On queries

[wayfaringwordhack]

 The following bit of wisdom from The Biggest Mistakes Writers Make When Querying Literary Agents by J. M. Tohline via jongibbs ' weekly "Interesting Blog Posts About Writing - w/e January 7th 2011" entry:

Says agent Amy Boggs, "The bulk of a query should consist of 1) the main character, 2) what happens to complicate their life, 3) what goals they now have in response to that complication, and 4) the main obstacle between them and their goal. That is the cake of the query; everything else is just frosting and sprinkles."

Comments

[frigg.livejournal.com]

*nods*

For Danish queries that tends to be a given, since they prefer not to receive more than 6-7 lines describing what the novel is about. There's just not space for anything else. Subplots and secondary characters, apart from maybe the antagonist? Forget it. :p

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it helped for me to see the advice put another way. I think K Nelson's advice about using the Inciting Incident is good, but this talk of goals is interesting, too. I'm hoping it can help me get some story stuff figured out.

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

I've been reading about queries/query blogs all week (in avoidance of essays) so this is weirdly pertinent. ;)

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I love when I'm pertinent, but weirdly pertinent takes the cake. ;)

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. It's much appreciated :)

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

My pleasure. :)

[rabiagale.livejournal.com]

You thinking of querying? :)

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Someday, my friend, someday....

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

Back again: I actually wrote a query this week! Ah, procrastination against things that are actually important in this period of time... now if only I had a COMPLETE DRAFT.

Where's YOUR writing at recently?

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I actually wrote a query this week!

Most excellent, even if it was the fruit of procrastination. :P

As for my own writing, still too little time to put words down, but I have been mulling. I feel that my number of active and viable brain cells is down quite a bit, but mulling I am. Hopefully, I'll have time for actual writing soon.