Musing on challenges and queries

[Juliana]

I haven't reached query stage yet with my work, but today I was reading the 75-word challenge entries to vote and couldn't help thinking... (yes, I do that, sometimes!)

I find my choice of what sort of entry to vote on varies depending on the day. Some days I find myself drawn to the more humorous ones, other days to the ones that bring a tear to the eye. Another time it might be one that has metaphorical blood all over it.

There are always a lot of excellent entries, so often it does seem to come down to what sort of a mood I'm in that day.

One would hope that agents/editors are a lot more professional than I am, obviously, but scary thought that your query might get tossed aside simply because someone is not in that particular kind of mood for your work!

(Now I need an agent/editor to come along and say, no, no, we are VERY objective!!)

 

[Hex]

As everyone knows because I've been boring on about it, I'm in a competition just now called Blind Speed Dating (on Cupid's Literary Connections).

There are 56 entrants in this round -- and most of them are truly excellent -- and one of the most interesting things is how difficult I've found it to anticipate who will get requests from agents. Of course today is the fulls day so everything will probably change, but quality in itself doesn't seem to be the deciding factor. It's clearly down to personal interest, something that takes your fancy etc etc. as well. I thought the science fiction -- which is supposed to be the next big thing -- would do better than it has (but maybe the agents are waiting for fulls...?)

Anyway, I suspect it is down to all sorts of hard-to-control-for factors. Even a phrase I read somewhere used poorly can put me off a good entry if I encounter it too soon afterwards.

And if you were going to only represent the books you *loved*, how many of the ones you read recently would you be prepared to take on?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I can vouch for sci fi not being as in vogue as they say. (Either that or Inish is rubbish. ) it is subjective. And can everyone cross fingers and toes for Hex.

 

[Juliana]

I very much doubt Inish is rubbish, springs! (if you want a fresh Beta, put me down for it!) And Hex, fingers crossed.

I remember a high-school teacher telling the class that one of the reason's she gave my group a good grade for a radio drama project was that she was listening to it on the car stereo on a sunny day, with a car-full of teens cracking up over our story. Doesn't get more subjective than that (at least she admitted to it!).

So I hope for blue skies and sunny moods for all our queries.

 

[Abernovo]

Finger and toes are suitably crossed for Hex. Inish definitely isn't rubbish, springs.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

You are all very lovely.

 

[Hex]

And very accurate. What I have read of INISH is clever and funny and dark.