Query Contest Time: Ready, Set, Go
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 UPDATE AS OF JUNE 1st:
It kills me to write this but I'm shutting this down. What started off as a well-intentioned contest has become a way for people - who have clearly not followed this blog and don't understand what I do here - to send me emails (granted, just three of them, and two posts in the comments section, which I've left up) about my shady intentions. It's my launch day, and I don't have the energy to deal with this. So, certainly, anyone who complied with the terms will get their chapters read, responded to, answered. But I am juggling enough right now that I don't feel like worrying about negativity coming my way. I'm truly a little broken-hearted over this, but I just don't know what else to do. Elisabeth and I thought it would be a wonderful way to match up some readers with her expertise (yes, of course, while selling some copies), but I have other things - like real life - to worry about. So...that's that. If you're still game and feel shut out by this, of course, email me and we'll talk. I don't want anyone who was actually looking forward to this to be put off.
Okay, that's it. I'm out.
Okay, I know that this is the one you've been waiting for (dare I say, The One That You Want?, I know, kill me), the contest I told you about a few weeks ago.
My wonderful, incredible, savvy, brilliant agent, Elisabeth Weed, is opening up her submission box to you guys. Why? I'll remind you in case you missed it the first time. In the past, she has had a lot of success with my referrals, signing at least four of my recommendations and coming close with many many more, and she thinks - and I agree - that the folks who read my stuff (and enjoy it) have similar tastes and sensibilities as to what she's looking for in new fiction and memoir clients.
So, here are the rules:
1) Purchase a copy of The One That I Want any time between now and June 5th.
2) Cut and paste and/or forward your receipt (if purchased online) or scan it in to the body of the email (if scanned, an attachment is fine).
3) In that email (above the receipt if forwarded, for example), also include your query letter AND your first chapter (attachment to a word document is fine or cut and paste it into the body of the email). Yes, she has agreed to read ALL queries and ALL first chapters from submissions. This is, needless to say, HUGE. So many queries aren't read at all, so many more are deleted upon the first sentence, and many, many more are deleted shortly after that. That she is willing to go further into the process to see if there is something else there may serve many of you well. If your query letter isn't up to snuff, but your manuscript, for example, is.
4) You have all of June - August to submit this but the book MUST be bought that first week. If you are scrambling to finish your manuscript - DON'T. You may email her that you'd like a rain check because it's not worth risking sending in a half-assed submission. As long as you buy the book within the time frame, you will have a few months to get it up to snuff. That should also inspire a few of you to get your rears in gear. :) (And if your book won't be done by then, don't worry. There's a chance she may do this again in the future.)
5) Submit all of the above to: stephanie@weedliterary.com.
6) Two final notes: the submissions do have to be fiction or a memoir and title your email: Query - Book's title (that's your book's title, not my verbatim) - Allison Winn Scotch (that's my name, not yours, so she knows it's for the contest). She does not accept genre fiction, such as romance or sci-fi, fyi.
That's it! I sincerely hope that this helps a few of you find a fabulous agent, and I hope it helps my fabulous agent find a few new folks to represent. She wouldn't have offered to take on this herculean task if she weren't serious about it, and again, I speak from experience in terms of how many offers she's extended to writer friends that she's quite willing to take closer looks at referrals. (Please know that of course, she will still accept queries the old-fashioned way -ie., send a query and if she's interested, she'll reply - and you are in no way, shape or form required to buy a copy of my book to send a regular query her way. Just so you don't think this isn't on the up-and-up.)
Okay! Go out there and get her! If you have questions, etc, please post below, and I'll do my best to address them and/or clarify any outstanding issues.
Reader Comments (68)
I'm fortunate to already have an agent but I just want to say I think this is a wonderfully generous proposition from Elisabeth. I know enough about the industry to know the query reading process is a Herculean task unto itself. And Allison, I am so excited to read your new book. Can't wait! I hope you have a wonderful launch!
What a great opportunity--I'm just bummed she's not accepting memoir as part of this contest. But congrats on the upcoming book, Allison, and best of luck to all those fiction writers out there!
I'm currently working on a YA novel in verse. Do you know if Elisabeth is accepting submissions in this area?
I am so thrilled that you extended the submission time through August. I wasn't going to be able to make the end of June deadline but I will make the August one!
So excited to get my query to her! And just to clarify - I pre-purchased your book, does that count as a receipt? I know you said in the last post that it was alright, but just want to be sure!
Thanks again for this opportunity.
Meagan
Writer Abroad - let me ask about memoirs. I'll let you know.
Jen - I don't believe she does YA. She's on a plane right now or else she'd answer herself, but I'm sure she'll check in and confirm.
Meagan - yup, thanks for buying!
yes, am also interested in the memoir format or at least non-fiction. looking forward to hearing what she has to say about that...thanks.
Although simply a reader, I'd like to applaud Elisabeth for such an incredible opportunity she's extending to aspiring writers. What a refreshing act of kindness!
What a fantastic opportunity! Thank you both! I also pre-purchased and I can't wait to read it! The count down is on!!!
I'm also hoping she decides to take a look at memoirs! (Though, either way, this is a supercool thing she's doing.) :)
What a great promotion idea! I wish she took nonficition ;) Looking forward to reading your new one soon.
This is so great. I'm passing along this opportunity to my readers. Thanks!
Do Kindle purchases count? I hope so!
(Kind of puts a kink in getting a bookplate though!)
Great news, guys - Elisabeth will happily accept memoirs. I'll update the main page, so thanks for asking this.
Amy - of course!
I just realized I deleted the email from amazon when I pre-ordered ... but I guess the email saying it's been shipped (when it DOES ship) would do, huh? I'm very excited for you!
This is a brilliant idea! Brilliant.
Thisis such a great opportunity! I'm not sure my MS will be done by August, and I'm not going to rush it, but even if I don't finish in time, this has given me a great incentive to increase my word count goals.
Good luck with your book launch Allison :) What an exciting time!
Tracey
I am excited to see she will be accepting memoir. One question. . . for memoir does the entire manuscript need to be complete? I have heard that memoir is pitched via proposal with sample chapters rather than a completed manuscript as it is non fiction.
Also, is the deadline in August the 31st? And if you will be submitting in August do you have to send an email to Elisabeth in June letting her know? I saw you mentioned a "rain check".
Good luck with the new book Allison! Looking forward to reading it! Thanks for this great opportunity!
Just wondering if I can send her my query & chapter a few days early? I'm about to take off for a long trip and may have only spotty email.
Wow - what a FAB opportunity! Just ordered the book from Amazon and am excited to get my query ready! Thank you - Ella :-)
What a clever marketing idea. I have avoided all query contests to date because this MS is not ready, but I HAD to bite this time - first, because the timeline is realistic, second because Ms. Weed's website suggests she may be a good fit for my work, and third because I was hooked by your book's premise - I would not on any account have entered the contest if it hadn't been the kind of book I like to read.
So thank you both for giving me a new author to discover and adding another agent to my "possibles" list. Oh, and I also ordered on the Kindle, which has the disadvantage of not being able to pass on your book to friends - but I will review it on the Book Book blog!
Yeah about memoirs. Thank you so much for the opportunity!
Hi Allison, thanks for checking on memoirs. I'm thrilled that she'll have a look at those as well.
Hi All!
Just wanted to chime in and say that I am SO excited to get your submissions. I love memoir (although it can be a harder sell) and am happy to take a look. I do very little young adult these days and am really moving my list away from it, but I do represent it, so do feel free to give me a try, with that in mind. (Although my brilliant assistant and up and coming junior agent, Stephanie Sun LOVES YA so you might have luck with her.
Looking forward to hearing from you..
Elisabeth
Allison and Elisabeth, thank you so much. This is a terrific idea -- I'm looking forward to reading your book and sending my query submission (although I'll probably be sending closer to the August deadline)!
I wanted to know if purchasing the Kindle edition counts as purchasing a copy.
Thanks again-
Elisa