Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Query Sushi


Since it's the Easter school holidays, I'm spending the day with my gorgeous niece (we're making Easter baskets and cards and Easter nests filled with chocolate eggs. Yum). Being rushed off my feet means I'm revisiting a post today. 

I love Sushi. There's always something yummy going around on the conveyor belt at Yo! Sushi.

For anyone who hasn't been before the idea is you sit in front of a conveyor belt and choose what you like from a selection of dishes. Each dish is colour/price coded. And you can order off a menu if you want something in particular.

(Image: Voucher Mum)

So I'm sat watching all the yummy dishes going round, waiting to be chosen and enjoyed, and I realised that this is the same as querying.

I imagine an agent is pretty much sat at the table looking at all these dishes going around. We know they have a huge number to choose from depending on their preferences, but they only have a short moment to make up their mind before they pass. What they choose could be different on any given day. 

Just like what you pick from the sushi bar.

Some days all you see are California roll/urban fantasy and you want Katsu curry/dystopian YA.

But the agent could still pick your California roll query out if it looks appetising.

The job of the chef/writer is to make our dish/query stand out from all the others on offer.

So next time that 'I'm afraid this isn't a good fit for me' email pings in your inbox it just means the agent wanted a different dish that day.

One day an agent will pick your yummy California Roll/query off the conveyor belt.

It's just a matter of appetite.

*No sushi was harmed during the writing of this post. It did make me hungry though. :)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I needed to hear this today. Thank you!!

Karen McCoy said...

This reminds me of when I found my kitten in a pet store. I knew I had to have that kitten, because I loved it. Similarly, an agent might not consider a book they don't fall completely in love with.

J Lenni Dorner said...

HUGS

I really love this post. It's so uplifting, reassuring, and true. It's a better way to look at the world.

Leandra Wallace said...

I would probably stand paralyzed in front of that conveyor for hours- too many choices! =) Wait. Does this mean I'd make a bad agent? ;)

Rachel Schieffelbein said...

What an interesting comparison! And pretty spot on!
I've never been to a place like that, but it looks fun!