"Silent Query Killer"
- Thread starter Moon Daughter
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The passive voice isn't always a killer. For instance, few agents will find a problem with this: my previous five books were published by Simon & Schuster.
True. I read the link in his blog and it said that the passive voice shouldn't always be avoided and is sometimes necessary. But I think the point was when writing out the hook the writer should avoid using passive so it doesn't sound dull.
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Haha! I so hear ya!
As far as query killers, I'm sure agents hate it if you say anything that sounds remotely like bragging.
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LOL. Yup. Self-congratulatory statements like that usually don't go over too well. "It's the best book you will ever read" or "It is going to be best seller." Yes, do sell your work, but don't claim anything you are not willing to back up.
40? For a novel? If your query needs rewriting, you've just shot yourself in the foot with a whole lot of agents. Or maybe these are article queries?
You're right. This'll definitely eat at me for days on end.So I think perhaps you worry too much.
Oh, wait, no... it's that other thing.
What do you do, stop time? Seriously, that's amazing.
(And I do wish you the sincerest of luck.)
Molly, how long are your novels? What genre are they? I can write a 90K rough draft in 3 months, but that's working an hour a day.
!!!
Do they -- oh, how should I put it -- suck? Or are you actually God?
I've never heard such a thing. It's jaw-dropping either way.
So I shouldn't be telling prospective agents that my book will touch them in ways that will make them want to cry?
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I'd say the problem with this isn't so much the passive voice as the fact that it doesn't say anything. Who's Spencer? What were his dreams? Who are his enemies? What did they do to his life? What actually happens in this story?
Well, mollyluna, I'm amazed at your speed.
On average, I compose at something slightly under 4 wpm, so how fast I can type isn't a factor.
I'm a little surprised that you speed read as well. That's a skill I've never had the desire to acquire--I enjoy rolling the words around inside my head too much, and that means reading rather slowly.
On average, I compose at something slightly under 4 wpm, so how fast I can type isn't a factor.
I'm a little surprised that you speed read as well. That's a skill I've never had the desire to acquire--I enjoy rolling the words around inside my head too much, and that means reading rather slowly.
I'm just dizzy.
I'll be honest: I have real trouble believing one can create quality work this way, but then I've never seen it, and mollyluna could just be some sort of romance fiction Mozart...
Back to killer lines (that is, killing, in-the-trash-not-even rejection-worthy-steam-the stamp-off-the-SASE-to-use-for-someone-else's-rejection, lines) in a query letter. How about, "I've learned so much about the industry and the craft as this is my seventh, but by far the best, work."
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Nora Roberts manages.
That there are others out there who can do the same (I've written 5 full novels in less than 5 months, one of which landed me a good agent) isn't out of the realm of possibility.
Everyone to their own speeds and abilities.
I've actually read one of Mollyluna's novels and no, it didn't suck - not even a little bit. I'm not a romance fan, but after reading hers, I thought I would give some Harlequin a try. Then, I just finished an erotica (spanish lovers with amazing abilities)- that damn Molly has created a monster! ha ha
Gina M
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