It's aggressively insane how much is learned just from the dialogue you two have with each other in an industry that feels (for aspiring, neghead writers like me) like a field of bullets. This channel deserves it's own Patreon. As much as I hate writing query after query, it's kind of helped me edit my book - the message I'm getting is "use your movie trailer voice for the blurb." Sometimes I go back to my novel and think 'did this scene or scenario add or substract to the velocity of the narrative promised in my query?' As someone that refuses to self-publish, this channel is my everything.
Good! I'm glad you don't want the theme! Although it's important, the reader might internalize a totally different theme because of their place in life and how it touched them than what I thought I wrote.
This channel is AMAZING and I can't be grateful enough for finding it. I was floored by Jessica's agent inbox analogy and why it's important to get your book blurb right. Total light bulb moment.💡 Also thanking Jessica for the tough love and telling me to get over myself and get on board with getting used to being a persuasive writer. So many nuggets of wisdom in this video.
Firstly, I buy a book for its genre and then secondly, for its descriptive fantastic blurb. Whether online, kindle or written on the back cover when I visit a book store or a library, (Prefer to read the first page as most of us do). Will start taking photos of random book blurbs from now on ... Lol Thank You!
Loved the analogy of multiplying books being dumped on your porch every month... vivid imagery for what agents deal with when queries hit! Excellent conversation that should get us all rethinking our blurbs, thanks!
Love hearing you two go back and forth about stuff like these points. Much appreciated for those of us working diligently to complete something we love ! :-)
To add to my last comment, this might’ve been the most helpful video yet. Hope this comment helps you to understand the listeners and what we need, because this content is great. Thank you.
Gosh, I love this channel. Such good information, video after video. Thank you! To Jessica's point on secondary characters: If an ensemble cast is a strong element of the story, would it still be wrong to briefly touch on them/their role (without naming them)?
Thank you both. Fun to watch and very informative videos. I have queried your agency in the past (Long ago past...lol) and you are my dream agency. Looking forward to querying again now loaded with positive information and new tools.
I struggled with the query letter until someone said the blurb is exactly like back-cover copy. Hurrah! Because I think writing back-cover copy is fun. Someone else said you really only need to cover Act I (the first 25%) in the blurb/back-cover copy. I'll be at The Pikes Peak Writers' Conference in April and have requested a slot for a query letter critique by an agent or editor (list of over a dozen and we get to choose 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or surprise me). The thing that really sets my book apart is that hero and villain are shape-shifters, and like _Lady Hawk_ they are always in opposite states. But unlike _Lady Hawk_ the tender-hearted hero must kill the demon-possessed villain to break free of the curse. Oh, and there's a girl (the title character), because it's a retelling of _Little Red Riding Hood_ and ya gotta have a girl for that story. The query letter critique will be a blast.
How long is too long for a blurb though? I've heard 80 words, 150 words, 250 words.... Would a SFF novel be granted a longer blurb to encapsulate its world for a query letter? (within reason of 1 page obviously) 1 page can be up to 500 words though, so that's a lot bigger than 80, 150, or 250 words.
This was so useful, thank you! It gave me a lot more confidence about the query letter I sent to Ramona at BookEnds not too long ago for my first science-fiction book. One question I did have for the query letter: Is it good to say how your book relates to a plot element of a book the agent likes? For example, if an agent mentions a book that they like has a secret organization, and the book you are hoping to send involves a similar concept, should you put that info in the query letter?
@@BookEndsLiterary, awesome, I was a bit paranoid it wasn't a good idea, because it might conflict with competing titles in that first paragraph of the query letter. But it's good to know it can support it instead, it's what I ended up doing for my query letter to Ramona.
You guys always give fantastic advice and I just hope that I will be able to submit something to you soon that you will jump on, like a wolf upon a baby deer... Obviously from that description alone, I guess you can tell I write horror and suspense... Hopefully I'll write something you all think is worth your time.
Hello! I’m curious about comp titles. My book is adult contemporary fantasy and I’m wondering if it’s ok to say it has friendships similar to those in Buffy. I know Buffy is older, YA (technically), and super popular, so I’m not sure if that’s a good comp to use or if it will raise red flags. Thank you and love these videos.
“It’s not descriptive it’s persuasive” that literally unlocked what I have been missing!
It's aggressively insane how much is learned just from the dialogue you two have with each other in an industry that feels (for aspiring, neghead writers like me) like a field of bullets. This channel deserves it's own Patreon. As much as I hate writing query after query, it's kind of helped me edit my book - the message I'm getting is "use your movie trailer voice for the blurb." Sometimes I go back to my novel and think 'did this scene or scenario add or substract to the velocity of the narrative promised in my query?' As someone that refuses to self-publish, this channel is my everything.
Aggressively insane?
🎉P0
Good! I'm glad you don't want the theme! Although it's important, the reader might internalize a totally different theme because of their place in life and how it touched them than what I thought I wrote.
3:00 Thank you, Jessica. I'm really worried that themes are sometimes treated as more important than a good story.
Lol Jessica was like the teacher with the ruler today! I love it when she gets feisty and tells us to get the job done!
This channel is AMAZING and I can't be grateful enough for finding it. I was floored by Jessica's agent inbox analogy and why it's important to get your book blurb right. Total light bulb moment.💡 Also thanking Jessica for the tough love and telling me to get over myself and get on board with getting used to being a persuasive writer. So many nuggets of wisdom in this video.
Firstly, I buy a book for its genre and then secondly, for its descriptive fantastic blurb. Whether online, kindle or written on the back cover when I visit a book store or a library, (Prefer to read the first page as most of us do). Will start taking photos of random book blurbs from now on ... Lol
Thank You!
Loved the analogy of multiplying books being dumped on your porch every month... vivid imagery for what agents deal with when queries hit! Excellent conversation that should get us all rethinking our blurbs, thanks!
💗
Damn, that’s a good point. Reading new writers to understand how new readers think.
Why did that book get picked up?
Solid.
Love hearing you two go back and forth about stuff like these points. Much appreciated for those of us working diligently to complete something we love ! :-)
To add to my last comment, this might’ve been the most helpful video yet. Hope this comment helps you to understand the listeners and what we need, because this content is great. Thank you.
I am looking forward to the query workshop at the end of January. I’m getting ready to begin querying soon.
Lol at the ‘I got an albino dog.’
Helpful, as always. Thank you so much, you both. Appreciate it so very much! :)
Gosh, I love this channel. Such good information, video after video. Thank you!
To Jessica's point on secondary characters: If an ensemble cast is a strong element of the story, would it still be wrong to briefly touch on them/their role (without naming them)?
In the case of ensemble cast, it may be necessary to mention secondary characters since their stories are interwoven so no, I wouldn't say it's wrong!
@@BookEndsLiterary Perfect, thank you!
Another great video full of useful tips. Thank you for all the hard work you do to help new authors. I hope all of you at bookends have a great day.
Thank you both. Fun to watch and very informative videos. I have queried your agency in the past (Long ago past...lol) and you are my dream agency. Looking forward to querying again now loaded with positive information and new tools.
Thank you both as always, this is a great video! This is my fist year signed up for 12x12. I can’t wait to see James video in February :)
I struggled with the query letter until someone said the blurb is exactly like back-cover copy. Hurrah! Because I think writing back-cover copy is fun. Someone else said you really only need to cover Act I (the first 25%) in the blurb/back-cover copy.
I'll be at The Pikes Peak Writers' Conference in April and have requested a slot for a query letter critique by an agent or editor (list of over a dozen and we get to choose 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or surprise me). The thing that really sets my book apart is that hero and villain are shape-shifters, and like _Lady Hawk_ they are always in opposite states. But unlike _Lady Hawk_ the tender-hearted hero must kill the demon-possessed villain to break free of the curse. Oh, and there's a girl (the title character), because it's a retelling of _Little Red Riding Hood_ and ya gotta have a girl for that story. The query letter critique will be a blast.
Awesome information thanks so much guys! Can’t wait to get started!
Thank you, that was great information! 😁
How long is too long for a blurb though?
I've heard 80 words, 150 words, 250 words....
Would a SFF novel be granted a longer blurb to encapsulate its world for a query letter? (within reason of 1 page obviously)
1 page can be up to 500 words though, so that's a lot bigger than 80, 150, or 250 words.
Even for SFF, the blurb in a query probably won't go past the 250 work mark since you need to keep it concise!
@@BookEndsLiterary Ten pounds of feathers in a five-pound bag, gotcha. ;)
This was so useful, thank you! It gave me a lot more confidence about the query letter I sent to Ramona at BookEnds not too long ago for my first science-fiction book. One question I did have for the query letter: Is it good to say how your book relates to a plot element of a book the agent likes? For example, if an agent mentions a book that they like has a secret organization, and the book you are hoping to send involves a similar concept, should you put that info in the query letter?
Yes, definitely! It shows a connection and that you have a keen eye for detail!
@@BookEndsLiterary, awesome, I was a bit paranoid it wasn't a good idea, because it might conflict with competing titles in that first paragraph of the query letter. But it's good to know it can support it instead, it's what I ended up doing for my query letter to Ramona.
You guys always give fantastic advice and I just hope that I will be able to submit something to you soon that you will jump on, like a wolf upon a baby deer... Obviously from that description alone, I guess you can tell I write horror and suspense... Hopefully I'll write something you all think is worth your time.
Great video!
I write novels, but I’m currently polishing up a book to help kids cope with dark times. Could you give me some advice appropriate to that?
Hello! I’m curious about comp titles. My book is adult contemporary fantasy and I’m wondering if it’s ok to say it has friendships similar to those in Buffy. I know Buffy is older, YA (technically), and super popular, so I’m not sure if that’s a good comp to use or if it will raise red flags.
Thank you and love these videos.
works for me. YA readers all grow up.
@@BookEndsLiterary Thank you❤️
Curious, if you have dual POV but one has more page time, can you leave out the other less prominent character in the query blurb?
I would still include both POVs since removing the other would imply that there is only one POV and confuse the reader of the blurb.
Unflinching. Hahaha.
CHEERS✨!! The secret to YT success = P-R-O-M-O-S-M !