Wednesday, March 28, 2007

How Query Shark works

Query Shark critiques fiction queries. You have to send a query to the shark for it to be considered. There is a checklist for how to do that on the post labeled "If You Want Your Query Posted, Read and FOLLOW These Directions"

Queries are acknowledged IF THEY FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. This can take several days if the QueryShark is swimming about in the Sea of Writing Conferences.

If you have not followed the directions, or if it's immediately clear you have not read the archives your query is discarded.

Not all queries will be critiqued.

Your chance to be critiqued improves if you aren't making the same mistakes the Shark has ranted about commented on previously.

To make new and fresh mistakes, carefully read the query letters and comments already on the blog.

You will have the opportunity to revise your query after the Shark bites, and have it critiqued again. Many of the people who do that get substantially better.

The right side of the blog roll shows recently revised queries, and queries that got to YES ie requests to read the manuscript.

QueryShark is entirely volunteer. No queries are posted unless the writer specifically asks the QueryShark to do so.

There are no rejections. If your query is not posted within about 120 days, it probably won't be.
This can happen for several reasons: you didn't make any really good mistakes; you made the same mistakes everyone else made; it was so bad I didn't know where to start. Pick the reason that makes you feel best, because that's the real reason.