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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

The lending libraries in Park Slope never disappoint. Check out my latest collection of borrowed titles:

Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

To personalize or not to personalize a query letter? Unless the agent you’re querying has a bare-bones MSWL, I recommend adding that little line to tell the agent why you’re querying them specifically. Well-crafted personalization never hurts your chances; it can only help. So why not?

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Writing or querying queer fiction in 2026? Join me and @prowritingaid on June 15 for a free webinar Queer Fiction in the 2026 Publishing Landscape. I'm diving into all your pressing questions about the current state of queer fiction. Sign up in bio.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I’ve edited so many query letters with spot-on comp titles. But don’t forget to specify ✨why✨ your comps are a good fit. Similar gruff-but-likable protagonist? Same intricate magic system? Similar biting satire?

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Two birds, one stone. “In the vein of YELLOWFACE by RF Kuang and THE GUEST by Emma Cline, [TITLE] explores ambition, identity, and the lengths people go to preserve their image.” (4/4)

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

X but with Y. “It’s GET OUT, but with lesbians on a cruise.” (3/4)

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Audience appeal. “[TITLE] will appeal to fans of the slow burn, rivals-to-lovers romance in DIVINE RIVALS by Rebecca Ross, and the gothic dark academia world in A STUDY IN DROWNING by Ava Reid.” (2/4)

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Here are 4 formulas for writing comps in a query letter: X meets Y. “THE TRUMAN SHOW meets JAWS in my 85,000 word contemporary horror novel [TITLE].” (1/4)

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

I’m having the best time working with my #RevPit winner Kirsten Liedl on NOT A WITCH. Her book is a great reminder that we are more powerful than we realize, with or without magic. Can’t wait to show you all what we’ve been working on for the @reviseresub.bsky.social showcase in a few weeks!

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Easy to do! The feedback in the 10Queries is always so general that it's hard to tell.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

All of my #10Queries emails have been sent! I hope the feedback was helpful and thank you all for your submissions to #RevPit 2026. 🥰

I close up of painting Das Vergissmeinnicht (1886), by Gabriel Schachinger. A person in a dress holds a bundle of blue flower over an open book.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Thank you! I'm okay now. It was actually a bullet wound (!) from a few weeks ago, which set me back a bit with RevPit and other projects. Thanks for your patience everyone ❤️

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Yes, I will! I'm behind schedule this week due to an injury but I'll be emailing soon.

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Reposted by Hannah Kate Kelley

Revise & Resub @reviseresub.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Editor Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social has chosen THE BLOOD OF ZELLANDINE (YA Fantasy) by Ellen Sanazaro @lkchopin.bsky.social as runner-up #RevPit

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Reposted by Hannah Kate Kelley

Revise & Resub @reviseresub.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Editor Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social will work with Kirsten Liedl on NOT A WITCH (YA Fantasy) #RevPit

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q20: Polished query and good comps. Compelling stakes. What kind of secrets does the MC trade? Is there a romance, as suggested? If so, who is it with? P20: Opening pages pull me in. Got a good sense of MC and worldbuilding. Feels immersive. Def a book I’d read.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q19: Logline interested me, but pitch too short. Be more specific. What activities is MC restricted from? Expand on external plot. Who is MC trying to save and why? How does external plot draw out inner conflict? P19: Good writing. Would love stronger hint of MC want.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q18: Spooky premise. I’m not sure what catalyst is for MC to reinvestigate. Needing new purpose? An unexpected reminder of past? And why is victim’s BFF suspect? P18: Story starts too late, I think. Readers might want more insight into MC’s current life before jumping into such an intense part.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q17: Adventurous premise. Not sure first paragraph is necessary. How does MC arrive in new place? What are stakes if MC’s truth is exposed to team? P17: I would back story up so that readers see MC’s life before new realm. More backstory about their life would help show contrast in new reality.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q16: Solid comps. Steep stakes. Why does inciting incident change MC’s views on violence? What did they think of their profession before? P16: Exciting start. But how does MC trust their government so unwaveringly—especially when scene’s brutal climax occurs?

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q15: Love conspiracies. Tight pitch. If MC abilities were exposed, why weren’t they killed? Isn’t magic source totally broken by MC’s past, or just damaged? P15: Such good prose. Immersive first pages. Hard to tell if this is best story starter, but will say scene structure is tight thus far.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q14: Such a unique premise. Love queer yearning and speculative elements. Pitch is short. Why and when did villain target MC? Not sure how external goal puts loved ones in danger yet. P14: Fun setting, distinct MC voice, funny. Don’t think initial teaser is needed. Maybe if it was song lyrics?

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q13: Might be Women’s Fiction? Clear pitch, but MC’s goal seems somewhat vague. How does MC plan to confront trauma? P13: First pages intrigue me. Lovely descriptions. Quiet but powerful start. But I thought MC’s friend lived in another city, so I’m not sure when the story starts in timeline.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q12: Good comps, but explain why. Not sure how big secret fits into stakes. Is secret known to MC but not readers? If not, maybe state the secret. Dual timeline is smart plot choice. P12: Exciting start. Maybe story could back up to start of night’s activity. I want more of MC’s character first.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q11: Solid romantic tension already. Stakes are clear. Would love second paragraph to offer a little more insight to second MC. What is their motivation to win? P11: Great conflict and pacing in opening pages. Could use a little more description for setting and characters.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Reminder: my writers will receive an email soon confirming which anonymous feedback in this thread belongs to them. This feedback is meant to help all writers with their query materials, whether it belongs to you or not. Each submission below is labeled with Q (query letter) and P (opening pages).

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Time for my second (and final) round of #10Queries for #RevPit writers. See yours in this thread or my earlier thread? 👀 @reviseresub.bsky.social

Painting by Metsys Quentin - the money lender and his wife. Closeup of hands turning through a book.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

I chose these because the log lines hooked me right away and they cover a good range of genres. Great job, writers 👏👏👏 Stay tuned for my next round of #10Queries later today!

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q10: I’m a sucker for trials/training plots. MC motivation, goal, and stakes are clear. Would love hint of internal stakes/arc, too. What’s at stake if they fail? P10: Interesting worldbuilding. Rich descriptions. But I want to connect with MC a little better.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q9: Concept grabbed me right away. Feels fresh. Strong comps, especially for genre blend. P9: Strong opener and starts in good place. Curious if there can be a hint of looming primary external conflict, too.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q8: Great pitch with strong conflict. But a little long. Aim for 3 paragraphs instead of 6. Does MC consent to inciting incident? Is tech evil? List genre and audience. P8: Not sure what’s happening in prologue. Want a little more context to hook me. Love the first chapter, especially MC voice.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q7: Polished query and strong pitch. If anything, might love a line drawing out MC’s arc/emotional stakes further. Add comp authors. P7: Backstory/context woven into present action well. Curious if this opener is best, though, especially with gore description. MC is a little passive, too.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q6: MC and setting intrigue me, but Q is vague. Why does MC come here? What is inciting incident specifically? What is MC’s motivation? Any writing/career info to add to bio? P6: Juicy tension right away, but want gradual buildup. Good MC interiority. Need more backstory on location and MC arrival.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q5: Some details unclear. Initial wording suggests MC's friend dies, so why is MC seeking them? Confused about “magic” system and what their abilities are. How does magical traveling affect plot? P5: Interesting worldbuilding. Love a dystopia. Want more MC motivation and goal insight.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q4: Great opening and comps. Pitch is short. What are some of MC’s mini-goals? What are stakes? How does publicizing aspect affect plot? P4: Does story start after inciting incident? Because seems like MC is already adventurous. Backstory is interesting, but not hooked just yet.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q3: Good high concept plot. QL is long, so consider cutting paragraphs 4,5, & 7. What is the story’s genre? Is it YA? If so, word count seems too low. P3: Balanced & engaging first pages. Not sure if story starts in the best place, as MC’s grief somewhat overwhelms their motivation and character.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q2: Love premise. Explain how comps are similar. Pitch feels too short. Which abilities is MC struggling with? Which past hardships? Need stronger hint of arc in 1st pitch paragraph. P2: Prologue starts strong, but I wanted a stronger hook as last line/takeaway. Is MC hiding pain? If so, hint why.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Q1: Great pitch. Bio is spot on. Why is MC’s biz suddenly failing? What about love interest does MC like? Would love line about MC’s arc, too. P1: Punchy writing is solid genre fit. Arc is hinted at nicely. Could use a little more present action to balance out inner monologue and backstory.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

My writers will receive an email soon confirming which anonymous feedback in this thread belongs to them. This feedback is meant to help all writers with their query materials, whether it belongs to you or not. Each submission below is labeled with Q (query letter) and P (opening pages).

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

It's time for my first #10Queries! Thanks for your patience, #RevPit writers. Ready to guess which one is yours!? 👀 @reviseresub.bsky.social

Closeup of LA ANUNCIACIÓN painting by Jan van Eyck (Johannes van Eyck). A woman in blue raises her hand above a book.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

It's a tough call, even for me. You have to ask yourself: Do I have enough interest and energy to continue this? Is this idea marketable/salvageable enough? Will my writing skills grow in the next draft? Or do I want to invest in another story? Don't give up too early. But don't stagnate either.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Hi! It depends on genre. The ending should fit the tone. Like in Horror, I want to feel uneasy by the end even if the hero prevails. Most importantly, the main plot should wrap up as well as possible. But some loose threads are okay for certain subplots or main plot details, even in a standalone.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

As an editor, I'm also looking for stories that are *nearly there* and could use my editing support.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Hello fellow Hannah! A good title goes a long way, which surprised me at first. But without any book covers to peruse, that's one of the first hooks for me. My inner agent persona is looking for the marketable stuff: strong hook, good writing, diligent and prolific writers.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Hi Alli! As a writer, I've used a few and really like Save the Cat!. As an editor, I find that the simple three-act structure is a wonderful resource for just about every genre. It's basic enough to allow the writer enough freedom but can also be expanded for even more outline support if needed.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Multiple POVs can be so fun. They're best when each POV is necessary and their voices feels distinct. I should know who's who from the first paragraph or so. But each POV must be justified, whether it's a major or minor character. And pay attention to balance, especially in dual POV stories.

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Hannah Kate Kelley @kelleyeditorial.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Study genre expectations. Establish your tone in three words or so, then check each chapter is aligned. And don't throw in big tonal shifts without grounding the events first (i.e. don't introduce sudden sexual assault to a YA Romance if the story doesn't carefully handle the event before & after).

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