SlushWire Weekly #7 – February 15, 2026

Writing Queries and blurbs when your characters are fantasy species

Comments: 1, Upvotes: 2

Technically none of my characters in my book are human. Most of them are either dragons or “Daso Vertas” which are magical humans with dragon wings that can control the mind of dragons. My main character is a bipedal cat “Sehktet” (Think Khajeet or Tabaxi) mixed with Daso Verta. (The series is calle…

[QCrit] COLORS WITH NO NAME, YA/NA science fiction w/romance, 90K (3rd attempt)

Comments: 11, Upvotes: 5

THANKS TO ALL WHO PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON THE LAST VERSIONS. ============================================== COLORS WITH NO NAME is an 90,000-word YA/NA science fiction romance novel. Comparable titles include *Netherworld Wake* by Marisha Pessl and *Chlorine* by Jade Song, and TBD. To high school ju…

[QCrit] WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW, Adult Thriller, 97K (2nd Attempt)

Comments: 8, Upvotes: 6

After sending out an initial batch of 11 queries over the past month and only getting three form rejections and no other responses, I’m back with a revised version. I deleted my first post, which didn’t get much feedback. I think it was likely too blah… not eliciting strong feelings from either me…

[QCrit] Adult – Tragicomic Space Opera – THE LEGEND OF THE ONE SHOT KID (95K/Second Attempt)

Comments: 4, Upvotes: 7

Here’s the first version of the query, including the first 300 words: [https://www.reddit.com/r/PubTips/comments/1qyhjq0/qcrit\_adult\_tragicomic\_space\_opera\_the\_legend\_of/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PubTips/comments/1qyhjq0/qcrit_adult_tragicomic_space_opera_the_legend_of/) \——– …

[QCrit] OBSIDIAN SUN: THE CRIMSON WYRM (Adult High Fantasy, 117k words, First Attempt)

Comments: 4, Upvotes: 2

Hello, I am a new writer who has been struggling with executive dysfunction to simply get *started* on making a query letter for my book. After some brainstorming and revisions, I am finally ready to publicly share my first ever query letter! ======================================== Dear \[AGENT M…

[PubQ] Agent said “gut told her to sign me” without reading full?

Comments: 54, Upvotes: 40

Hello! I have an interesting dilemma. I started querying my novel “A Court of Books and Coffee” last Tuesday. Since then, I have gotten 1 partial manuscript request and 4 full manuscript requests (as well as 5 form rejections). But I also got an email response from an agent TWO days after I sent t…

[PubQ] can you find new rep without leaving your old agent first?

Comments: 18, Upvotes: 2

I mean, you wouldn’t quit a job without another secured. Is this taboo? I feel I often see people on this sub crafting queries with “after parting amicably with my agent, I’m looking for new representation…”, but is there anything wrong with getting another offer before ditching your current agent…

[Qcrit] The Performance Improvement Plan (The PIP) – Adult Contemporary Romance 85k + 300 words (1st attempt)

Comments: 17, Upvotes: 4

hi all! This is my current query letter: After a brutal breakup with her high school sweetheart, Philippa “Pip” Schäfer does what any rational woman would do: quits her long-term job, moves across the country to Vancouver, and reinvents herself in tech sales. The problem? Pip is wildly under-qual…

[QCrit] Primadonna, 18+, literary fiction, 103k words, first attempt

Comments: 13, Upvotes: 5

Thanks for taking the time to help me out! I’ve sent over 80 queries at this point, and only had one single request for the full manuscript. That was in November. So here is my new query (that I have not yet sent out): Dear Ms. \_\_\_, I’m excited to send you Primadonna (103,000 words), a dark com…

[QCRIT] Drift — Adult Contemporary Romance, 71k (first attempt)

Comments: 8, Upvotes: 9

Hi everyone! I’m currently working on my second novel after my first hit a wall in querying. This one’s still a WIP, but I’m drafting the query letter now and would really appreciate thoughts on whether it sounds like something agents might like. Dear Agent, Fast and Furious meets Romeo + Juliet i…

[QCrit] SHE CAME BY IT HONESTLY – Upmarket fiction, 79,000 words. First Attempt.

Comments: 5, Upvotes: 5

Given your interest in \[upmarket fiction that explores the interior lives of women navigating marriage and family\], I’m pleased to submit **SHE CAME BY IT HONESTLY** (79,000 words) for your consideration. Allison Goodman has perfected the art of not knowing how miserable she is. It’s the only way…

[AMA] Announcement: Author Kat Dunn

Comments: 37, Upvotes: 38

**UPDATE: The AMA is now over, please do not leave any new questions.** Hello PubTips! The mod team is excited to welcome our AMA guest, author **Kat Dunn**. We’ve opened the thread a little early so users can start leaving questions. The AMA will officially begin at **2 PM EST.** Kat Dunn grew …

[PubQ] To nudge or not to nudge?

Comments: 12, Upvotes: 12

I got an R&R today from a dream agent! I appreciate their notes and think their feedback would make my work stronger. I still have a few fulls out and wonder how to proceed. Under normal circumstances, I would keep my mouth shut and sit tight. But the agent I had a call with today told me they …

[PubQ] How to name-drop in a query letter

Comments: 14, Upvotes: 4

I’m new to this sub and working on my first novel, and thus my first query letter. I am very fortunate to have a bestie from high school who is a NYT best-selling author and read my complete manuscript and gave me valuable notes and edits. She has given me permission to name-drop her in my query, so…

Do trad publishers even consider standalone Novellas (40k)?

Comments: 5, Upvotes: 0

Hello everyone. I have been writing a tight psychological horror story, and have reached past the middle point. But I realise now that my word count will not cross 40k if I keep the story the way I envisioned it. I wanted to try and get trad published( I know, big dreams), but I read somewhere that …

[QCrit] Upmarket Fiction, ONLY THIS AND NOTHING MORE (98k/#7)

Comments: 12, Upvotes: 29

Back again, after many manuscript revisions. Hoping this trimmed down query letter will be the final: Dear \[agent\], Valerie and Elizabeth live two very different lives. Valerie—a homemaker—studies devotionals about being a godly wife and prays that her daughters will one day see the beauty of…

[PubQ] Take former agent up on “warm referral” offer?

Comments: 4, Upvotes: 14

My agent (good agent, reputable agency) and I recently parted ways on friendly terms. She has offered to email any agents I am querying, particularly ones she knows, as a sort of warm referral. I haven’t heard folks talking about this happening, so I am wondering whether this is something I would b…

[PubQ]- Can you query another agent at same agency if there is a shared inbox?

Comments: 6, Upvotes: 8

I query mainly in the UK for upmarket/lit fic and I’ve noticed that a lot of the agencies here have a shared inbox and you’re meant to address it to the agent you want in the subject line. For example the email address is something like “submissions@genericagency.com” and the subject line is \[FAO A…

I’d love to hear your opinion about creating a hook for the beginning of my story

Comments: 4, Upvotes: 6

[](https://www.reddit.com/r/visualnovels/?f=flair_name%3A%22Question%22) Hey! Like I wrote in the title, I’d love to hear your opinion about creating a hook for the beginning of my story. I’m working on a visual novel, and my idea for the opening scene is this, the main character wakes up in an un…

[QCrit] White Rabbit, Adult, Horror, 71k, First Attempt

Comments: 48, Upvotes: 17

Hello all. I have started querying agents after working on this book for a few years. The rejections have started trickling in, so I’m eager to see what I am doing wrong. I have been SO NAIVE thinking that having 3 published books under my belt would give me a leg up. Joke is on me! My previous pu…

[Qcrit] ANANSI, Adult historical fantasy, 80000 words, first attempt

Comments: 22, Upvotes: 4

ANANSI is a historical fantasy novel complete at 80,000 words. It can be compared to the setting of “A Time to Kill” mixed with the magical backdrop of “The Prestige.” Major Collins was once a promising special effects artist in Jim-Crow era America. His illustrious career came to an end when a wh…

[QCrit] Adult speculative fiction – ATTENTION MONSTER – (99k/2nd attempt) – UK publishing

Comments: 6, Upvotes: 14

I didn’t get much feedback on my last attempt, but the people that did contribute were very very helpful and I’m so grateful to their notes! I have completely restructured the (admittedly confusing) pitch from something that focuses on the beat-by-beat plot and instead talks about the overarching pl…

[QCrit] Drag You Down – Adult Contemporary Fantasy – 92k – 5th Attempt

Comments: 16, Upvotes: 2

Edit: accidentally left pseudonym in query, took it out. Here with my fifth attempt at this! Thanks for all the help thus far. [Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/PubTips/comments/1qtihe0/qcrit_drag_you_down_adult_contemporary_fantasy/) is the last version of my query. I’ve once again completely re…

Traditional publishing rejection patterns same feedback from multiple agents means what exactly

Comments: 31, Upvotes: 14

I have queried about forty agents over the past six months for my thriller and I am getting a weird pattern of rejections that all say basically the same thing great writing and pacing but the protagonist is not compelling enough for today’s market. So my question is when multiple agents give you th…

[AMA] Announcement: Author Kat Dunn

Comments: 0, Upvotes: 4

Hello PubTips! The mod team is excited to announce an upcoming AMA with author **Kat Dunn**. Kat will be joining us on Thursday the **12th of February** from **2 PM-4 PM EST**. Kat Dunn grew up in London and has lived in Japan, Australia and France. Her YA has been published by Head of Zeus and A…

[QCrit] Query Letter – Psychological Thriller 65k, First Attempt

Comments: 9, Upvotes: 9

Hi All, this is my first draft of this query letter and I’m open to any feedback to improve it! Thanks! Dear AGENT, Portland’s most profitable export is no longer art. It’s the artists themselves. SMILE, YOU’RE ON CAMERA is a 65k word psychological thriller, combining the locked-room horror of …

[QCrit] THE AURORA WITCH, middle grade/YA, magical realism, 115k, first attempt

Comments: 7, Upvotes: 7

Dear \*blank\* I am seeking representation for THE AURORA WITCH, a Middle Grade magical realism novel complete at 115,000 words featuring found family, a unique magic system, and ravens named Edgar, Allan, and Poe. It is the first book in a planned series, written as a standalone. Millie Grantham…

[QCRIT] Any and all help greatly appreciated! THE SHAPE OF HER SHADOW, YA supernatural horror with gothic elements, 65k First Try!

Comments: 9, Upvotes: 3

Dear \[Agent Name\], Eighteen-year-old Abigail Kensington didn’t believe houses could want things—until she moved into her grandmother’s. Abby moves to FortHill to attend the Garner School of Art—her dream school—convinced that leaving everything behind will finally let her become someone new. Liv…

[QCrit] Shadowbound, NA/Adult, Romantasy, WIP, 3rd try, 85k

Comments: 4, Upvotes: 4

Hello. It’s me. I’m back. \*Again.\* I got quiet for a long minute because my second YA book was a bust, too. My first YA horror got some full requests that ended in rejections, and my second YA horror got 0 requests and a bajillion form rejects, so into the trunk it goes. Querying trenches are de…

[PubQ]Offer deadlines: is it really plausible to get more agent interest up until the last second, or is ghosting more likely?

Comments: 10 | Upvotes: 18

Hello! I am lucky enough to have gotten an offer and my deadline is set for Thursday. I have sent reminder nudges. And while I have a very busy schedule normally, I do have vacation days I can expend. Now, my question is if I really should consider taking time off on Wednesday and Thursday to maybe…

The first draft of my novel is almost 150k words. Is that too long?

Comments: 9 | Upvotes: 0

It’s a romance novel: you could say Contemporary romance. It’s still a first draft and I’m self-publishing. Is it too long?

Editing Advice – Getting From 3rd Draft to Query-Ready

Comments: 4 | Upvotes: 4

I just finished the 3rd draft of my novel. I know it’s not quite ready for beta readers yet, and it’s still far from being ready to query. I have some ideas of where to go next in the editing process, but would love advice. **What I’ve Done So Far.** In earlier rounds of edits, I moved a lot of sce…

First Page Feedback

Comments: 2 | Upvotes: 0

Hi friends! Does anyone have a first page (\~300 words) they need some help with? I know how hard it can be to find test readers so I put up a similar post a few weeks ago and I’ve just reached the bottom of the barrel after 40+ submissions. Be warned though, I can be blunt, but I gave detailed, a…

[Discussion] Paid query critiques — worth it for YA fantasy?

Comments: 0 | Upvotes: 0

I’m querying a YA fantasy with a complex concept (quantum physics meets portal fantasy meets art-as-power), and I’m considering hiring a professional for a query package review. Given how saturated this market is, it feels like a worthwhile investment to maximize my chances—but I’d love to hear from…

[QCrit] YA fairytale reimagining, THE BLOOD OF ZELLANDINE (99k/2nd attempt) + first 300

Comments: 6 | Upvotes: 7

Thank you for all of the wonderful feedback on my first attempt! I welcome all feedback but would especially love insight on: * Are my comps are working? * Should I end with “but he might become something more” or if I should keep the last paragraph ending on “a curse far worse than sleep awaits …

[QCrit] Adult Cozy Romantasy THE SAILOR AND THE SIRENITA (92k/Attempt #2)

Comments: 8 | Upvotes: 3

Hello again! So, I posted this query about a year ago on a now-deleted account. The original post, I’m sorry to say, is gone as well, so I can’t link it but trust that I’ve used up one attempt. My fear is that I’ve spent too much of the query on set-up, but I have tried writing it from other angles…

[QCrit] Upmarket Speculative Fiction, Empathy (89k, First Attempt)

Comments: 5 | Upvotes: 3

Hi all, This is my first QCrit in this subreddit. Thanks in advance for taking a look and providing any feedback! Dear \[Agent\] I’m currently seeking representation for my upmarket speculative fiction, EMPATHY. Given your interest in speculative fiction, I thought it might make a good fit for yo…

[QCrit] Adult Contemporary Romance – THE LONG CHANGE (80K/Second attempt)

Comments: 5 | Upvotes: 2

Thanks to everyone who commented on my [first attempt](https://www.reddit.com/r/PubTips/comments/1qnx3cp/qcrit_adult_contemporary_romance_the_long_change/)! I pretty much ripped it all to shreds and started over (for the best), but I still think it needs a lot of work. Any input is very much appreci…