The drunk people at Needle have tweeted some tips on querying an agent. Here are two:
Which reminds one of query posts from:
Rachelle Gardner
Holly Root
Ava Jae
Nathan Bransford
Feel free to add your own tips below or on Twitter.
As always, the best advice is essentially this: Don't be an asshole.
Don't be an asshole by querying for unfinished work. No one buys part of a novel. Unless you've written GATSBY. Which you haven't.
Don't be an asshole by ignoring an agent's stated guidelines for submissions. She wants to see your first five pages for a reason, dick.
Don't be an asshole by sending in work that isn't your best. Why waste someone's time just because you "wanted to take a chance?" Show some respect, dick.
Give it some thought. Most agents are decent human beings and should be treated as such. Don't be an asshole.
Speaking of writing tips, be sure to check out the new E.L. James writers guide, filled with tips and notes on what inspires her.
“As E L James traveled and met with her readers, there was a great curiosity about how she got started writing,” explained Vintage/Anchor’s Anne Messitte, the acquiring publisher of the Fifty Shades series, in a statement. “Her personal story as a writer is inspirational to many women, and journaling has been an important part of her creative process from the start.”
