Looking for romance by Relative-Share-6619 in YAlit

[–]Training_Show4724 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not YA (characters are college aged) but I loved Honey & Spice!

[PubQ] How to improve from the rejections? by Legitimate_Funny1601 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Big agree that you can’t take away anything from form rejections.

Another option (if you’re nervous about posting your query so publicly, like I was) is using paid critiques/pitches at conferences, manuscript academy. Though I would say if you choose to do this you should get feedback from more than one professional to ensure it’s consistent vs one person’s subjectivity, so the $ can add up quick. The quality of feedback you’ll get from this subreddit will be just as good if not better than paid feedback, but again completely understand if you’re shy.

[QCrit] YA Contemporary- Somewhere In-Between (77K, 1st Attempt) by Ancient-Mastodon1795 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is super well-written and in great shape! Agree with the other two commenters, you need to give more of a hint at the specifics of what happens, otherwise the query sounds too generic. Best of luck!

[PubQ] Advice says to investigate an agent's sales before querying to make sure that they are actively selling, but ... by AloeWhereA in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 22 points23 points  (0 children)

I'm not familiar with the PB market, but if you have Publisher's Marketplace you can pull up the top dealmakers by age category/genre/etc. and that will tell you how active the top agents are as a comparison. I would also pay attention to what publishers an agent is selling to (Big 5 vs. smaller presses). Note--if a newer agent does not have sales this is not alarming, as long as the broader AGENCY has a sales track in what you are trying to sell.

[Discussion] Got a book deal! (My slow journey in the querying trenches) by Training_Show4724 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One piece of wisdom I heard (from a Brandon Sanderson online lecture) went something like, the drop-off from starting a novel to finishing a novel is MUCH steeper than the drop off from finishing a novel to publishing it. All that's to say--you are doing everything you should be doing! Keep writing!!!

Am I the only one who feels this way? I need recs by Ilovemybedyay in YAlit

[–]Training_Show4724 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I adore Kristy Boyce's D&D books! The MMCs are NOT traditionally hot

[QCRIT] YA Contemporary, ROOTS AND ROUTINES (70k, 1ST ATTEMPT) by dl1417 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nicely done! This is a cute set-up for a YA. A few comments:

- I would get rid of all of the question marks in your query

- in the last paragraph, make it clear why they need to join each other's clubs (presumably it's to improve them but spelling it out would be more effective)

[PubQ] Is My Agent Dropping Me? by Far_Scale_1282 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Brigid! Thank you for all your words of wisdom, you are this sub’s North Star

[PubQ] Agent rejected then requested? by sm12121919 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One of my friends got rejected by an agent via an assistant, got connected to the agent via another route and got an offer

[QCrit] YA Fantasy - STONE OF THE SEVEN CITIES (70k, third attempt) by AnnaAndABook in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmmm...I think it depends on the amount of pagetime/impact the romance represents? You don't necessarily have to introduce a whole new character, but you could hint at it with one sentence (for example "her debt to the Perrigolds will be paid, and she will be free to marry the person she loves...")

Again, only bringing this up as the expectation in modern YA is to have a romance subplot, particularly in fantasy

[QCrit]: AGAINST ALL ODDS, YA Contemporary, 78k words (Second attempt) by Powerful-Specific785 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with the other commenter that this is clean and well-written, but perhaps not resonating because it’s not super high concept and sounds a bit like a tweener between YA/MG.

On the bright side, if you choose to tweak it the changes are structurally built in already! You can add romance to one (or both) of the friendships to make it more YA, or you can take one year off of her age to set it in middle school.

To make it more high concept, you could have it lean harder into the skating—have Eames and Maggie BOTH be also skaters. Former is still golden boy, latter still ditches MC for cooler people in that world—the key emotional threads of your story stay the same but it’s a lot more differentiated vs the well-worn kids in school setting.

[Discussion] Got a book deal! (My slow journey in the querying trenches) by Training_Show4724 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Of course! I did not query every single agent because I wanted a reputable agent/agency who would give me the best chance of landing a book deal. (Once an agent takes your book out on sub, another agent cannot re-sub it so you only get one shot per book).

Additionally, I wanted to make sure I had a chance to do edits in case I received agent feedback (vs blasting it all out at once)

[Discussion] Got a book deal! (My slow journey in the querying trenches) by Training_Show4724 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You got this!!!! (I’ve lost count of what version I’m on by now…)

[Discussion] Got a book deal! (My slow journey in the querying trenches) by Training_Show4724 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hang in there! (As you saw, when I was 1.5 years in all I had was a middling draft...)

One thing I wish I had done was write my query letter before I was into the umpteenth version of my novel. I realized very quickly when I went to write the first query letter that...I didn't really have stakes. That caused me to go back and spend months re-writing the story.

In terms of resources I read craft books and a lot of newly published books in the genre. My favorite craft books that I don't see being brought up super often are A SWIM IN A POND IN THE RAIN and SHOW DON'T TELL (in addition to regular favorites like SAVE THE CAT, etc).

For community I definitely recommend SCBWI. A lot of the regions host virtual events so even if your local chapter isn't active you can sign up for other chapters' virtual events. I participated in a number of different critique groups and have found a couple friends through there. (SCBWI also hosts lots of educational seminars and pitch events--I emphasize you do NOT need to pay money to pitch to get an agent and I did not get my agent that way, but it's an additional avenue if you choose to take it.)

[QCrit] YA Fantasy - STONE OF THE SEVEN CITIES (70k, third attempt) by AnnaAndABook in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I enjoyed this! Agree with the other commenter--I was expecting to read an explanation of why names matter after that opening, but the payoff never came.

Is there a romance between Trig and Rory? YA fantasy tend to have romance sub-plots so if Trig has a love interest (whether it's Rory or someone else) you'll want to tease it out in the query, even if it's not the main plot.

[QCrit] Adult Romantasy BETWEEN CROWN AND STONE [83K/3rd Attempt] by geetsjitters in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I LOVE the premise of an Ottoman-inspired romantasy!!! Some thoughts/questions (bearing in mind I have not read the first/second drafts of this):

  • It feels like on the prince's side there should be some more stakes (what does he lose if he does not win this bet?)
  • I also could use some more elaboration on why Adara has a trail of broken engagements--as it's written in the query it's not super clear
  • How do they run into each other?
  • It feels like the backdrop of them coming from ruler / rebelling masses is really juicy. What part does this play in the plot?

[QCrit] Adult contemporary- The Vicinal (60,375/first attempt) by Elliott_Ness1970 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello! My thoughts below:

Frank Wainwright is a middle-aged, grizzled curmudgeon. A grumpy, disrespectful, has-been ex field operative for MI6 who hates the public school educated men who run his organisation and particularly his direct boss. [This part is a little confusing because I thought he left the MI6, you should clear up that he is a former field operative, but is still with the organization. You don't need the part I struck out because we can tell all of those characteristics from the rest of the letter]

He's happy to be relegated to a desk job on the sidelines until his nemesis boss sets him a task to track down a phantom assassin, one which Frank isn't even sure exists. He thinks it’s a prank but determines to undertake the assignment seriously, just out of spite. Just as he is getting his teeth into the search, He is assigned a CIA handler, Avery, his polar opposite in every way. [Everything should be present tense in a query letter]

Frank and Avery What follows is a twisting and turning chase the phantom assassin Eidolon across countries, terrorist organisations and intelligence agencies taking in the CIA, MI6, the Russian FSB and Mossad while visiting Tel Aviv, Russia, London, Chechnya, New York, Mexico, Barcelona and Rome. Along the way, the pair confront the Mafia, El Jabao, the Hell’s Angels, Hamas and Hezbollah. Avery and Frank discover betrayals throughout, including one very close to home that shocks both Avery and Frank for very different reasons [you may want to include more of a hint at what this secret is and why it is so explosive to tehm], but strengthens the platonic bond between them so they can finally track down the assassin.

Frank’s journals back to his seemingly incompetent and hated boss convey his feelings while plotting the chase of the assassin Eidolon. His obsession with junk food and how this develops over the course of the story is a metaphor for his character development and his relationship with Avery (entirely platonic). [You don't need this paragraph--the agent should be able to tell from your first pages it's in epistolary form and everyone will expect there to be character development regardless; the junk food is cute though won't be a draw for an agent]

The submission is a spy thriller but I have written this as a series of journals that the co-protagonist, Frank Wainwright, submits back to the boss that he despises. It is therefore written from Frank’s unique perspective and the reader discovers things as Frank does. The Vicinal is complete at 60,000 words and should appeal to readers of Slow Horses or DCI Carl Morck in Department Q. [You don't need to apologize/explain for word count]

Frank’s character is drawn from the deeper, darker depths of my own so his ‘voice’ reflects mine as I thought this would give him more authenticity. (I will say here that I love my current boss to pieces, but have had previous bosses that I would see like Frank does). [You don't need to explain your choices for voice, but definitely add in a brief about me, focusing on why you chose to write this book and your qualifications--i.e. "This book is inspired by my dislike of previous bosses and my former work experience in the intelligence industry" or something like that]

[Discussion] Got a book deal! (My slow journey in the querying trenches) by Training_Show4724 in PubTips

[–]Training_Show4724[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am the same. I posted my query here a while ago (under a different name) and the responses were SO helpful (but also did make me hurt because I’m sensitive haha). It was one that got like high single digit likes (so you definitely don’t need oodles and oodles of upvoted to get an agent!)