#PassOrPages Query Contest


#PassOrPages is Operation Awesome's query contest. Read the origin story here. Participating agents give brief feedback on a handful of entries, explaining why they're passing... or requesting pages! The queries and accompanying feedback are posted on our blog anonymously, which helps querying authors get a peek into agents' minds as they go through their slush piles.

Note: The Mystery Agent contest information has been archived here.


CONTEST RULES
For each round of Pass or Pages, we will only accept entries from one specific genre/category, announced in the weeks leading up to the contest. This ensures that all entries are from a genre/category that our participating agents represent.

WE HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT YOU POLISH YOUR QUERY AHEAD OF TIME. Please, no first drafts. The agents are expecting query-ready queries. But keep in mind that this contest is for people looking for feedback on their query letter and first page. It would be ideal for someone who has already workshopped their query and is about to start the query process or who has already begun but isn't getting requests for more pages.

When the submission window opens, you'll fill out a form here on the blog with all the pertinent information (contact info for us, query and first 250 words for the agents). Please stay under the 250-word limit for the first page--going over 250 words will cause your entry to be disqualified. Please don't "personalize" the query for the agents or include your bio paragraph, but other than that, treat it as you would a normal query letter. Include your manuscript's word count and title in your query. Comp titles are welcome if you were planning on using them in your regular query letter.

One entry per person each round. If you have more than one MS that fits the category, choose the one you think needs more feedback!

You are welcome to enter any other query contest whether or not you are chosen for our feedback panel.

A random selector tool will choose five entries to be given to the agents. Operation Awesome reserves the right to disqualify entries if they don't fall within the genre guidelines, or if they fail to follow any of the other rules. Entrants selected for agent feedback will be informed before the feedback reveal. There may also be feedback from an Operation Awesome team member for those who do not win agent feedback.

The winning entries with agent commentary will be posted on Operation Awesome. If you aren't comfortable with having your entry (which will be anonymous) shared on the blog, please don't enter Pass or Pages!

If you have any questions, please comment on the current POP posts, email us, or tweet @OpAwesome6.


#passorpages 2022 query contest



PREVIOUS #PassOrPages CONTESTS

JANUARY 2016Adult Mystery & Thriller

Agents:
- Caitie Flum (Liza Dawson Associates)
- Mark Gottlieb (Trident Media Group)
- Lisa Abellera (Kimberley Cameron & Associates)
- Dr. Uwe Stender (Triada US Literary Agency)

Entries

MARCH 2016: YA Contemporary

Agents:
- Whitley Abell (Inklings Literary Agency)
- Peter Knapp (New Leaf Literary & Media)
- Carrie Pestritto (Prospect Agency)

Entries

MAY 2016: MG Speculative

Agents:
- Moe Ferrara (BookEnds Literary Agency)
- Emily S. Keyes (Fuse Literary)
- Roseanne Wells (The Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency)

Entries

JULY 2016: Women's Fiction

Agents:
-Andrea Somberg (Harvey Klinger Literary Agency)
-Melissa Jeglinski (The Knight Agency)
-Danielle Burby (Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency)
-Patricia Nelson (Marsal Lyon Literary Agency)

Entries


SEPTEMBER 2016: YA Speculative

Agents:
-Kurestin Armada (P.S. Literary Agency)
-Sarah Negovetich (Corvisiero Literary Agency)
-Renee Nyen (kt literary)

Entries

NOVEMBER 2016: MG Contemporary

Agents:
-Clelia Gore (Martin Literary Management)
-Rebecca Podos (Rees Literary Agency)

Entries

MARCH 2017: Adult Sci-fi/Fantasy

Agents:
-Lisa Abellera (Kimberley Cameron & Associates)
-Hannah Fergesen (kt literary)
-Kirsten Carleton (Prospect Agency)

Entries

MAY 2017: YA Contemporary

Agents:
-Whitley Abell (Inklings Literary Agency)
-Laura Crockett (TriadaUS Literary Agency)
-Lorin Oberweger (Adams Literary)

Entries

JULY 2017: Contemporary Romance

Agents:
-Tricia Skinner (Fuse Literary Agency)
-Rachel Brooks (BookEnds Literary Agency)
-Kelly Peterson (Corvisiero Literary Agency)

Entries

SEPTEMBER 2017: MG Sci-fi/Fantasy

Agents:
-Emily Keyes (Fuse Literary Agency)
-Ben Grange (L. Perkins Agency)
-Meg LaTorre-Snyder (Corvisiero Literary Agency)

Entries

MARCH 2018: YA Sci-fi/Fantasy

Agents:
-Kurestin Armada (P.S. Literary Agency)
-Moe Ferrara (BookEnds Literary Agency)
-Lindsay Mealing (Emerald City Literary Agency)

Entries

JULY 2018: Young Adult Contemporary

Agents:
-Whitley Abell (The Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency)
-Jess Dallow (Brower Literary and Management)
-Andrea Somberg (Harvey Klinger Literary Agency)

Entries

SEPTEMBER 2018:Diverse Young Adult Fairy Tales, Folktales, or Myths

Agents:
-Kelly Peterson (Corvisiero Literary Agency)
-Saritza Hernandez (Corvisiero Literary Agency)
-Weronika Janczuk (D4EO Literary Agency)

Entries

MAY 2019:Adult Historical Fiction

Agents:
-Katelyn Uplinger (D4EO Literary Agency)
-Ann Leslie Tuttle (Dystel, Goderich & Bourret)

Entries

JULY 2019:Young Adult Horror

Agents:
-Kelly Peterson (Rees Literary Agency)
-Cortney Radocaj (Corvisiero Literary Agency)

Entries


SEPTEMBER 2019:Middle Grade, any genre

Agents:
-Kelly Peterson (Rees Literary Agency)

Entries


MARCH 2020:Adult Suspense/Thriller

Agents:
-Stephanie Winter (P.S. Literary Agency)
-Amy Bishop (Dystel, Goderich & Bourret)
-Samantha Fabien (Laura Dail Literary Agency)

Entries

JUNE 2020: Adult Rom-Com/Cozies

Agents:
- Rebecca Podos (Rees Literary)
- Tia Rose Mele (Talcott Notch Literary Services)

Entries


OCTOBER 2020: Young Adult (all)

Agents:
- Dr. Uwe Stender ~ Special Returning Agent who was with us for the first OA query contest (Triada US Literary Agency)
- Kelly Peterson ~ Popular Returning Agent who has agreed to do Pass Or Pages more than anyone else (Rees Literary)
- Shannon Snow (Creative Media Agency, Inc.)
- Jennifer Herrington (The Harvey Klinger Literary Agency)
- Torie Doherty Munro (Writers House)

Entries

MARCH 2021:  LGBTQ+ Romance

Agents:
-  Silvia Molteni
-  Jess Dallow
-  Lucy Irvine

Entries

JUNE 2021:  ADULT FANTASY

Agents:
-  Michaela Whatnall
-  Rebecca Podos
-  Elle Thompson

Entries

OCTOBER 2021:  Diverse Voices

Agents:
-  Kaitlyn Johnson
-  Hilary Harwell
-  Michelle Hauck
-  Beth Marshea
-  Carlisle Webber
-  Cortney Radocaj

Entries

MARCH 2022:  FRIENDS OR ENEMIES TO LOVERS ROMANCE!

Agents:
-  Annalise Errico
-  Rebecca Podos

Entries

JULY 2022:  Family Dynamics/Family Saga fiction (any age)

Agents:
-  Ann Leslie Tuttle

Entries

October 2022:  Adult Fantasy

Agents:
-  Michelle Hauck
-  Ernie Chiara

Entries

Feb 2023:  GENRE

Agents:
-  NAME HERE
-  NAME HERE
-  NAME HERE

Entries