Janet Reid (@Janet

Janet Reid

64.2K posts

Janet Reid

@Janet_Reid

By day I'm a literary agent in NYC. By night I'm the QueryShark. My favorite color is fuchsia. I love maps, interrobangs, and twisty plot lines.

NYC of course

Joined June 2008

Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Jul 4, 2019
Friend to me: Holy guacamole, I have to get home. My phone just alerted me the roomba is stalled and might catch on fire! Me: Oh wow, let me know what happens. What happened:
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Feb 4, 2018
If your query describes male characters by what they do, and female characters by what they look like I'm drawing some conclusions about your novel that don't help you at all.
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Jul 23, 2023
Just got an email withdrawing a requested full "because I haven't heard from you, so I assume you're not interested, or just lazy." Well, ok, I was just about to send you an update on my next reading retreat; glad to find out we're not a match without reading another word!
82K
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Aug 29, 2019
In your query bio: I never EVER want to see you dismiss your work as a parent. It is the most important and profound thing you will do in your life. Even if you invent time travel in your spare time.
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Jul 31, 2019
I have signed and SOLD authors with more than 33 rejections.
Becky M 💖💜💙
@BeckyM9637
Jul 31, 2019
Still querying my broken little heart out, but it is very hard to have hope after 33 rejections. If 33 people don't like something, why is the 34th person suddenly going to like it? Can 33 people be wrong? #amwriting #amquerying Feeling discouraged. #writingcommunity
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Mar 2, 2019
When a writer tells me a character is "hurling through space" I often ask "on a vomit comet?" Hardly anyone gets the joke. Do you?
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Feb 21, 2020
If the only thing in your query about a female character is that she is "beautiful", I now stop reading. Auto pass. I'm just tired of this, all y'all. So damn tired.
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Feb 11, 2020
There are times when I'm reading queries and just want to reach through the screen and shriek "PLOT!!! Tell me about the plot!" Key info: what problem does the MC face?
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Feb 19, 2019
At this point, I don't care what the movie is. If I see Alan Rickman is in it, I'm watching it. I miss him probably like you do: A LOT
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Jul 29, 2019
Best writing advice ever: "I'm not going to say any more than I have to, if that." --Chili Palmer
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Jun 25, 2020
I use a place holder sentence while I'm working on pitch letters: "I think this is a good fit for your list cause this is a terrific book and you're not an idiot." And then one nice day, I forgot to revise it out. You'll find me hiding under my desk.
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Feb 22, 2018
I'm reading queries and just realized I am 100% done with, and over "bad boys" particularly adult men who act like idiots in novels. Particularly those with long suffering (enabling) wives/girlfriends/daughters.
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
May 4, 2020
I can't believe I need to say this AGAIN! Please do not, under any circumstances, email clients to ask what I'm like to work with BEFORE YOU'VE GOTTEN AN OFFER or even queried!! They tell me about it, and your name goes on my list of people I don't want to work with. Ever.
Janet Reid
@Janet_Reid
Jan 12, 2022
Someone just queried me and 308 other people in a single email. How do I know the exact number? Cause one of those 308 hit reply all to reject the query. These are the times I miss snail mail queries.