tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post6738065812488233367..comments2024-02-16T04:42:50.005-05:00Comments on QueryTracker Blog: Have You Ever...?Patrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17771807777617244491noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-91875291759850080852011-06-08T19:52:40.480-04:002011-06-08T19:52:40.480-04:00Great post regarding questions, however I wonder w...Great post regarding questions, however I wonder what your thoughts are if you open your query with a question? E.g., How far would you go to teach your school a lesson? or How would you stop the most feared bully from humiliating your new best friend?Christopher Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13313122183719223796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-71604178588703493842010-06-17T23:04:53.009-04:002010-06-17T23:04:53.009-04:00I ran my query through the QueryTracker forum and ...I ran my query through the QueryTracker forum and on advice from another writer ADDED a question into my query letter. And it's all moot because I just sent that query to the last couple of agents on my list for this novel.<br /><br />Oh, well. Next novel query I'll keep it in mind.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06744839183904727677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-82064350291510536332010-01-29T15:21:49.923-05:002010-01-29T15:21:49.923-05:00I had to come back here and read this as my query ...I had to come back here and read this as my query still stinks--yeah, I had an ending question but thanks to your examples--it is out of there!! Thanks!Terri Tiffanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07771622379178654235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-14370337502975121182009-04-09T13:39:00.000-04:002009-04-09T13:39:00.000-04:00Very nice post. I especially like how you illustra...Very nice post. I especially like how you illustrated your post with examples and explanations. Great job!Danyelle L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10366276085080565870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-30665318085879130232009-04-09T03:28:00.000-04:002009-04-09T03:28:00.000-04:00Nice work Elana. I always tell my writer friends: ...Nice work Elana. I always tell my writer friends: "It's a query, not a quiz."<BR/>Great examples of how to fix this all too common query faux pas.Amy Kinzerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10436166248133753017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-14746080523651117172009-04-08T17:31:00.000-04:002009-04-08T17:31:00.000-04:00Great post!Great post!Angela Ackermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808259088625142389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-52755023996050699302009-04-08T13:48:00.000-04:002009-04-08T13:48:00.000-04:00Mandy, never. ;)Heather, I knew I should have come...Mandy, never. ;)<BR/><BR/>Heather, I knew I should have come to you first. I was scouring Pubrants. That place is squeaky clean.<BR/><BR/>Thanks Eric!Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-58437702602673177612009-04-08T12:13:00.000-04:002009-04-08T12:13:00.000-04:00This is really helpful advice. I haven't yet had ...This is really helpful advice. I haven't yet had to write a query (hopefully soon), but I can definitely see how your examples are much better than the alternative. Thanks alot.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07823808700523297184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-84135606931811699192009-04-08T11:23:00.000-04:002009-04-08T11:23:00.000-04:00And Rachelle Gardner:How to Avoid Impressing MeAnd...And Rachelle Gardner:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-to-avoid-impressing-me.html" REL="nofollow">How to Avoid Impressing Me</A><BR/><BR/>And Jonathan Lyons:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://lyonsliterary.blogspot.com/2008/02/pet-peeves.html" REL="nofollow">Pet Peeves</A>H. L. Dyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11054946734073372817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-13476088704221039652009-04-08T11:19:00.000-04:002009-04-08T11:19:00.000-04:00Colleen Lindsay has also blogged against query que...Colleen Lindsay has also blogged against query questions:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://theswivet.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-not-to-start-query-letter.html" REL="nofollow">How Not to Begin a Query Letter</A>H. L. Dyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11054946734073372817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-16169024371830011482009-04-08T11:09:00.000-04:002009-04-08T11:09:00.000-04:00Elana-Great post!!! I'm wondering..... did any pas...Elana-<BR/>Great post!!! I'm wondering..... did any past experience with a new friend prompt this ;) I so agree and want to thank you for pointing out to me that questions don't fly. Thanks to your advice, my new query is much better and I think has been better received by agents.Amanda Bonillahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05983960181205765184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-22437665273032654182009-04-08T11:02:00.000-04:002009-04-08T11:02:00.000-04:00Thanks, Elana! Holy cow, I didn't realize how weak...Thanks, Elana! <BR/><BR/>Holy cow, I didn't realize how weak the question thing sounded until now and as I read through my query, definitely have some reworking to do.Windyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07684298115679477705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-76384949578089262482009-04-08T11:01:00.000-04:002009-04-08T11:01:00.000-04:00As soon as I started reading, I'm doing the forehe...As soon as I started reading, I'm doing the forehead hitting over my own query. Think I can fix it though. Thanks for the heads up!JC Falorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12752042179391838494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-59429166115514521352009-04-08T10:35:00.000-04:002009-04-08T10:35:00.000-04:00Great post. Funny how I wasn't sure I agreed with ...Great post. Funny how I wasn't sure I agreed with you until I read the rewritten versions of the questions. Much better. Now where did I put that red pencil....Tesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014195715998913268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-88334239282027643292009-04-08T09:47:00.000-04:002009-04-08T09:47:00.000-04:00MDavis, email it to me. I'll take a look at it... ...MDavis, email it to me. I'll take a look at it... My email is in the sidebar. :)<BR/><BR/>Lisa and Laura, I really have to read that novel...just sayin'. ;)<BR/><BR/>Thanks Stina and Janyece!Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-62950305589594680032009-04-08T09:36:00.000-04:002009-04-08T09:36:00.000-04:00We absolutely started the query for our first book...We absolutely started the query for our first book with a question and we queried WIDELY. We honestly had no idea that there were agents who advised against it, so I guess ignorance was bliss.<BR/><BR/>We actually ended up getting a decent amount of requests with our annoying rhetorical question, although probably best not to try this at home...<BR/><BR/>Here's the first paragraph:<BR/><BR/>Remember when you were a teenager and humiliated by performing even the most mundane tasks? Things like taking the bus, riding your bike, and carrying an umbrella were mysteriously embarrassing. And if you think your life was bad, imagine yourself in Elle Bennet’s shoes. Her youngest sister is the prep school slut, her family is drowning in credit-card debt, and her mother’s only hobby is social climbing.lisa and laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18144863275895761642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-78472850704105106422009-04-08T09:20:00.000-04:002009-04-08T09:20:00.000-04:00I've tried tried tried to eliminate the questions ...I've tried tried <I>tried</I> to eliminate the questions at the end of my query, but everything comes out blah, and I actually got great responses to my question-ending over at dearauthor.com awhile back. <BR/><BR/>Still, reading a post like this makes me feel I'm deluding myself my ending is ok. I don't know what else to do. <BR/><BR/>Can I post it here for bludgeoning or is that a no-no?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-65119132834504849092009-04-08T09:18:00.000-04:002009-04-08T09:18:00.000-04:00That was incredibly insightful. I hadn't thought o...That was incredibly insightful. I hadn't thought of it like that before. I would have assumed those questions to be rhetorical, but when you're mind sees a question, it automatically begs a response. Like playing a scale and leaving off the octave, your knee jerk response is to resolve it. In the case of questions in a query, you wouldn't want the agent to get the wrong impression and be disappointed or put off. Thanks! That's very good advice!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08616276555920544920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-22828476051919320762009-04-08T09:16:00.000-04:002009-04-08T09:16:00.000-04:00This is so true. My query for my first novel began...This is so true. My query for my first novel began and ended with questions. Groan. One request.<BR/><BR/>My query for my second novel. No questions, many more requests. Okay, plot may have also played a role here, too. <BR/><BR/>As usual, great advice, Elana. :DStinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.com