Mindy McGinnis

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The Saturday Slash

Don't be afraid to ask for help with the most critical first step of your writing journey - the query.

I’ve been blogging since 2011 and have critiqued over 200 queries here on the blog using my Hatchet of Death. This is how I edit myself, it is how I edit others. If you think you want to play with me and my hatchet, shoot me an email.

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If you’re ready to take the next step, I also offer editing services.

My thoughts are in blue, words to delete are in red, suggested rephrasing is in orange.

I am sending you The Warriors of Bjornfell, a multi-POV High Fantasy YA novel with crossover potential. It is a standalone with series potential complete at 101,160 words. It will appeal to fans of Kendare Blake and Jenn Lyons. In general, I tell people to put this information at the bottom of the query. I look at it like this - every author querying has a title, a genre, a word count, and comp titles. Go in with a punch - use your hook. This info can go at the bottom. Also - you can just say it's 100k and round down. However, I would advise you to get that word down to 85-90k. Breaking out at 100k is difficult, and this genre is currently packed tight as it is.

Nathaja & Brynjar are two of three predestined warriors who are the first beings gifted by the gods in almost two centuries. This is a bit convoluted - I'm immediately wondering who the third is, and what it means to be gifted. Are they really good piano players, or what? Find something more distinctive to say, or else this starts off like every other Chosen One (or two) narrative They both must learn to control their powers in order to rescue their mothers from the clutches of Nathaja's brother Geir who has joined forces with Ragnifred, the immortal sorceress Queen. But... why? Right now this is just like - hey, we've got an emergency because there's a bad person! Which is pretty generic

Gwithari is an only child and heir to the High Elven Throne. Why did we just jump over to this person? Are N and B not the MC's? The natural course of action is for Gwithari to take the throne when the King dies, however, the only thing preventing that is the secret Gwithari guards from the world. Gwithari’s true self is female though she was born male, a fact that doesn’t coincide with her parent’s strict heteronormative views. She is given an ultimatum by her parents, either conform and obey or face death. Hey, here's your hook - I found it down here. Lead with this. This is what makes your story stand out from the pack.

Atrahasis has always dreamed of discovering what became of his grandfather’s brother, the man that traveled to a far northern kingdom and fell in love with a beautiful woman. Atrahasis soon discovers that fulfilling this dream comes at a price.I have no idea what this has to do with any of the characters you've mentioned above. Right now this query has a name soup problem, and I'm not seeing threads to tie these people, or these plots, together.

Ragnifred resented the gods for damning her to a life as a giftless mortal. After stealing not only the gifts but the very life force of others Who? she vowed to one day kill the gods and remake the world as she sees fit. Now the only thing standing between her and her goals are these prophesied warriors, for they will be the key to her success. How can they both be what's standing in her way, and they key to her success?

I am a trans woman from Florida and when I am not writing I am a freelance graphic designer, artist, and caregiver to my disabled mother. Definitely mention you're trans, however, unless disability is a theme in the book, I don't know that the nod here is important.

Right now this query has too many names and not even plot. I don't have a real idea of how these stories are going to come together to create a plot. Do all of these characters have POV's? If so, multiple POV needs to be stated. If not, figure out who is the most importnat, and focus the query on their stories.