tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post2073200467747987893..comments2024-03-29T05:45:39.184-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Don’t Shoot Yourself in the Foot!Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-53556668525384758682011-08-22T05:43:58.157-06:002011-08-22T05:43:58.157-06:00Nice! Thanks for post!Nice! Thanks for post!essay writing servicehttp://getessay.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-31452030145376346002011-08-19T12:36:52.112-06:002011-08-19T12:36:52.112-06:00Also, never address your query letter to "Dea...Also, never address your query letter to "Dear Sir or Madam:" or "To Whom It May Concern:"! Find out the name of the acquiring editor or the agent who is accepting manuscripts in your genre, and use their name. And not "Dear Jane,". You're not on a first-name basis yet. Use, "Dear Ms. Smith:"<br /><br />And be sure to thank them for their time and consideration at the end.Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-32594738196622058322011-08-19T12:34:18.604-06:002011-08-19T12:34:18.604-06:00Thanks, Maryann, "term papers," LJ, PK a...Thanks, Maryann, "term papers," LJ, PK and Dani. Dani, you are so right! Thanks for spelling out that very important information! I've read articles from a number of literary agents and publishers who were so frustrated that the authors hadn't bothered to read and follow their submission guidelines (clearly stated on their website) that they didn't bother to read the submission. That would definitely qualify as another way of shooting yourself in the foot! If they say "no attachments" for example, put your query and first chapter or whatever they ask for in the body of your email, NOT in an attachment!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-64144072689887820562011-08-19T12:13:37.987-06:002011-08-19T12:13:37.987-06:00Also, follow the publisher's instructions to t...Also, follow the publisher's instructions to the letter. (That's assuming you are dealing with a professional company with submissions guidelines posted on their website.)When they say to keep the query letter length to one page, do it. If they ask you to include three separate pieces of information within the query, include them all even if you're weak in an area. It's a test, it really is a test. If you seem dense or difficult at this stage of the process, it can cost you a contract.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-88013204120442660692011-08-19T12:02:24.170-06:002011-08-19T12:02:24.170-06:00What great advice! Sometimes writing the query can...What great advice! Sometimes writing the query can seem more difficult than writing the manuscript! Having someone edit it seems like a perfect idea.P.K. Dawninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18357947402037250224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-20842780102058954622011-08-19T11:58:54.638-06:002011-08-19T11:58:54.638-06:00I don't send out those kind of query letters a...I don't send out those kind of query letters anymore, but your advice applies to all kinds of communication: important emails, press releases, etc. It's too easy to get in a hurry, a mistake I'm prone to make. Thanks for the reminder!L.J. Sellershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-88576968187214446512011-08-19T10:45:00.487-06:002011-08-19T10:45:00.487-06:00Cool article. Thanks for sharing.Cool article. Thanks for sharing.term papershttp://researchpaperwriter.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-88008883114898722502011-08-19T09:15:30.052-06:002011-08-19T09:15:30.052-06:00Good points Jodie and Kathryn. Since so many write...Good points Jodie and Kathryn. Since so many writers are not marketing-minded, we don't think about the importance of those little details. Sigh. This writing business gets more and more complicated every day. But if we don't pay attention to these details, we will not make much of a splash in the marketplace.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-73114383257898469862011-08-19T08:13:40.763-06:002011-08-19T08:13:40.763-06:00Absolutely, Kathryn. The query letter should defin...Absolutely, Kathryn. The query letter should definitely match the tone of the novel, and indicate to the agent not only the genre, but the subgenre and mood. If your novel is humorous, try to inject a bit of humor and a light-hearted tone into the query -- and vice-versa, of course.Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-21586519373510108242011-08-19T07:41:46.291-06:002011-08-19T07:41:46.291-06:00Good point, Jodie. It might also give off the wron...Good point, Jodie. It might also give off the wrong tone. Early in my career I made that gaff with a business card I'd made up for a novel I was pitching at a conference. The agent wrote back to say she had expected a "fun read" and, based on that expectation, she found my ms depressing. Since it's about a thwarted suicide attempt I couldn't understand why on earth she would have expected a "fun read"--until I realized that the graphic representation of the title I'd used on my business card was too light-hearted. <br /><br />Everything you say and every piece of paper you generate contributes to the marketing whole, and any misstep can derail your attempts to publish.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-80451938478018185742011-08-19T07:31:14.600-06:002011-08-19T07:31:14.600-06:00Thanks, Kathryn. Yes, even accomplished writers ne...Thanks, Kathryn. Yes, even accomplished writers need a second set of eyes to look over their work for typos and the occasional style gaffe.<br /><br />But for an outside eye to help you polish your query and make sure it reflects your writing style and voice and accurately portrays your story's drawing points, I think it's important to find someone who has read your book, or at least read through your synopsis carefully. I've read query letters by clients whose books I've edited, to find that, in more than one case, they had changed the original plot, characters or other details of the book, but forgot to do so in the query letter! So the query was essentially giving out incorrect information about their story. Someone who hasn't read their book or at least a detailed synopsis wouldn't pick up on that.Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-57977465477199181682011-08-19T06:28:43.361-06:002011-08-19T06:28:43.361-06:00Such an excellent point, Jodie. Even natural-born ...Such an excellent point, Jodie. Even natural-born storytellers and gifted wordsmiths can fail the query letter challenge. An outside eye from some one with insider industry knowledge AND marketing savvy is well worth the effort and nominal expense.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.com