Opening with a quote--query question

Ruth2 · Oct 3, 2009

I'm not sure if this goes here or in Query Letter Hell but since it's not a query per se, I thought here might work.

Anyway, my question-- is it verboten to open a query with a quote from the WIP? The pitch gives information but it doesn't show how my MCs mind works. Despite having had a hard life she has a snarky sense of humor which infuses the novel and sets it apart from other similar novels.

What sayeth y'all?

Thanks for any advice!

Wayne K · Oct 3, 2009

Why not write it and post in query SYW? The people there are pretty good.

Cyia · Oct 3, 2009

DO NOT QUOTE YOUR WIP EVER. EVER.

NEVER DO IT.

JUST DON'T.

PERIOD.

Caitlin Black · Oct 3, 2009

Been on AW for less than a minute today and already I've found some good advice. Awesome, thanks Cyia.

Cyia · Oct 3, 2009

Quoting your WIP is an offense that brings out the query squirrels

jclarkdawe · Oct 3, 2009

Don't do it. I've never seen it work. Listen to Cyia.

You should be able to infuse her voice into the query. The voice used in a query is one of a query's biggest selling points.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

Wayne K · Oct 3, 2009

Ruth2 · Oct 3, 2009

LOL!!! Okay okay I get it--- no quoting the work. (I love squirrels....)

Ruth2 · Oct 3, 2009

@Wayne: I am writing it but it's not ready to be posted yet. Gotta make it as good as I can before it gets eviscerated, don't ya know..

miss marisa · Oct 4, 2009

Just gotta know, why don't quotes from your WIP work? Is it too pretentious? Please, elaborate for my query ignorant self.

Parametric · Oct 4, 2009

marisaMARTYR said:
Just gotta know, why don't quotes from your WIP work? Is it too pretentious? Please, elaborate for my query ignorant self.

It's hypothetically possible that a quote from the novel might work well in the query, but like the other folks from Query Hell, I've never seen it work.

A manuscript is written differently, paced differently, covers different topics, has a different purpose, function and audience than a query. The manuscript illustrates character, builds the world, creates tension: the query has to sell sell sell. The manuscript gets to sprawl luxuriously across 100k (or however much): the query needs to be slashed and burned down to 250 words. Quotes from the manuscript just don't fit into the query.

jclarkdawe · Oct 4, 2009

Another problem with a quote in the book is the lack of set up for it. In your novel, you've spent several pages at least building towards your great quote. In a query, you don't have that so it reads out of context.

Quotes in queries tend to be obvious because of their lack of fit.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

Stijn Hommes · Oct 5, 2009

Cyia said:
DO NOT QUOTE YOUR WIP EVER. EVER.

NEVER DO IT.

JUST DON'T.

PERIOD.

While this could be good advice, I'd rather see a reason to go with it. I've seen a lot of "period" type of advice that turned out to be not so clear-cut after all...

Lifelongdagger · Oct 5, 2009

Try and imbue your query letter with the same writing style as the novel. That way, the agent gets a flavour of your writing without you having to clumsily wedge in quotes from the novel itself.

All the best,

Ian

jclarkdawe · Oct 5, 2009

Stijn Hommes said:
While this could be good advice, I'd rather see a reason to go with it. I've seen a lot of "period" type of advice that turned out to be not so clear-cut after all...

Parametric and I gave two reasons why you don't do this. Cyia knows both of them. The three of us also know some other reasons, including the fact agents say don't do this. If you come over to QLH, you'll see Cyia putting her reputation for knowing queries on the line several times a week.

Problem is we get bored. We're saying the same thing over and over and over and over again. After you've explained it for the hundredth time (and Cyia is well over that number), sometimes you just don't feel like using up the energy.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

Opening with a quote--query question

Ruth2

Tam, na Koncu Drevoreda

Wayne K

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

Caitlin Black

Wild one

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?

Wayne K

Ruth2

Tam, na Koncu Drevoreda

Ruth2

Tam, na Koncu Drevoreda

miss marisa

Parametric

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

Lifelongdagger

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?