querying
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I originally posted this on Threads, but wanted to compile it all into one blog post so folks could find it easier. Let’s begin at the beginning, as they say. What’s An Author Referral? It’s when an agented author recommends you to their agent. It’s not a guarantee of an offer of representation or even…
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The query trenches is an emotional rollercoaster. There’s the rare unicorn that sends out a dozen queries, receives ten requests for their full manuscript, then eight offers. Which is amazing and wonderful and mind-blowing, but absolutely not the norm. For most of us, it’s a long, slow, tedious slog. Emotionally, anyway. Actual time elapsed is…
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Okay. I know as authors we’re creative. We like to bend the rules upon occasion, be it blending genres, creating different rules of magic, that kind of thing. We’re allowed to make up whatever rules we want in our own sandbox, as long as they’re consistent and make sense. Like, you can’t have your vampire…
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Where do I find agents to query? There a few good, reliable sites, imo. QueryTracker (there is both free and paid membership) was an invaluable resource for me, plus PublishersMarketplace (free trial) and ManuscriptWishList (free). There are other sites, but those are the ones I personally have experience with. Which agents should I query? Depending on your age group and genre,…
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Okay, so for those who don’t follow me on TikTok, I recently did a four part series (with no doubt more to come) on ‘schmagents.’ Schmagents are those who pose as literary agents, often promising you a best seller, movie deal, and probably prancing unicorns for your yard, but… *insert a multitude of things you need…
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One of the most popular questions agented authors get is HOW. How did you do it? There are a lot of things I could say, to make it sound like some dark, mysterious event. Probably involving some magic, candles, chanting, possibly a deal made with a member of Faerie whose name cannot be mentioned, or…
Melissa Charles author 