Queryshark

Very interesting site.

I'd like to do it but I just got a request for a partial from a different agent at the blog owner's agency and don't want to jinx myself at this point by having this agent rip my query to shreds and say "Form rejection" for everyone and their brother to see.

In my imagination I hear the blog's owner saying to her peers, "OMG, you wouldn't believe the God-awful query someone submitted to the query shark today" and the agent who asked for my partial says, "Yeah I got it too and humoured her with a partial request. I'll let the partial stew in my inbox for a few weeks then send a rejection email. Thanks for sparing my assistant and I the time and effort by validating my initial opinion."

Shudder...welcome to my nightmare.

I've definitely thought about it. Haven't done it yet, though. I'm too chicken.

Okay, some of these CAN'T be real. They simply can't.

Janet Reid is fantastic. And she's spot on. And I have no doubt these are real; many people can't write a query to save their lives. I also severely doubt she's the type to sit around and mock the entries with her peers. In my experience, she's about as straight up as it gets.

You can always run it through the SYW Query section here before you ship it off to Query Shark. I'd actually like to know what an agent thinks of a query that's been critted here first.

katiemac said:

You can always run it through the SYW Query section here before you ship it off to Query Shark. I'd actually like to know what an agent thinks of a query that's been critted here first.

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Well, maybe you'll find out - I just sent one that I had critted here a while back. If she slices and dices it, I'll come back and link to the SYW version.

katiemac said:

You can always run it through the SYW Query section here before you ship it off to Query Shark. I'd actually like to know what an agent thinks of a query that's been critted here first.

Click to expand...

Well, there's a worthy experiment.

Go for it. We'll watch.

Actually, I'm off to do some research. Might be somewhere I want to be.

Thanks for the link, seun.

Lifelongdagger submitted a query for his novel (a query that he posted here in SYW) and got positive feedback on it. She even said she'd request pages. The query appears to be gone from the Shark Tank now but it was up there for a week at least.

Well, there's a worthy experiment.

Go for it. We'll watch.

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Sadly, I have no query to give or I'd go for it.

I sent a query in like a year ago and it never appeared. I think she must pick and choose which ones to shred.

A UK equivalent of QueryShark has recently opened for business: The Pitch Parlour. I'm not sure how well it's going to work, but am pretty sure that Miss Pitch knows what she's talking about.

Lifelongdagger submitted a query for his novel (a query that he posted here in SYW) and got positive feedback on it. She even said she'd request pages. The query appears to be gone from the Shark Tank now but it was up there for a week at least.

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Hi all.

Janet Reid just re-posted my query after I'd revised it a little. Her comments were as follows :

And that's exactly why, in less than forty words, why I am eager to read the pages, and then the novel.

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Her final comment being :

oh hell yes, send this at once.

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But I'm a little bit confused. See, I thought this was just a query revision site. I didn't realise Janet is a real, bona fide literary agent.

Is this a formal request for a full?

Yours, a little confused,

Ian

It is a query revision site but she is also an agent. It's extremely rare she asks for pages. She might say 'I think an agent would take this on at once' if she thinks it's realllly good but isn't actually interested herself.

Even if you're not sure about if you want her as an agent, if you send her pages, she will probably offer some helpful comments/criticisms on them for you so it's worthwhile.

If still unsure/in doubt about if she's formally requesting, ask her first

Lifelongdagger said:

But I'm a little bit confused. See, I thought this was just a query revision site. I didn't realise Janet is a real, bona fide literary agent.

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You didn't know about Janet Reid?

Congrats, by the way. I was watching your entry on Queryshark.

Hi Para.

I've just emailed Janet Reid to ask if her words were tantamount to a formal request for the first three chapters. In her submission guidelines, she normally requested the first 3-5 pages but as she seems to have sort of approved of the query and said about reading pages then a full, I thought the first three chapters might be a good start.

I'll let you know the outcome.

And thank you so much, my friend. It was largely due to your help, and others in Query Letter Hell, that has got me to even this stage.

Thank you so much.

Warmest regards,

Ian

Lifelongdagger said:

Hi all.

Janet Reid just re-posted my query after I'd revised it a little. Her comments were as follows :



Her final comment being :



But I'm a little bit confused. See, I thought this was just a query revision site. I didn't realise Janet is a real, bona fide literary agent.

Is this a formal request for a full?

Yours, a little confused,

Ian

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Good for you, now go get her.

Thank you, Wayne. Still waiting on the email I sent her. Hope it wasn't the wrong thing to ask. Still, she does say on her site it's better to ask if you're unsure of anything, so hopefully it'll be okay.

Warmest regards,

Ian

Just got an email from Janet Reid requesting the first three chapters.

Blimey.

Congratulations! (now update your siggy)

katiemac said:

You can always run it through the SYW Query section here before you ship it off to Query Shark. I'd actually like to know what an agent thinks of a query that's been critted here first.

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That's a great idea, katiemac. I think I'll try it with my query.

And congratulations, lifelongdagger!

Thank you, AA. Siggy attended to.

Thank you QoS. The guys in QLH whipped my query into shape real good. Without their help, there's no way what I originally had would have even got a look in.

Lifelongdagger said:

Just got an email from Janet Reid requesting the first three chapters.

Blimey.

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Yessssssssssssssssssss!!!

*does happy dance for Ian*

That's brilliant news! My fingers are well and truly crossed for you!