iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

The QueryTracker request rate dropped another tenth of a point to 3.6%. That means the request rate had gone down by a third in just two and a half years (it was 5.4% in February 2024.) If you’re #amquerying in the #writingcommunity, there’s never been a worse time to be in the trenches.

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Jonathan H. Liu @jonathanhliu.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Got to see Coyote vs ACME yesterday and it was fantastic. Here's my Etch-a-Sketch tribute!

Etch-a-Sketch drawing of Wile E. coyote, frowning, holding up a sign, which is a pocket Etch-a-Sketch drawing that says "It's a limited number of signs"

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Judith @judithwarren.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

A great review of a book for querying authors...

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

My review of Alyssa Matesic and Patrick McDonald's The Modern Guide to Querying Literary Agents can be read here: #amquerying #writingcommunity misterhand.substack.com/publish/post...

misterhand.substack.com

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

As usual, I forgot to add tags. 🤦🏻‍♂️ #amquerying #writingcommunity

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Alyssa Metasic and Patrick McDonald release an excerpt from their upcoming book "A Modern Guide to Querying Literary Agents" and I have some thoughts. misterhand.substack.com/p/thoughts-o...

misterhand.substack.com

Thoughts on the Excerpt From A Modern Guide to Querying Literary Agents

Is the difficulty downplayed?

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

And just over 6 weeks later, it’s down to 3.7%. Fastest one tenth of a percent drop in the request rate since I started tracking it. #amquerying #writingcommunity

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Final query for this book was rejected. Well, you know the old saying: every no gets you one step closer to dying unpublished. Queries: 125 Rejections: 124 (3 fulls, 1 R&R) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

If you’re keeping score at home and/or slowly dying inside, the QueryTracker request rate dropped another tenth, to 3.8% #amquerying #writingcommunity

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Today I checked an outstanding query today that looked like it made its way into the maybe pile. Got the rejection a couple hours later. Must have been the “maybe not” pile. Queries: 125 Pending: 1 Rejections: 123 (3 fulls, 1 R&R) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Possibly the best post about querying that I’ve ever read. Advice on navigating the trenches is almost always more meaningful when it comes from people in the midst of it than from those who got out.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

I’m a plotter. Always have been, always will be. And I have so much to figure out before I can even begin drafting this novel. But I just came up with the opening line, so I’m breaking out the hashtag for just one night. #amwriting

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Michael Gerber, bon vivant @michaelgerber.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Not only this but AIDS disproportionately killed *leftish/Dem/progressive* Gen X men. Yes, some Gen X men were conned by "nice" Reagan & HW Bush; but those who weren't were in higher-risk groups. (As with Boomers.) Culturally, demographically, etc, AIDS created a hole that right-wingers filled.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Okay, one more #revpit note for everyone who, like me, didn't get selected. You know how when you're at the wake of a loved one, people who mean well will say something that's meant to comfort you but is so tone deaf it makes your ears bleed? You get a lot of that after contests too. #givegrace

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Now that #revpit is over: To the editors and readers who volunteer their time, I offer thanks. To the winners, I offer congratulations. To those that didn't win who are planning to enter the query trenches for the first time, I offer condolences. For most of you it's about to get much worse.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

You may never get your yes. No one likes to admit that, but that's what makes what we do so brave. If the yes was guaranteed to be out there, and it was only a matter of time, it'd be called patience, not bravery. But whatever happens to one's publishing efforts, the writing can always be a journey.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

It was lunchtime in high school when Bryan ran in to tell us the Challenger had exploded. No one believed him because Bryan was always making up stupid stories trying to get us to believe them: “Guys, did you hear? Michael Jordan got stabbed in the ankle riding the el last night!”

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Five books to get to know me by: 1. The Phantom Tollbooth 2. The Chocolate War 3. Watership Down 4. Riotous Assembly 5. The Last Catholic in America

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

It seems like the editors get to have most of the fun during #RevPit, so I've decided to try to do my own version of #10queries, where I will go through all the possible 10Q posts of the editors I submitted to, and try to figure out the odds that any of them are based on mine. A 🧵: (1/12)

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Michael Gerber, bon vivant @michaelgerber.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

I have spent the last 45 years of my life learning the craft of comedy writing. Why in the WORLD would I outsource any of that process to a machine? The process is the point. And I enjoy it. There's a word for "writers who use AI," and it's "non-writers."

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

#amquerying #writingcommunity Two years ago the request rate on Querytracker was 5.5%. Today it's 3.9%. That means a 29% drop in requests. It also means we need to reevaluate the metrics we use to evaluate a query, because any numbers used in 2024 are already dated.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

In an impulsive decision, I submitted to #RevPit with less than an hour to spare.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Fans getting into heated debates over which novel I started to phone it in.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

During voir dire, the judge asked us our hobbies, and I mentioned writing. A lawyer then asked what I've written. "Three novels and four screenplays," I said. "Interesting!” "I wish the agents agreed with you." Got selected for the jury. 🫤 #writerslife #writingcommunity

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Agent opened for queries and had humorous fantasy on their MSWL so I sent one out. Queries: 124 Pending: 1 Rejections: 122 (3 fulls, 1 R&R) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries I'm not actively querying, but a few days ago I saw an agent representing my genre had opened to queries and that they had quick response times, so I sent one out. The rejection was quick. Queries: 123 Rejections: 122 (3 fulls, 1 R&R) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Our protest began at Lincoln Elementary. @anabelforcongress.bsky.social spoke. We marched to a pedestrian bridge over the Eisenhower. We held up signs & many cars and semi trucks to honk their horns in approval. Funniest part was when we got a thumbs down from the driver of a Tesla cybertruck.

Protestors in Oak Park marching down Home Avenue.

Protestor holding sign over Eisenhower on pedestrian bridge.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

It's appropriate and transparent for a literary agency to state in their submission guidelines that a no from one agent is a no from the agency. Restating that in the body of their form rejection is...a choice. #amquerying #don'teventhinkaboutqueryinganyoneelseintheagencywiththis

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries I filed the last two queries as CNR today. It's over. Queries: 122 Rejections: 121 (3 fulls, 1 R&R) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

My first ever Substack post! I hope it's easier to read than it was to write. open.substack.com/pub/misterha...

open.substack.com

WHY I WILL PROBABLY NEVER GET A LITERARY AGENT

(AND IT’S NOT LOOKING GREAT FOR YOU, EITHER)

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries The agent who asked for the R&R passed. It was personalized and very kind. I'll talk about it more later. For now, I'm just watching the boulder roll back down the hill. Queries: 122 Pending queries: 3 Rejections: 118 (3 fulls, 1 R&R) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

As of today, the QT request rate is down to 4.1%.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Filed a query as a CNR, and an invitation to appear on an author's podcast to discuss older authors pursuing trad publishing was rescinded. Queries: 122 Pending queries: 3 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 117 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

media.tenor.com

a cartoon character is holding a red heart with the words `` forget it kid '' written on it .

ALT: a cartoon character is holding a red heart with the words `` forget it kid '' written on it .

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries I nudged the R&R I submitted 24 weeks ago. Agents have to prioritize existing clients, so going that long without a reply isn't always a bad thing. But there's no way to spin it as a good thing, either.

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Query timed out into a CNR. Worse, in two days it will be 24 weeks since I submitted the R&R, and I will need to send a dreaded nudge. Queries: 122 Pending queries: 4 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 116 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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Amy @lolennui.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

watching your husband’s phone light up like a Christmas tree and knowing it’s President Donald J Trump

Rama duwaji looking angelic with her chin resting on her palm

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries The governor sent a form rejection. Queries: 122 Pending queries: 5 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 115 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Sent a new query to an agent that reopened recently. Other than genre it has almost nothing on their MSWL, but I don't self-reject. Let the pros do it. Queries: 122 Pending queries: 6 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 114 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Sent a new query. Making a little progress with an idea for a new WIP, but it's going very slowly. Queries: 121 Pending queries: 5 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 114 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Sent a new query. Difficult to judge their repsonse rates as they recently changed agencies and QT data only shows for the new one. Queries: 120 Pending queries: 4 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 114 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries CNR rejection today. 2 pending will CNR in the next 6 weeks. The 3rd is past CNR but QT shows agent is catching up on queries. Then it's up to the R&R. Queries: 119 Pending queries: 3 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 114 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Another form rejection. One of the remaining pendings will be a CNR on Wednesday. T.S. Eliot was right. It always ends with a whimper. Queries: 119 Pending queries: 4 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 113 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries And a rejection from that agent a few hours later. They really are on top of their inbox. Queries: 119 Pending queries: 5 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 112 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Sent a new query this morning to an agent who is so on top of their inbox that they say to nudge if you don't hear from them in two weeks (!) Queries: 119 Pending queries: 6 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 111 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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Mister Hand @misterhand1.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

#amquerying #writingcommunity #misterhandqueries Another CNR filed as a rejection today. Just under seven weeks to go until I make a final nudge on the R&R. Bar's not closed yet, but it's last call. Queries: 118 Pending queries: 5 Pending R&R: 1 Rejections: 111 (3 rejected fulls) Withdrawals: 1

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