Presenting…Query Day!
Query Critique Week was such a huge success (I can’t even count how many people have emailed me saying they had full requests! YAAAAY!!), and I’ve received so many emails asking when it would happen again, I’ve decided to make it more of a regular thing…
Now, I can’t manage the same scale of queries I handled in January, but I CAN manage a handful each month. And so I’d like to introduce you to…
~ Query Day ~
So here’s the deal:
- Once a month, I will post a blog entitled, “SEND YOUR QUERIES”.
- You will click on this image, and it will lead you to a form. You will copy-paste your query in the form.
- After I’ve received ten queries, I’ll put up a new post entitled, “QUERY SUBMISSIONS CLOSED” that will have this image.
- I’ll personally critique those ten queries over the course of the next few weeks, and I’ll send the critted queries back to the author.
- Then, I’ll select two queries to post on the blog for community feedback. (So, if you don’t want community feedback, be sure to mention that when you email me your query.)
- Some months, I may choose to query more! Like, if I have extra time… Other months, I may choose to query less (like I can already guess April will be too busy for 10!).
As always, I ask that you CAREFULLY READ AND APPLY my Parts of a Good Query blog post before you send me your query. It doesn’t help you if I critique something you haven’t worked hard on — I’ll just send you back to the drawing board!
Don’t know what a query letter is? Read this from AgentQuery.
Want to learn the Dos an Don’ts of query writing? Head over to the Query Shark.
Any other questions about query letters? Ask ’em in the comments, and I’ll be sure to answer!
Now Get Ready! Spread the Word!
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Query Day will begin Monday, March 7, 2011!
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You tell me: Do you have any questions? Complaints? Suggestions? Will you participate? Can you spread the word?
Meredith
March 3, 2011 @ 1:24 pm
This is so awesome! 🙂
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 5:15 pm
Thanks, Meredith!!
Alicia Gregoire
March 3, 2011 @ 1:41 pm
Awesome!
Susan
March 5, 2011 @ 12:12 pm
Not sure why, but you got spammed! SORRY! (This happens to me every time too… What makes us spammy, I wonder??)
Marquita
March 3, 2011 @ 1:47 pm
Thanks for doing this 🙂
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 5:15 pm
You’re VERY welcome, Marquita! 😀
Holly
March 3, 2011 @ 1:56 pm
You’re awesome, Sooz. I’ll spread the word. 🙂
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 5:15 pm
Gracias! I appreciate the shouting-out into the blogosphere. 😀
Emy Shin
March 3, 2011 @ 2:16 pm
This is so amazing. Your query skills are awesome — I’m sure tonnes of people would love to have this opportunity!
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 5:14 pm
Thanks Emy! And look at you writing metric tonnes — that’s so freaking cute. I <3 the metric system too.
Kat
March 3, 2011 @ 2:39 pm
Look at the Sooz go! You are awesome-tastic. May your skills contribute to many more full requests in the future 😀
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 5:14 pm
This coming from the coordinator of AMAZING CRITIQUE POWER. Don’t worry, I won’t interfere with your wondrous crits in the near future. 😉
Laura Pauling
March 3, 2011 @ 3:08 pm
What a great idea! Writers everywhere will appreciate this!
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 5:12 pm
I hope so! I really enjoy reading queries, but even more, I enjoy hearing someone got requests for FULLS!! Such a great feeling!
Sophia Chang
March 3, 2011 @ 3:55 pm
This is so helpful and necessary (and terrifying)! Thanks to Emy for tweeting this.
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 3:56 pm
I hope you’re not terrified!! I won’t bite. Just be very very helpful — I promise! 😀
Sophia Chang
March 3, 2011 @ 3:57 pm
I just realized – if you live in Germany, should we factor in the time difference? About what time will that button be live?
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 4:02 pm
Very good question!
Since most of my readers are in the States/Canada, I’ll go live at 4:00 PM EST. That gives my American friends time, but it also lets my Australian/Asian pals have access (er…I think I’ve calculated that right!!).
Does that work for you?
Sophia Chang
March 4, 2011 @ 6:12 pm
Awesome thanks for the clarification! This way I know when to glue myself to the computer.
So 4 p.m. EST ON Monday 7th – see you then!
Tracey Neithercott
March 3, 2011 @ 6:49 pm
I’ve been reading your blog for some time and though now was a good time to de-lurk and say: You are awesome. Thank you so much for doing this!
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 6:53 pm
Are YOU THE TRACY STARRING WITH RYAN REYNOLDS!?!? 😉
Just kidding. Seriously, tho, thank you for your comment. you made me blush.
Victoria Dixon
March 3, 2011 @ 8:53 pm
Wow, you are incredibly generous! BTW, thanks for the help with the query. I’ve made it farther into the Amazon Breakthrough contest than ever and I have to give you credit for that. 🙂 (I haven’t submitted to agents yet as I’m still working on my opening sequence.)
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 10:16 pm
That’s GREAT news!! I’m so excited to hear it!! 😀 😀 Congrats!
Ashley
March 3, 2011 @ 10:14 pm
I’ve been revising my query ever since I sent it to you the last time (thanks by the way:))but I feel it’ll irritate you to see it now now, haha. 🙂
By the way you still kick all ass, Susan! 🙂
Susan
March 3, 2011 @ 10:17 pm
OF COURSE I will read it again. Just be within the first 10 to send it!! 😉 If anything, it’d be easier to see something I’ve seen before but with “fresh eyes”. I’m glad to hear you’ve been honing it–I bet it’s stellar!
Ashley
March 3, 2011 @ 10:19 pm
Honing it, and reading this over and over again:
1. Be brief, be brief, be brief! Your goal is to snag the agent’s attention immediately and only share enough information so they want to read more. Keep the story summary under 250 words.
2. Do not tell the ending! The purpose of a query is to show an editor/agent that you can tell a story from beginning to end, but you want to leave the end unknown. This is much like the back of book – you want to sell your story and entice them to read more.
3. You must lay out,
1. the MC’s goal,
2. why the MC is choosing to act,
3. what’s at stake if the MC fails.
It’s the query Bible, I tell you!
Susan
March 4, 2011 @ 2:42 am
GAAH! You’re quoting me!! GAAAH!
I feel very special right now. 😀
Yahong
March 4, 2011 @ 1:55 am
Hi Ashley! It’s been a while! 😀
Marie Rearden
March 3, 2011 @ 11:57 pm
You are fabulous to do this. Truly! 🙂
Marie
Susan
March 4, 2011 @ 2:09 am
::blushes:: Thanks, Marie! You’re too sweet.
Caitlin Darrell
March 4, 2011 @ 12:41 am
Argh Sooz, you’ve done the thing again where you’re too generous to even put into words! I’ll consider embarrassing myself, but no guarantees. My query is *ahem* a bit lacklustre…
Thanks so much Sooz! 😀
Susan
March 4, 2011 @ 2:09 am
Well, even if it’s not ready this month, there’s always April…or May or…FOREVER. 😉
Yahong
March 4, 2011 @ 1:59 am
Ohmygosh, this is just going to be like when the gifted high schools open their doors for signing up and there’s like a line of parents camping out, all waiting to sign up their kid… 😛 Okay, I’m off-topic.
THANK you, Susan! I know everyone’s told you already how fantabulous you are, but truly, this is just pure nice of you. <3
Susan
March 4, 2011 @ 2:11 am
Woah, I don’t know what a gifted high school is, but…it sounds complicated! We had the gifted classes, but you got in based on test scores…no signing up or anything. (Later they changed the word to “challenge students” to avoid singling those kids–myself included! ;)–as smarter than the others.)
Cheyenne
March 6, 2011 @ 5:57 pm
Yay! I’m so excited about this. Just finished re-writing my entire query based on your very helpful comments. Hope I’m in the right direction this time, and I’ll be sure to keep my eyes peeled…
Susan
March 7, 2011 @ 9:27 pm
Awesome! I can’t wait to see the new version!
Hope Roberson
December 12, 2011 @ 8:25 pm
I just came across this now and was wondering if you’re still doing a monthly query day. This is awesome and I’d love to link your blog to my blog under writing links and queries 🙂
Susan Dennard
December 13, 2011 @ 11:33 pm
I’m not gonna do it this year, but next year, most definitely!! I PROMISE to announce it once it starts back up again. 😀