The premise of Worthy Wednesday is simple: I’ll explain why I find a site Google Reader-Worthy, and hopefully introduce readers to a useful resource in the process.*

In keeping with this week’s “Writing Quirks” theme, this week’s Worthy Wednesday pick is: Query Shark.

Don’t be fooled by the Query Shark blog’s stark exterior. This is the place to be if you have ever considered writing a fiction book proposal or you just need a good laugh. The Query Shark is a real literary agent (Janet Reid of Fine Print Lit) who graciously allows people to submit their book proposals for her er… biting critique. She dissects each proposal, letting the author know what’s great about it (usually very little) and what absolutely stinks and should double as toilet paper (usually most of it).

While I’m sure Query Shark is ego bruising for the people submitting proposals, the blog is an absolutely invaluable resource for anyone who ever considered submitting a book proposal to a publisher. I’m not going to philosophize about our human need to feel superior while laughing at the misfortunes of others, but I will say that anything that helps us feel better about our writing while teaching us a useful skill on the side should be Worthy in anybody’s book.

Unlike with many of the blogs I post here, I have read every single post at Query Shark. Here are a couple of my recent favorites:

#118 –Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets Go Ask Alice

#106 – “WHISTLE BRITCHES is a southern term of endearment for boys with more energy than sense and who talk to hear their heads rattle.”

#103 – Demon diarrhea (Eww!)

Happy swimming!

*For the approximately 75% of you that do not embrace your Google Reader or other RSS feed reader, these things basically allow you to plug in a web address (not all addresses, but many) and then, while you are off writing, or working, or playing, they collect all the new posts that cropped up on that site while you were gone. This makes it a breeze to come back and read all your regular blogs, news outlets and even Craigslist categories without missing a thing.  Once again, I will shamelessly suggest that you try it now by plugging the address http://blog.jennescalona.com into your Google reader or other RSS feed reader of choice.