On one of my millions of loops, I found a gem - an editor's idea of a great query letter format. This reminds me of a time years ago when my dad suggested (serious!) that I submit resumes and queries on colored paper with pretty watermark pictures. He thought it would make my submissions stand out. Usually, Dad's extra bright and his ideas are dead on or even ahead of their time. This time, it was pretty bone head. But then, Dad's not a writer and never wanted to be. I hope he never did that with a resume, though. Oi! Unlike in my blog, don't use colored, fancy, italicized, and bold-faced fonts or pics for query letters. Not unless you want the recipient to laugh his or her ass off or use it for basketball practice into file 13. Also, I would forgo bragging how you're the best writer ever born or how your book makes Shakespeare's plays look like trash or how you're both going to be billionaires as soon as your book hits the shelves. Somehow, I don't think the people getting the queries are too impressed Check out one that whet an agent's appetite at http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com
Also NEVER use emotional black mail. Don't write that your children will starve and die in the streets if you don't make a sale soon. It doesn't work.
Nor does bribery.
Editors want only books that will sell.
My apologies to the anonymous poster who wouldn't leave their name - I thought by providing the link and putting the text in quotes that I referred to, I was being proper and respectful. Sorry if I wasn't. I obviously can't apologize to you privately as you didn't leave any way to do so.
You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)
8 comments:
Note to self: Learn to bake cookies just in case Ashley becomes and editor or agent.
I initially read the first sample query as "My name is your name..." and I thought, "Well, that's a unique way to introduce yourself, but what are the odds of finding an editor or agent who shares my name?"
Clearly I haven't had my coffee yet.
BTW - I see you also know Giggle (Rat Girl). Small world.
Great advice Ash:)
Found you via Black Box! Really enjoyed this post, great advice and tips.
Crystal Jigsaw xx
LOL, I broke a lot of rules I guess, but they still panned out. Though... colored paper wasn't one of the ones I did. Yikes.
Colored paper? Hm. Might get their attention but not in a good way. Writing queries, synopsis and blurbs just suck canal water. I hate them. Recently, I've gotten much better at queries. I try to think of them almost as a backcover blurb. Short and snappy. Just keep things professional. None of that...damn, I'm so frickin' fabulous...stuff. LOL
Interesting. I haven't done any query letters but I guess it's all trial and error
Rather than copying all the text directly from the blogs you're referencing, it would be better to link to them. It's all good information, but it's not your information, it's Nathan's, and giving him traffic to his site is only fair.
And no, I am not Nathan. I AM the writer of that query, though, and I'd rather it not be here. Nathan had permission to post it. You, not so much. Please don't delete the entire post, since it's useful, but revise it so it's not a direct copy from Nathan's site.
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