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TIPS FROM THE SLUSH PILE by Sara Megibow
I have seen so many great queries this month—kudos to all you writers!!!
Sometimes, I feel that writers are intimidated by the make-it-short mantra of query letter writing. I agree—the back cover of your book itself will be short, so if the cover-copy writers can do it, so can you. The back cover is, after all, one major factor influencing the buying decisions of potential readers.
But, in the effort to make it short, queries sometimes read like this, "My name is... My work is a... It is about... "
So, how do you add some spice to that one powerful page and make your query leap into the "Yes" pile?
One technique that I have seen this month is the use of a unique voice in the query letter:
- For example, I love it when I see a query whose writing mimics the voice of the book. Instead of describing the characters and plot points, some writers use the language of their hero or heroine. I was excited when I saw a YA novel described in the hip, young feel of the story itself.
- Even when the writer messes with the grammar, or uses colloquialisms from character quotes, it works for me. In these cases, I feel like I am actually reading a part of the story instead of reading a description of what the work is about.
So, if you have a comedic book—make the query letter funny. If you are writing a literary novel, use a more lyrical, beautiful approach. Make the query sound like an extension of the book itself and it will really stand out!
WHAT'S HOT by Kristin Nelson
Based on the recent auction I held, I can safely say that paranormal romance is still holding strong.
Paranormal YA. Sales are very strong in this sector and the market has not yet reach saturation so editors are looking to buy.
Contemporary YA. Anything with an inventive hook yet deals with real issues teens face is going to get attention.
What's around the bend? Dark Urban Fantasy with romantic elements. Editors are calling to see what agents have in the hopper; they are buying and spending some money to do it (like high five figures and sometimes six).
In my estimation, and based on the huge six-figure deal I did for Sherry Thomas's Victorian/Edwardian historical romance SCHEMES OF LOVE this summer, I think historicals are poised to make a comeback. So dust off your historical research and get cracking.
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Jana DeLeon's debut novel, RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU, came out this month to rave reviews!
Romantic Times Book Review gave it 4 1/2 stars and a Top Pick
Snippet from the review:
Rumble on the Bayou is a wonderful, poignant and fun mystery, with a strong romantic subplot, in which all the major characters act in intelligent and responsible ways, not taking stupid chances. Filled with likable and interesting individuals, this first-rate debut novel is a truly fantastic read... HOT
Synopsis: Deputy Dorie Berenger knew it was going to be a rough day when the alligator she found in the town drunk’s swimming pool turned out to be stoned. On heroin. Now she has some big-shot city slicker from the DEA trying to take over her turf. And Agent Richard Starke is everything she’d feared—brash, demanding and way too handsome for his own good. Or hers . . .
The folks of Gator Bait, Louisiana, may know everything about each other, but they’re sure not going to share it with an outsider. Richard wouldn’t be able to catch a catfish, much less a drug smuggler, without Dorie’s help. But some secrets—and some desires—are buried so deep that bringing them to the surface will take a major ...
... RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU
If you are a fan of Stephanie Bond type romantic comedy/mystery hybrids, DeLeon is a new author for you. (View RUMBLE on Amazon.com.)
In fact, what made RUMBLE so terrific and unique also made it a potentially hard sell. Editors are notorious for being skittish about hybrids (but funny enough, it’s often the genre-bending books that capture the most attention from fans). Despite the fact that this work garnered 4½ stars from Romantic times and currently has very strong sales, the majority of editors passed on the work when it was on submission. One editor loved it but couldn’t get in-house support so had to pass with regret. And yet, RUMBLE is successful. We found the right editor who had the vision to take a chance on it.
RUMBLE works because it walks that perfect line between the two genre boundaries it straddles. If it doesn’t, the manuscript will get rejected. RUMBLE does it magically so if you’re crossing genres, you definitely want to put this book on your to-be-read pile.
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KRISTIN'S BOOK CLUB
I know that it's unbelievable but I actually do belong to a book club. I read all day for a living but still, when it's time to relax, I want to pick up a good book (especially one that I don't have to analyze or edit!) and sit down for a nice read. That's why I'm a literary agent after all. I love to read.
My book club is a group of seven gals and we've been reading together for the last nine years (and no, we don't necessarily read Nelson Agency authors although we have done so least once or twice over the years).
But I know that folks are always looking for a good book to read and are sometimes lost as to what to choose next. I'm not saying we are experts at picking good books (we've read some real clunkers in our time) but we always have passionate recommendations for books we are excited about and want the club to read.
By the way, none of the other gals in the book club work in the industry so it really gives me an inside look at what books hit their radar and why.
And through this newsletter, I'm going to share the inside scoop about the books we read. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
And if you'd like to read along with us, welcome aboard.
Next up for our late February 2007 meeting is CLOUD ATLAS by David Mitchell.
Happy reading!
ON SARA'S NIGHTSTAND
I read 3-4 books per week on average. Of course, I read our clients' books. Kristin only takes on writers whose work she absolutely loves, so I want to make sure that I can identify the quality of writing that attracts her. I also read other authors whose books are hot right now—Laurel K. Hamilton, Nora Roberts, Meg Cabot, etc. Usually, I see right away why fans buy so many of these books—they are polished, unique, creative, and have a lot of depth. Then, there are books that have gotten good reviews or good recommendations (from Publishers Weekly, or from friends, or from industry blogs). I bought KAFKA'S SOUP based off of a PW starred review and loved it so much that I bought three copies for gifts. I also make sure that I read from a variety of genres—to see what's out there, what ideas have been done, and where the market is going. Finally, there's the what-I-just-love-to-read pile, which is all the leftovers like VAMPIRE HUNTER D or GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES, which have both been on my nightstand for weeks.
Let's see—of all that, what breakouts have I read this month? TRANSFORMATION by Carol Berg was such a winner! I felt like it had a real, tangible, powerful, intense, new fantasy world. I loved it!!! And, I have to say—PLAN B, by our very own Jenny O'Connell was one of the best books I've read all year. Man, if all YA books could be this good!!!! I was blown away by how well she represented the young adult world. Wow!
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"What if you, a published author, are asked to blurb and would like to decline?" Link to this entry on Kristin's blog. For the latest blog entry, go here.
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To learn more about Nelson Literary Agency, such as our recent sales, how to submit, and valuable writer resources, please visit our website: www.nelsonagency.com |
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