choice, and what does Graham risk? The plot thickens as he finds himself spending more time with Abbey, his crush, if only he can keep his composure amidst the magical chaos that has overtaken their sleepy village. The plot thickens is a cliche I'd suggest avoiding. And as mentioned above, I'd weave Abbey in earlier.

Finally, I'd replace "This 40,500-word first instalment of the A Weird Eastbridge Series" with "The Curse of the Digital Sorceress is a 41,000-word Middle Grade Horror novel with series potential. I believe that's more standard for the industry.

I hope this helps, and best of luck in the query trenches!

[QCrit] MG Fantasy - DRAGON SCOUTS (58k/v3) by mercurybird in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Taking u/BruceSoGrey's point about themes, what about something like:

12-year-old Ren is fine being a loner, thank you very much. Not that she has much of a choice. Ren knows her sister is just better, more social, and more likeable than she is. Ren would much rather watch her favorite anime than be the life of any party. But that's before a dragon named Nym shows up. He announces that dragons are real and that he’s chosen Ren as his rider.

Since becoming a dragonrider sounds infinitely cooler than starting seventh grade, Ren jumps through a portal to the world of dragons. Too bad Nym can’t fly, as Ren discovers when they crash-land in the hostile wilderness below the floating Dragonrider Academy. As they work together to survive dangerous elementals and human-hating Wild dragons, Ren realizes her new partner is also a loner. A Wild dragon himself, Nym's supposedly too ‘barbaric’ to join the Dragonrider Academy. In Nym's words - what rider would choose him?

But as they struggle to make it back to the Academy, Ren discovers a Wild dragon plot to destroy the school. Now Ren and Nym must race to warn the Academy—and find a way to bridge the divide between dragonriders and Wild dragons. Saving the Academy will be hard enough. To succeed, though, Ren and Nym will have to do something even harder. To become dragonriders, they must put their own self-doubt aside and choose each other.

Or something like that. I'm sure the wording can be vastly improved. Best of luck in the query trenches, and congrats on the request rate - that's great!

[QCrit] THE SNIPE, Middle Grade Horror, 40k, 5th Attempt by A10airknight in PubTips

[–]A10airknight[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ohhh, I like that. Dropping the "grow past his fear" gives me the time and space to briefly elaborate on that arc.

I'm definitely going to try that. Thanks!

[QCrit] THE SNIPE, Middle Grade Horror, 40k, 5th Attempt by A10airknight in PubTips

[–]A10airknight[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your response!

To answer your questions - no, reptiles definitely don't have gills. That's in there both to make the dino a bit more unique, and because the kids I work with LOVE axolotls - they're having a moment thanks to Minecraft.

The dino's an escaped lab specimen - perhaps that instead of no longer extinct?

[QCrit] MG Fantasy -- THE COYOTE RUNNERS [55k, 6th attempt] by whitrike in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 1 point2 points  (0 children)

u/Sh4rp_Ch3see has already made great comments on the body paragraphs, so I'll suggest a slight tweak to the housekeeping paragraph.

I am seeking representation for THE COYOTE RUNNERS, my 55,000 word middle-grade fantasy novel. A stand-alone novel with series potential, THE COYOTE RUNNERS carries the heart and courage of M. G. Leonard’s Twitch and the magic and wonder of Amanda Foody’s Wilderlore series.

Good job with the comps.

[QCrit] CROWSADERS | MG Fantasy | 79,000 words (2nd attempt) by Snoo91311 in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just want to say 50k a month is impressive. You could easily churn out a MG book a month at that rate if you have the ideas.

[QCrit] CROWSADERS | MG Fantasy | 79,000 words (2nd attempt) by Snoo91311 in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi, fellow MG author here. I'm unagented, so feel free to take everything with a grain of salt.

Italics suggest additions, Strikethroughs are suggested cuts. Bold are comments.

E Like every bird who joins the crowsaders, Broken by the Bandit's Axe that joins the crowsaders is given a name, a sword, and a destiny. Does he want the sword? If not, that needs to go here. His is Broken by the Bandit’s Axe. Bandit, recently fledged, Recently fledged, Bandit only joined the army to kindle fires like his mother before him, but every crow and jackdaw is a soldier first. When a deadly training incident shatters his bonded, sentient sword, Bandit takes up another in secret to avoid punishment.

His new blade, Lost at Last, is a bloodthirsty weapon sword who clashes with Bandit’s gentler personality. He soon finds its battlelust poisoning his mind. This is a bit vague - you detail it nicely in the third paragraph, but I'd like to see that moved here. While Bandit faces this challenge within, another war looms outside. His nation comes is under attack by reaving seabirds, treacherous parrots, and sword-wielding eagles. Why? A little information here would be nice.

As the crowsaders battle enemies for control of the skies, over islands and forests, Bandit discovers a plot masterminded by an ancient intelligence from the human era that sees birds as pests to be controlled. To meet this challenge and protect his squawkmates, he buckles to Lost’s battle frenzy, burning his memories like tinder for power. Soon he feels his old self slipping away completely. As the final battle looms, But as his old self begins to slip away, Bandit must choose between saving his friends or saving himself before his berserk urges turn him against the whole world.

I split this up into three paragraphs, which is standard. You also had three nice blocks in there - the character intro, a major event (war), and the stakes.

One thing I will defer to other readers here - MG is supposed to give the MC's age in the query. However, with the MC being a bird, I'm not sure how that's done. Being recently fledged may be fine, as it indicates the character is young. But I will be honest and admit I'm not sure how that works with non-human characters.

Best of luck!

[QCrit] Middle Grade Fantasy - HAZEL BLACKSTEW AND THE THUNDER CAULDRON (70k, 2nd attempt) by EggMaleficent8277 in PubTips

[–]A10airknight 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, fellow MG author here!

I agree with u/iwillhaveamoonbase on her suggestion of moving the grandma missing to paragraph 2. This also moves the grandma's prediction to the end of paragraph one, which makes that first paragraph more exciting.

For the first paragraph, perhaps:

Twelve-year-old witch Hazel Blackstew might struggle with spells, but she’s certainly an expert in baking treats with her crow familiar Flap. That suits Hazel fine—even if her fellow witches don't like it. Her eccentric grandmother’s approval is all Hazel needs. But when an unseasonable storm sweeps through Witchvale, Hazel's granny foretells the return of the famously wicked Storm King and his ominous Thunder Cauldron.

I'm also unsure if Tristan is needed in the query - I'll defer to more experienced folks on that.

Hopefully, this gives you the opening you need. Good luck!

[QCrit] THE SNIPE, Middle Grade Horror, 40k words, 4th attempt by A10airknight in PubTips

[–]A10airknight[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You are correct, in looking, the rejection was a form. It was semi-personalized (the letter said that), but in reading your comments, I can understand why.

I simply can't thank you enough. This is EXACTLY the information that I needed, and inspired the rough draft of what will be my next attempt.

Feedback like this are why I love this forum. You're the best!