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mafiaking1936

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I've posted a little bit over at the QueryTracker forum to try and get help on my query (since I don't yet have enough posts to do it here), but it could really use more people reading and critiquing since it seems to be mostly the same crew over and over. There are sections for writing samples too, but they don't get many eyes. I just wanted to mention it.
 

Dennis E. Taylor

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Have you checked out Query Shark? Not to submit, but just to read? She has a lot of good advice, and publicly eviscerates a lot of queries. Good times, and good information. :tongue
 

JJ Litke

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I've posted a little bit over at the QueryTracker forum to try and get help on my query (since I don't yet have enough posts to do it here), but it could really use more people reading and critiquing since it seems to be mostly the same crew over and over. There are sections for writing samples too, but they don't get many eyes. I just wanted to mention it.

Instead of trying to get others to give you feedback, start giving feedback yourself. You'll learn a lot, and when you do have enough posts, you'll have built up goodwill by contributing. Further, if you participate, you'll see the kind of feedback other individuals give, so when they crit your query, you'll already have some idea whether they're someone you generally agree with.
 

mafiaking1936

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Instead of trying to get others to give you feedback, start giving feedback yourself. You'll learn a lot, and when you do have enough posts, you'll have built up goodwill by contributing. Further, if you participate, you'll see the kind of feedback other individuals give, so when they crit your query, you'll already have some idea whether they're someone you generally agree with.

Oh, I do, or I try to. It's tough for me judging other people's work when I know how much work they probably put into it. Other folks...yeah they don't have that problem.
 

mccardey

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Oh, I do, or I try to. It's tough for me judging other people's work when I know how much work they probably put into it. Other folks...yeah they don't have that problem.
Oh, other folks do have that problem. But they surmount it, which is very generous and helpful of them.

ETA: Other folks. Not me so much, because I don't think we do query letters the same way down here.
 
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Frankie007

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i just name/point out a couple things i like and/or maybe could be better.... every little bit helps....right?
 

JJ Litke

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Oh, I do, or I try to. It's tough for me judging other people's work when I know how much work they probably put into it. Other folks...yeah they don't have that problem.

That's a sweet thought, but how do you think those queries are being judged by agents and publishers? It's not based on estimations of how hard they think anyone worked.

And I'm sure you know better than to imagine that critiquing queries is easy for everyone else and only difficult for you.
 

Old Hack

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Spend a couple of weeks helping others with their work. I know it's hard, but it is the single most effective way I know of improving your own work. Dive in. Go on.