tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post3136945537271127256..comments2023-11-06T13:07:23.645-05:00Comments on The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment: Bryan Russell's Query LetterMatthew MacNishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-23598469382559253202011-01-20T20:17:44.477-05:002011-01-20T20:17:44.477-05:00Love the query. It felt "brave." I don&#...Love the query. It felt "brave." I don't think I would have had the courage to write such a long, personal first paragraph. It's great to see what can be done, and how a letter as different as this can grab the attention of an agent. A valuable lesson already. Looking forward to the analysis. Thanks again! You two make a great team. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-65677130163085963522011-01-20T20:00:53.308-05:002011-01-20T20:00:53.308-05:00Way to hook the sports fanatic in the first paragr...Way to hook the sports fanatic in the first paragraph about a book not about sports!Kelly Polarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10968381456100611120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-5767261672470046942011-01-20T16:09:24.126-05:002011-01-20T16:09:24.126-05:00when did bryan get involved?when did bryan get involved?BTN Hip Hophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03471159044833796492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-90345049591228461432011-01-20T15:52:32.233-05:002011-01-20T15:52:32.233-05:00This is a great example of how you should throw th...This is a great example of how you should throw the formula out and write a good query. Unconventional or not. Great job, Bryan!Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-55755990214186907832011-01-20T15:25:40.662-05:002011-01-20T15:25:40.662-05:00Oh, yeah, NB isn't an agent anymore. Boo. BU...Oh, yeah, NB isn't an agent anymore. Boo. BUT, I still wish you the best of luck and still look forward to hearing that you accepted an offer from someone!!K. M. Waltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07167022736028223997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-78820569916155647612011-01-20T15:23:59.982-05:002011-01-20T15:23:59.982-05:00Wow. So bold, so clear. I look forward to learning...Wow. So bold, so clear. I look forward to learning more.Robert Guthriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15618840090348189477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-92212870495139602402011-01-20T15:00:47.849-05:002011-01-20T15:00:47.849-05:00Your opening paragraph shows your personality AND ...Your opening paragraph shows your personality AND it personalizes the query in a completely genuine way. Nice work.<br /><br />I wish you the best of luck with your revision and can't wait to hear that you've accepted NB's official offer...K. M. Waltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07167022736028223997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-18826277736321658012011-01-20T14:33:00.687-05:002011-01-20T14:33:00.687-05:00Awesome job. Very intriguing query.Awesome job. Very intriguing query.Jared Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02015044660613908060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-50596604077816726822011-01-20T13:20:59.685-05:002011-01-20T13:20:59.685-05:00Well, technicaly, Nathan never represented me, as ...Well, technicaly, Nathan never represented me, as we weren't at the point of submission and so we didn't have a contract. But we'd been working together for quite awhile. I'm not repped by anybody, as of now, but that's okay as Nathan's revisions are still kicking me in the butt. A slow and painful form of forward progress! :)Bryan Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09555071335245492790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-38743111485271994112011-01-20T12:54:43.247-05:002011-01-20T12:54:43.247-05:00Man I learn so much on this blog about a professio...Man I learn so much on this blog about a profession I dream to be a part of. FYI...that's not the opening of my Query letter.Copyboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00339752422561039109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-34004056773117541892011-01-20T11:54:04.674-05:002011-01-20T11:54:04.674-05:00That is serious personalization! I struggle with t...That is serious personalization! I struggle with that part of a query letter. I do mega research, but I'm afraid as coming across as stalkerish or maybe vain in assuming because they have such and such interests they would LOVE my book. It's a fine balance, I think. Bryan did nicely.Carolina M. Valdez Schneiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11589934533051907801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-17316957591443327332011-01-20T11:15:20.057-05:002011-01-20T11:15:20.057-05:00This sounds like a very male-oriented book. And ve...This sounds like a very male-oriented book. And very biblical. My only question is who's repping Bryan now? <br /><br />And I missed your guest visit yesterday, but I know you were psyched. :D you are awesome~LTMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05239077455322030275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-82243912953681029432011-01-20T11:07:47.344-05:002011-01-20T11:07:47.344-05:00Thank you Matthew and Bryan for sharing this aweso...Thank you Matthew and Bryan for sharing this awesome sample. I must read a dozen articles weekly about the art of querying, but nothing beats seeing a solid, successful one in front of me. Thanks again! (And Bryan, congratulations! You certainly nailed this one.)Paul Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07219724579550337686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-20189963562153027192011-01-20T10:49:13.787-05:002011-01-20T10:49:13.787-05:00He certainly knows a lot about Nathan.He certainly knows a lot about Nathan.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-69245129483312790502011-01-20T10:46:36.376-05:002011-01-20T10:46:36.376-05:00That was the perfect kind/amount of personalizatio...That was the perfect kind/amount of personalization. It's a scary thing though, because it's so easy to do wrong.Chris Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02638226375639228988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-52258377981948414382011-01-20T10:42:26.041-05:002011-01-20T10:42:26.041-05:00Very NIIIICE!! And oh yeah, talk about personaliza...Very NIIIICE!! And oh yeah, talk about personalization!Christina Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01799776834213400246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-60707182783346923622011-01-20T10:40:27.524-05:002011-01-20T10:40:27.524-05:00I'm very curious to hear the critique tomorrow...I'm very curious to hear the critique tomorrow! Thank you to Matt and Bryan for sharing this - knowing Bryan (via blogs) for a while, this letter certainly captures the feel of who he is, something I think is no small trick to capture in a query letter.Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-30087581382366552362011-01-20T10:04:36.961-05:002011-01-20T10:04:36.961-05:00Yeah. Me too. Epic Fantasy by a literary master? W...Yeah. Me too. Epic Fantasy by a literary master? WIN!Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-16236575208548878432011-01-20T09:59:43.503-05:002011-01-20T09:59:43.503-05:00holy crap. I want to read that bookholy crap. I want to read that bookSarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-37707772346261486432011-01-20T08:00:51.342-05:002011-01-20T08:00:51.342-05:00Oh, I love INK!!! He's so great! Can wait unti...Oh, I love INK!!! He's so great! Can wait until tomorrow. No I'm going to go find the other Bryan post! <br /><br />~JDJEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12390400360357693403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-11816840692500388562011-01-20T07:40:56.674-05:002011-01-20T07:40:56.674-05:00I love how he connected with Nathan. I usually onl...I love how he connected with Nathan. I usually only include one sentence, but in his case, I think more is better.Karen Baldwinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01522178275164058849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-48879125048267121902011-01-20T07:04:43.629-05:002011-01-20T07:04:43.629-05:00If the focus is personalization, he obviously nail...If the focus is personalization, he obviously nailed it but I'll hold my tongue and hope I can remember to swing back tomorrow to share my two cents.Vicki Rochohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07381089434014961076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5345890055658252124.post-73484925805140025862011-01-20T06:41:41.998-05:002011-01-20T06:41:41.998-05:00I really liked the query and would certainly love ...I really liked the query and would certainly love to read the book. If I had any criticism at all (and it's just my own opinion) it would be that the MC's name doesn't thrill me.Ted Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09022309459554237650noreply@blogger.com