Waiting to hear back is one of the hardest parts of this process. It's not you. It's the industry. When you check in, check in on a good day--a day you're feeling like "I get to create so many beautiful things!" and not "They probably hate it anyway." I swear we can feel the difference.

Query letter tip from the agent's side of the inbox: what we remember isn't the plot summary, it's the voice. Let your query sound like your book. And like you. A little personality goes further than a perfect synopsis ever will.

We had such a wonderful time with you this week! Summer Academy is a highlight of our year. We loved the brilliant things you wrote (and so quickly!) to the prompts, and the way you supported each other. Please be friends. The critique partner, query feedback, and page feedback forums are open!🥰

Comps aren't a scavenger hunt. You don't need the exact combo of tropes and settings. You need the vibe. Ask yourself: who would love this book, and what else do they love? Start there and the rest gets easier.

We can't wait! The lovely Linda Camacho (our friend! A great agent!) joins us at 2pm ET for our Summer Academy Workshop. @lindacamacho.bsky.social Join us for 5 agents, 4 days, an agent feedback panel, daily agent sessions, daily workshopping, a craft class + more! summer.manuscriptacademy.com

We are hoping your weekend is 100% rejection free! However, if you happen to get a rejection that mentions pacing, don't panic--and don't overcorrect. Here's what to do instead. manuscriptacademy.com/slow-pacing-...

Your Novel Isn't Slow Because Nothing Happens. It's Slow Because Nobody Wants Anything.

A literary agent explains why slow pacing is usually a motivation problem, not a plot problem, and how to tell an aimless scene from a genuinely quiet one.

manuscriptacademy.com

Even agents know querying is hard! At our YourQueries Live event with agent Melissa Edwards this week, she said: "You're allowed to be a little salty about the process, because the process is complicated and long and opaque and confusing." Permission granted. Now keep going.

Agent Fiona Kenshole's three questions every pitch needs to answer: 1. Why read this? 2. Why now? 3. Why you? If your pitch can't answer all three, it isn't ready yet.

Looking for critique partners? Query feedback swaps? A "my gosh this is hard" support group? We have ~8,200 writers in our free Facebook community who would love to meet you. manuscriptacademy.com/facebook

Kevin McGarry: Writer to Writer

ALT: Kevin McGarry: Writer to Writer

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Summer querying tip from agent Eric Smith: "If an agency is open to query letters, you should just be pitching them. My inbox gets really quiet in the summertime." 📬

Your verbal pitch has exactly one job: make the agent curious enough to want your pages. That's it. You don't need to explain your entire plot. Or convincingly perform extroversion. Or impress with flashiness and charm. Just. One. Job. manuscriptacademy.com/how-to-pitch-your-book-introverts

How to Pitch Your Book If You're an Introvert | The Manuscript Academy

Pitching your book doesn't have to be terrifying. Learn the exact formulas agents use — plus introvert-friendly ways to practice — so you can walk into any pitch feeling ready.

manuscriptacademy.com

Picture a rubber ball on the edge of a table. Nothing happens if it falls. Now picture a bowling ball. Now put a baby underneath it. That's the whole idea behind stakes: it's not how dangerous the thing is, it's danger multiplied by how much you'd lose. manuscriptacademy.com/narrative-te...

How to Create Tension in a Novel: The Stakes Formula

A literary agent explains why universal likability is a warning sign, not a goal--and why a strong point of view matters more than broad appeal.

manuscriptacademy.com

"For most things I've requested, I knew within the first couple sentences." — agent Kelly Van Sant in our #YourQueries Live / #TenQueries style event on how fast agents actually decide

Agents spend 20-30 seconds on your query before deciding. If you know what makes your story most compelling, put that at the top. They'll read the rest of your pitch through that lens.

Obstacle or plot twist? 🤔 Agent Allegra Martschenko (BookEnds Literary) breaks down the difference—and when to use each in your manuscript. Blog + YouTube: manuscriptacademy.com/obstacle-or-... @allegramartsch.bsky.social

Obstacle or Plot Twist? A Literary Agent Explains the Difference

Literary agent Allegra Martschenko breaks down the one storytelling choice that separates a flat manuscript from a page-turner: obstacle vs. plot twist

manuscriptacademy.com

✍️ New mini class: The Promise of the Query with agent Fiona Kenshole (Transatlantic Literary). Quick, practical, worth your time. YouTube: youtu.be/1xuXeDNfn_c?...

How to Write a Query Letter Agents Actually Want to Read | Fiona Kenshole | Manuscript Academy

YouTube video by The Manuscript Academy, LLC

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What's the difference between a query that gets rejected and one that gets a full request? Often it comes down to one sentence: the stakes. Here's the formula literary agents actually want to see: manuscriptacademy.com/query-letter...

Query Letter Stakes: The Exact Formula Literary Agents Look For

Literary agent reveals the stakes formula that works every time. Learn how to write compelling query stakes that make agents request your manuscript.

manuscriptacademy.com

@susanbjames.bsky.social Thank you, Susan! :)

We interrupt the dystopia to bring you a spot of good news: Agents are seeking LGBTQIA2+ manuscripts with enthusiasm, specificity—and in great quantity. If you're writing in these genres, watch our #MSWL Live replay and learn more here: manuscriptacademy.com/agents-seeki...

Literary Agents Are Actively Seeking Queer Manuscripts

Most query advice is written by writers. This one comes from the other side of the inbox — what agents and interns actually feel when your query arrives, and what makes them keep reading.

manuscriptacademy.com

Comps are a great way to quickly direct attention to the most interesting aspects of your work. We love a comp like: "This is the world of _____ meets the conflict of _____" "The romance of _____ with the suspense of _____" "The joyful storytelling of ____ meets the worldbuilding of ____"

Don't send 100 queries at once. Send 20. See what comes back. If three agents say the same thing, that's not a coincidence--that's a pattern. Revise. Send 20 more. Write the next book while you wait.

"You don't want everyone to kind of like your book. You want some people to really love it." Literary agent Alyssa Jennette on why your query letter isn't the whole picture--and what she's actually betting on. youtu.be/6McxIoU0kEs #AmWriting #Publishing

Does Your Query Letter HAVE to Be Perfect? A Literary Agent Answers

YouTube video by The Manuscript Academy, LLC

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"I don't care if your query letter is terrible." We loved this moment from our latest #YourQueries session. A bad query will NOT automatically kill your chances. Literary agent Alyssa Jennette explains what she *actually* does when the query doesn't work: youtu.be/6McxIoU0kEs #WritingCommunity

Does Your Query Letter HAVE to Be Perfect? A Literary Agent Answers

YouTube video by The Manuscript Academy, LLC

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"You don't WANT everyone to kind of like what you're doing. You want some people to REALLY love it." -- Agent Alyssa Jeanette, Stonesong Literary, at last night's #YouQueries event. Your book needs a strong point of view--not universal approval.

In a workshop in college, a fellow student told Belle Burden that her work was terrible, and she couldn't write. Now, she's the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Strangers. Opinions are just opinions. Rejections are just rejections. Keep going.

We loved this week's Queries & Pages Panel with senior agent Ismita Hussain! There always seems to be a theme to our panels (we didn't plan it! It's random) and this week, it was too much beauty per square sentence (a great problem to have!). But readability matters. Replay live for members!

Every writer thinks they're being specific in their query letter. Julia Alexandra wasn't--until she made one change. Then an agent responded in five minutes. And she's now published by Macmillan. Here's what she fixed 🧵 manuscriptacademy.com/query-letter...

She Changed One Thing In Her Query--Then Got a Yes in Five Minutes | Manuscript Academy

The query letter mistake almost every writer makes — and how debut author Julia Alexandra fixed it to land an agent and a book deal with Macmillan.

manuscriptacademy.com

Your first book is the very best, tailored-to-you, hands-on class you can possibly take for your second book. Didn't get an agent for your first book? That's completely normal. It's progress, not a failure. 🌱 #WritingCommunity #AmWriting

Members--big day! Meetings go live at 3pm ET and we ALSO are debuting our brand new, totally searchable, super awesome... Member Classroom 2.0! Search 9.75 years (10 in September!) of agent + editor classes + events by genre, age group, faculty + more We're psyched! Try it out!

Your goal is great voice. Great voice means being as human as you possibly can. Consider what makes you feel more yourself. Perhaps slowing down, better coffee, better light, paper books, eccentric art, seeking out beauty, finding quiet, long-lost hobbies? It's all an investment in your craft.