Query Verb Power!

by Jemi Fraser

Verbs are awesome!

Oops. Are.

Not so awesome.

Obviously, we need to use 'to be' verbs in our stories. I imagine someone somewhere has written a story without using any 'to be' verbs, but I'm never going to attempt it. Contrived exercises like that drive me batty.

The being verbs can be passive. Boring. Not always, of course, but sometimes. And, in our writing, we need to avoid the boring. This is especially true in a query. Passive verbs and boring writing will both turn off agents - quickly. I've pulled out an old query to find out what verbs (in order) I used at the time...

surviving
turns
protects
torment
save
books...

If you're querying, or planning on it, check out your verbs in a list like this without the rest of the query. Do they convey action and/or the flow of your story? Do they match the style of writing in your story? Do they implore the agent to read on?

If not, maybe it's time to change it up.

Like many of my fellow FTWAers, I've learned a lot of my writing/querying tips from the awesome people over at Agent Query Connect. There's a forum for query help if you're so inclined.

Anyone willing to share the first 3 verbs of their query or story?

Jemi Fraser is (ACK!! Time to rewrite the bio!) an aspiring author of contemporary romance. She blogs  and tweets while searching for those HEAs.

Avoiding the Voiceless Query

by Jemi Fraser

One of the biggest challenges in writing a query seems to be maintaining Voice yet this is probably the biggest key to grabbing the attention of an agent.

• What makes a query stand out from the rest?
• What gives the agent the best feel for your story?
• What is your best marketing tool (after all, your query is your first attempt at marketing your story)?

It's your Voice that makes your story special. And it's that Voice that needs to translate to your query. So how do you do that?

It works differently for everyone. Here are a few tips that might help:

• use the same kind of sentence structure you use in the novel - echo your tone and style.
• focus on the Show not Tell - Tell sucks the Voice out of queries.
• forget the details! Think big picture. What's your character up against? What's his/her biggest fear? What's in the way? What are the stakes?
• practice saying out loud what your story is about. Don't worry about making it sound like a query at first, just find out what sounds good, what sounds draggy or convoluted. Keep it short, sweet and interesting. 
• time yourself. Start with a one minute time limit. Then cut it back to 45 seconds. Then 30. 20. 15. This works well with pitches too.
• find the emotion. If your query doesn't evoke some kind of emotion in the reader then it's not doing its job. I think Voice elicits an emotional reaction in the reader and that's what you want here. A laundry list of plot points isn't going to attract anyone's attention. Punch them with some emotion instead!

Any other tips that you've used? How do you get your Voice into the query?

Jemi Fraser is an aspiring author of contemporary romance. She blogs  and tweets while searching for those HEAs.

Tips for your Query's Hook

by Jemi Fraser

After my last post on Query No Nos, I had several people ask me about query hooks so I thought I'd focus on that today.

The hook is the first line or short paragraph of your query. (Some agents like to have the 'business' paragraph up front, but I'm not talking about that bit.) The hook's job is to make the agent HAVE to read on. From reading agent blogs and Twitter comments, it seems to me that most agents decide within a few seconds whether or not to read the entire query. That's not a lot of time, so make your hook sparkle!

Do:

Include your main character's name (and age if your story is YA or MG).
 
Use active verbs, especially the first verb of the query.
 
Stay in chronological order. Don't give away a key point in the hook then backtrack to build to it - way too confusing!
 
Showcase what's unique about your story.
 
Keep it short. Long convoluted sentences make for slow reading and that's the last thing you want.


Don't:

Start with your novel's title - way too tempting to describe the story if you say MY TITLE is...  Pretty soon you'll be telling all over the place.
 
Use the words 'about' or 'is the story of' or 'follows the adventures of'. Those are sure signs of telling!
 
Be generic. Make sure something about your hook is unique and that your hook can't match a dozen different stories.


As with everything else in writing, there are no ironclad rules that can never be broken and that holds true for these suggestions. There are always brilliant writers out there who can go against all the 'rules' and make it work!

Do you have any suggestions to add? In your opinion, what makes a good query hook?

Jemi Fraser is an aspiring author of contemporary romance. She blogs and tweets while searching for those HEAs.

Don't Underestimate the Power of the Snail: paper submissions are not dead yet

by Cat Woods

While scientists debate the merit of resurrecting woolly mammoths, T-Rexes and Tasmanian tigers, one animal is still thriving: the snail. Or more specifically, snail mail.

Paper submissions are not dead, yet I've heard writers flat out dismiss them as an option when considering which agents/editors to submit to. That's great news for the authors who lovingly send their babies off in a cocoon of envelopes and stamps. It means less competition.

Beyond that, snail submissions have other compelling benefits.

THE POWER OF THE SNAIL

1. E-queries and copy and pasted sample pages do not have the professional appearance required in a dead tree submission. Writing paper submissions is good practice--especially if an agent/editor requests a full or partial, as these are often sent via the almighty snail. Also, being able to craft a business letter is a life skill. Why not learn it now?
2. Dude, you're missing out. Seriously, of the twelve publishers I'm looking at for a project, six of them require snail submissions. And these aren't shabby or lazy publishers who refuse to "get with the times" and go digital. They are reputable companies who put out some of the most beloved books on your bookshelves. By ignoring them, you drastically reduce the number of submissions you can send.
3. No spam. Yeah, you heard me. Snails don't eat spam. When you paste on a stamp and send your baby out the door, it gets to its destination. Not to mention, email did not invent read-receipts. There are these handy little things called postcards that you can send with your dead tree pages. Self address that, stick a stamp in the corner and all the agent/editor has to do is pop it in the mail. Viola. Receipt acknowledged.
4. No fretting about format. If you italicized something, it will hit the reader italicized. Or bolded or underlined or blue or green. The format you print it in is the same one it will arrive in. The email gremlins will not have the opportunity to mess with your letter and leave odd spaces and unwanted indentations behind.

Yes, it costs money. But I personally find more satisfaction in sending out a crisp, professional package than an untidy looking email. If that makes me old fashioned then so be it. I guess the scientists can clone me someday.

In the meantime, follow these tips for the perfect snail letter.

• Use a header with your contact info
• Like all business letters, type the info of the agent/publisher on the left
• Follow your agent/editor's name with a colon (:) not a comma (,)
• Date it. Yep, email takes this step out of the equation, but you need to put it back in for paper copies.
• Complete the body--typo free
• And do not forget to sign your name. This step is often missed by snail mail virgins because we have such little opportunity to actually sign our names anymore.

How do you feel about snail mail submissions? Have you tried it, or do you refuse to think about it? Some people believe snail submissions receive a lower response rate. If you've got hard data on that to share, we would appreciate it.

Cat writes by day and wrangles snails by night. Her cyber endeavors include blogging here and at Words from the Woods, moderating at AgentQuery Connect and rating books on GoodReads. Most recently, her short stories have been published in Spring Fevers and The Fall, with another one coming out in one of the Summer's Edge anthologies.

ASKgiving: Writing and Publishing Q&A

By the whole From the Write Angle crew (compiled and condensed by Jean Oram so any omissions leave her to blame)

As part of our AskGiving (Happy Thanksgiving weekend!) here on From the Write Angle, we took our reader's burning questions about writing and publishing (there were some good ones!), and put our group brain together to come up with some sage advice from the fifteen of us.

While this is based on our experiences, you may have had (or will have) different experiences. Feel free to weigh in and comment on these questions (and our replies) in the comment section. Power of the crowd!

All righty… Let's talk turkey. (And maybe grab an extra slice of pumpkin pie, we've got lots to say and we don't want you starving while you read.)

Am I Too Late to the Party?: Market & Timing

This reader has a project they first queried three years ago and has recently been drawn back to it. Their project has a male vampire antagonist and neither young adult nor a paranormal romance. "It leans more toward the horror category, or at least dark urban fantasy." Over the past few years, the market has become over-saturated with vampires and this reader wonders if an agent might oval-file their query without even a glance as soon as they see the word "vampire."

In today's market, is it even worth my time to query this story, even though it is different than the "norm?" I know about subjectivity and the "you never know until you try" thing, but I would really appreciate your honest take on this, as far as traditional publishing goes.

Marcy Kate O'Connolly steps to the plate with the real reason vamps are out: It's because of an oversaturation in paranormal romance/urban fantasy novels (both YA and adult categories). Your book sounds (from your description) as though it is more likely to be horror and I've heard that that genre is starting to make a comeback. Agents are actively seeking it out. You'll do best with a fresh plot that is not paranormal romance-y. Be sure to position the book in a way that makes it clear it's horror.

J. Lea Lopez shares some Twitter expertise from #tenqueries and #10queriesin10tweets on why agents pass on queries: Familiar tropes without anything to make them truly stand out. You have something familiar with vampires, so you'll likely need a unique twist and compelling voice/style of writing to grab an agent's interest. Make sure your query pitches the story in a way that emphasizes the horror genre and what's unique about your story so the last thing an agent will think of is any of those other vampire stories.

I Want to Share: Permissions & Copyright

I'm getting ready to self-publish my novel but I need to secure permission to three songs and two poems that I quoted within the text. However, upon conducting research to find the original publishing dates and the publishers of these works, I am stumbling. Is there a particular website that is devoted to helping contact these places to ask permission to quote their work? Or do I have to hunt them down one by one and somehow find the right source to ask permission? I know the easiest thing to do would be to just give up and delete the non-public domain poems, but at least one of the songs I need has to have a quote because that's where the novel takes its title from.

Using her librarian charms, Mindy McGinnis dug up this article which has lots of links and will walk you through it: http://www.copyright...information.htm. She also found this link for your poetry issues: http://www.audensoci.../copyright.html.

Marcy Kate, using her librarian-in-training charms, suggests you start looking here: http://www.copyright.gov/records/. They have a searchable database, but it only goes back so far digitally.

Meanwhile, J. Lea provides some optimism: We've all seen at least a few books that quote songs or other authors, so it's obviously possible. I'd pursue it as far as you can, and then if you go the traditional publishing route with an agent, they may have additional knowledge or resources on the subject.

Help, I Genre Hop!

What if you have very different books? Should you sacrifice an agent who would be PERFECT for the first book, in exchange for an agent who would be mediocre for both?

The general consensus on this one was best put by Sophie Perinot: You really can't "have your cake and eat it too" right out of the gate. You need to pick a genre, build a brand and THEN branch out.

Jean Oram added: "You never know if an agent is 'perfect' until you have had a conversation with them and they have read your work."

Marcy Kate: Don't rule an agent out based on what they state they rep initially as long as they rep the genre & category of your strongest project. When you get The Call, I can almost guarantee you they will ask about your other projects and where you see your career headed.

Matt Sinclair reminded us that: Some agents might think of writers who genre jump as dilettantes.

Jean says the real issue sounds like you have two very different books. This may actually mean you will need a pen name and have two 'careers' on the go--build two different brands. When you have very different books the issue becomes building an audience. This is the TOUGHEST part of being a new 'unknown' debut author and particularly if you genre hop. If your first book is in one genre and the second book in a different genre, it is going to be difficult to build a loyal audience who buys all your books--publishers like to see an increase in sales between books one and two (which leads to more book deals!).

Sophie Perinot has heard of well-established authors being told by their publishers to set aside some of those genres and get back to basics. "ANYONE who wants 100% control over what book (as in plot) and what genre they write next needs to stick to Indie publishing."

Game plan: Take your 'best' story (or the one you are most likely to be able to write a follow-up story genre-wise) and get an agent for that book. Worry about the other book later. You never know. The agent might be just as pumped about the 'other' book.

As Marcy Kate reminds: Most agents want to represent you for your career, not just one book. And your books may not be as different as you think. For example, if you write children's books (PB/MG/YA), you may have more wiggle room between age levels and genres than say a writer trying to launch a career on chicklit novel and a hard sci-fi space opera.

This Plot's Got it Going On… and Then Some

What if you have too much going, plot wise, in your book, but one event leads to another which leads to another; in other words, it's all connected. How do you pare it down?

Riley Redgate suggests looking for shortcuts. In other words: If you have a plot that goes from A to B to C to D, try looking for a smooth transition from B to D instead. Sometimes that'll involve cutting out plot locations or introductions of new characters - but then again, sometimes you never needed those locations or characters in the first place. I'd say the key to streamlining a twisty, convoluted plot is to think about the straightest logical path from your beginning to your ending. The plot points that deviate the furthest from that path are the things you should consider compromising.

J. Lea adds, See if there are characters or portions of your plot that can do double duty instead of having lots of little things going on. Also, take a long hard look at some of those subplots and twists and ask yourself two things: 1) do they really feel organic to the story, or do you get to a point where it feels like a soap opera, with yet another over-the-top complication before every commercial break? and 2) are they actually important plot points that need to be shown to the reader, or can some of them "disappear" into backstory that is only alluded to after the fact, when necessary?

Marketing My Own Work… Do I Have To? (Two for One)

Our readers realize times have changed in the publishing world and that publishers expect authors to help with marketing and promoting their own books.

What sorts of things do you do to promote? I'm guessing you can't rely only on your own social media. You have to go beyond that to reach out to people who are unknown. How do you get yourself in front of readers?

AND...

How important do you think it is to be a worldly, sophisticated, charismatic type of person when you are an author, in order to succeed? Do you think getting published is in the end more about good writing, or about being this charming sort of person?

J. Lea: The writing is always the key.

Marcy Kate warns: Social media is NOT for marketing. It is for engaging with other people and being part of a community.

Sophie says, being visible to the reading public these days means things such as getting reviewed by popular bloggers in your genre and setting up a blog tour, using Google ads, Facebook ads, trying author buzz, or doing a traditional book tour (signing and speaking at numerous indie stores). It can also include blogging and/or guest blogging.

But, she says the keys to whatever marketing you do are: 1) set a budget (minimum is generally suggested as 10% of your advance, but many debut author go higher); 2) make sure you KNOW who your reader is (write out a description of your target reader); 3) don't be scatter-shot in your efforts-- pick marketing outlets (real or virtual) that will expose you to the target reader you have defined (and that means not accepting every blogging invitation and not wasting time on promotion that will largely reach people outside your ideal audience).

And finally, she cautions: DON'T COUNT YOUR PUBLISHER OUT! They can get you reviewed places you likely cannot reach on your own and MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL they can get you coop (paid space on the "New Release" table or an end-cap or window). A lot of authors will tell you that the weeks they spent in a featured location were by far the best selling weeks of their early release period.

MarcyKate throws a little research to back up Sophie's experiences: Studies have shown very little correlation between a social media presence and sales. HOWEVER, those same studies have shown that it is a fantastic tool for building brand awareness which is why having a social media presence is important and recommended. In other words, if you join Twitter, do not repeatedly link to your book on Amazon, or retweet your own blog links all day. Talk to people. Interact with them. Tweet about what matters to you or what you find interesting. In other words, be sure your profile (or timeline if you're on Facebook) isn't all ME ME ME.

Jean chimes in to add: Think of the 80-20 rule. 80% about others and unrelated-to-you stuff, and 20% about you. (It's easier to piss off your audience than to win them over.)

Marcy Kate also suggests you reach out to your local area. If you have local papers that review books or list events, send them (or have your publicist send them if you have one) a press release about the book's release and any local book signings or launch events you might be doing. You never know what might lead to an interview or profile, and that could definitely generate both sales and attendance at those events. Even if you don't have a big budget and don't have the advance funds to reach a national audience in a big way, there are still lots of little things you can do locally that can have a positive impact.

J. Lea: Being brilliantly charming with a mediocre or poor product won't get you very far. If you have a wonderful book but maybe you're a bit shy or introverted, don't worry. Let your words speak for themselves.

Your take-away--as put by Marcy Kate (but definitely echoed by all of us): "The book is the most important thing… That said, you still should keep your public-facing persona respectable and in a positive light."

Look Into Your Crystal Ball: What is the Future of Publishing?

With all the merges/acquisitions going on in the world of publishing, where do you see the literary future? In the hands of megapubs or in the hands of those who march to their own drummer (self-pub)?

J. Lea believes traditional publishing isn't going anywhere. It may change, but it won't go away. Self- and indie publishers are seeing wonderful growth right now, and digital publishing is giving voice to experimental or edgy writing that might have been overlooked in the traditional model.

Jean thinks that those who treat book publishing as an ever-changing business and are willing to change things up are more likely to succeed.

Sophie suggests that the best things a writer can do are: 1) write the best book he/she can; 2) keep up with the industry--developing your craft isn't enough you have to build your knowledge of the business side of things; 3) be flexible and ready to roll with the punches--if you have your mind set as to how things are going to be then chances are they aren't going to be like that at all; 4) know when to walk away--everybody has a point at which the rewards of writing might be outweighed by the hassle. As in any career/profession you are not an indentured servant. Know what your personal limits are and be ready to enforce them (for some this may be a dollars and sense equation for others a satisfaction vs. aggravation balance).

J. Lea also adds: What I think (or hope) will happen is that both the traditional and the indie sides will continue to grow, change, and thrive. I think the traditional model is going to have to learn a few things from the indies, especially concerning time from acceptance to publication. Likewise, there might be something in the gatekeeper model that can benefit readers who love indie books, but would like a better way to easily identify quality. Traditional and self publishing can certainly coexist happily in the same publishing marketplace. It's my hope that we continue to grow together, with each facet of the publishing world learning from the others, and continuing to produce quality books for readers.

To Hire Or Not To Hire: Editors Pre-Queries

If our manuscript has been edited by several critique partners, is it okay to submit to an agent as is (traditional publishing), or should we hire an editor prior to submission? Or would professional editing be handled after agent accepts your manuscript?

Sophie provides the short answer: It is in vogue. But a good editor can cost thousands and less editing is going on at the agent and editor level.

She adds: "If you have the discipline to rewrite and edit then surely you can find some good critique partners and get your manuscript in query-ready shape."

Jean says that if you feel it is strong enough, then submit. But if you get a lot of rejections, looking at your manuscript again might be the thing to do. Some good editors will give you an overall story report/critique ($300 for 90,000 words) which is handy if you feel it is something with the story and not the writing.

Help! I'm a Nobody in my Query Bio

In a query letter, especially in the instance of having no previous publishing experience, should we include a personal paragraph? I.e. What we do for a living, interests, etc. Some agents say they like to get to know the author, whereas, other agents say keep it strictly about the book.

One word that shouted through our conversation about this one: NO.

And a bit of… maybe.

Sophie's rule of thumb: When in doubt leave it out.

Or as Jemi Fraser says: Unless your bio is relevant it's okay to skip it.

Some exceptions:

Marcy Kate says that unless it is directly relevant, no do not worry about it. If you have professional marketing experience in work life, or have worked in publishing in some capacity, that's appropriate.

Jemi says, that if you feel naked without including one, a short one-liner would work - try to use your voice to your advantage.

Sophie: An agent who becomes enthralled with your query and subsequently your manuscript can have his/her curiosity about who you are satisfied when he calls to get acquainted. Bottom line: In fiction the work has to stand on its own. It either captivates or it doesn't.

The End: Should it Be in Your Query?

If the query letter is supposed to hit the main points of the story, does that include the end, or should we save that for the synopsis?

Short answer: No. (Don't include the end.)

R.C. Lewis: First off, I would never say a query letter is supposed to hit the main points of the story. Definitely not the end. A query doesn't summarize the story. It introduces just enough of it—the protagonist, the conflict, what's at stake—to become an enticing bit of agent-bait.

Sophie puts it another way: The query is about piquing interest. Details/events just need to be carefully selected and pithy.

Marcy Kate gives you a formula to help you out: A good rule of thumb is to cover approximately the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the manuscript in the query. By that point the story should have covered the inciting incident, the antagonist and the main conflict. When to give away the farm (the story's ending): In a synopsis.

Short & Sweet Credentials: The Short Story

Can/should writers self-publish a short story on Amazon? (I have this one story I want to put up because I don't want to go though the hurdle of selling it--I want to concentrate on my current work in progress. If I do end up publishing it, I plan on making it free.) Will agents be more attracted or repulsed by this? If its a short story and free, is there a chance they'll read it, find it engaging, and have more interest in your manuscripts?

Jean fires a few questions back to help you figure out what is right for you: "Why do you want to do this? What is your purpose? What do you hope to achieve?"

Our resident short story expert, J. Lea, says, I don't think it's likely to sway an agent. If you continue to publish short stories on Amazon, at least some for actual sale, and have good results, that might be something an agent would look at. A free Amazon story is no different than something you post on your blog, other than having the potential to reach more people. If you're interested in using short stories as a publishing credit to include in query letters, you're better off seeking publication in magazines or literary journals. Checkout duotrope.com for a searchable database.

R.C. adds: Some genres put more weight on having short stories published than others. Whether they care about it being published by a magazine vs. self-published probably varies by individual. I'm not sure not sure how many agents cruise around self-published short fiction—but I doubt it'd hinder, either.

Jean says if you are hoping it will pave the way for your manuscript, it likely won't. (Sorry!) If you hope it will build audience... it could. However by the time you have put out your ms, it is likely that you will have missed the timing in terms of converting the short story readers into novel readers.

She continues, as for impressing agents and publishing editors... it probably won't. Even if you get a ton of downloads they tend to disregard it because you are giving it away. They want to know how many people will pay for your writing. But if you put it up as paid, and it is a short story and you are an unknown... well, chances are you aren't going to get a lot of purchases.

So FTWA (From the Write Angle) readers, what do you think? Did we look at these questions from the write angle? Or are there things to add? Be heard in the comment section.

From the whole From the Write Angle crew, thanks for reading. We hope you've had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Bring on the Bio

by Jemi Fraser

(source)

A lot of aspiring authors struggle with writing the bio paragraph at the end of their query letters. Maybe 'struggle with' is too mild. Hate might be a better choice!

We worry about what to include, what to omit and how to make ourselves sound interesting. I don't think we have to worry that much.

First of all, agents are humans and when they're reading query letters, they're actually hoping to like us and our stories. They also know that most of the people who are querying them don't have publishing credentials. That's okay. Agents take on first time authors all the time. So, relax.

If you don't have any publishing credentials, it's okay to ignore that. You don't have to point it out. If the agent doesn't see credentials listed, he/she will assume you're a newbie. Again, that's okay.

If it makes you more comfortable, you can actually skip a bio completely. Agents are looking at the story. Not having a bio paragraph isn't going to turn them off. 'Thanks for your time and consideration' might be all you need.

On the other hand, we're writers. We work in words. So, why not have a sentence or two that highlights your personality - that gives the agent a glimpse of you on top of the glimpse you've given them of your book? A well worded bio might be the extra push needed to get that request.

I'm by no means an expert in this department, but I think a bio should be:

• short—no more than a sentence or two
• fun—keep it light, make the agent smile
• in your voice—sarcastic, snarky, sweet, quick witted, silly ... Go for it. Show who you are. If you're depressing and gloomy, you might want to pretend otherwise... :)
• interesting—not a list of things you've done—more a glimpse of who you are

Any other things you think should be in a bio? How do you feel about writing them?

Jemi Fraser is an aspiring author of romantic mysteries. She blogs and tweets while searching for those HEAs.

Giving Birth To Premies: When Acting Impulsively Can Hurt Your Writing

by Cat Woods

My nephew was born early and the doctors did nothing to stop his delivery. In their defense, he had a large head and weighed nearly seven pounds. Neither his measurements nor his calculated due date gave any indication that he was eight weeks premature.

As the first grandchild in the family, his birth was joyfully anticipated. His struggle to survive was not. Quite simply, the doctors had made a nearly fatal error. Not unlike some writers I've known.

Premies arrive in this world before they are ready. Among other things, they struggle to breathe on their own and eat on their own. They cannot regulate their own body temperatures and their heartbeats can be erratic. Over the first few years, their physical and emotional development can be stunted as they valiantly attempt to catch up to their full-term peers. In short, every day is an effort to survive.

As writers, we often put ourselves in premature situations. We are so certain we are ready for the next step, we jump at the opportunity to query and submit long before we hit our professional due dates. This often ends in rejection ... or worse.

**A Word of Caution**

Creating and sticking to a publishing plan of action is a lot like committing to a pregnancy. A mid-term mind change can effectively destroy all viability. Therefore, it is vital that we understand the ins and outs of the publishing biz long before we embark on our query/submission journeys. Once we have committed to a plan, we must very seriously consider the ramifications of switching gears halfway through. If we decide termination of one plan is in our best interest, we need to act professionally when it comes time to wrapping up all loose ends before moving on.

Mid-Term Writing Risks

1. Querying Agents After Subbing to Editors: While this doesn't sound like a big deal, it can have a huge effect on an agent's ability to represent a certain manuscript. Agents possess no more power than Joe Writer when it comes to resubmitting a project. If we've submitted our work to editors, agents lose the personal edge to call on their insider knowledge of those editors. And in this business, personal relationships between agents and editors can make the difference between a deal and a rejection.
2. Querying Agents After a Self-Pubbing Fail: More than a handful of writers have fallen into this trap. After a dozen or so painful rejections, Willa Wanna-be self-pubs believing the masses will LOVE her book ... because, well, because it's dang good. For 1001 reasons Willa Wanna-be decides to go back to the Agent Submission Process. Agent Incredible will very likely shy away from this project for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest reasons being that once a book already has an ISBN, the opportunity for a solid publicity push has decreased exponentially. This translates to a serious loss of sales potential.
3. Querying Multiple Projects Simultaneously: While this sounds more efficient than detrimental, having several projects in the hands of a handful of agents can really muck up the query process. Nicholas NetCaster grew impatient with the time it took to get a response and figured he'd up his chances by sending several stories into the query world at one time. Having to 'fees up to his faux pas when more than one agent expressed interest turned several on-the-fencers away. They simply did not want to deal with untangling his literary knots. Once a problem, always a problem? Maybe not, but why set yourself up for long explanations and perceived unprofessionalism?
4. Querying Half-Assed: A favorite editor of mine frequently blogs about this problem. Isabelle Impulsive sends query letters to agents while submitting packages to editors while keeping track of nothing. In time, Polly Publisher and/or Agent Incredible get around to the submission. S/he wants this project, but ... Impulsive Izzy already forgot who she sent packages to. She's already a) signed with an agent, b) signed with an editor or C) self-pubbed and D) failed to let any of the above know about her promiscuity and mid-term abortion. This can make even the most patient agents magic-marker your name on "the list". And trust me, agents and editors have been known to talk.
5. Marrying the Not-One: After being painfully single for a lifetime, Patrick Premie not only dates the first agent or editor to bat her eyes his way, he goes for the ring exchange. I can't say this enough: Do a background check on your literary love match. Preditors and Editors, baby. Word of mouth. Blogs, book acknowledgements and bad press (or no press). You would never let a proctologist deliver your baby. Why would you sign a contract for your picture book with an agent who only reps erotica? Or hasn't sold anything in three years? Or who really is a scammer in disguise preying on your desire to see your name in print?
6. Inducing Pre-Term Labor: Worse than signing on with an incompetent book doctor is inducing labor yourself via premature self-publishing. Please, please, please wait until your writing has reached full-term. Wait until you are absolutely certain your manuscript is the best it can be. Wait until you can commit to a full-scale marketing plan. Wait until you hear back from all agents and editors you sent a query to. Wait until you have a doctorate in self-pubbing so you don't end up in a legal battle over minor mistakes. Wait for the right time to do your project justice, and most importantly, wait to self-pub for the right reasons. To do otherwise is to shortchange yourself and your writing career.

How have you ever misjudged your writing due date? How has this changed your writing journey? Please share your premie stories and tips of avoiding them to help other aspiring writers reach full-term with their projects.

After giving birth to four healthy babies, Cat Woods would like to deliver her juvenile fiction to a bookshelf near you. You can follow her writing journey at Words From the Woods.

Just DO It (query that is)

by Sophie Perinot

I am a long time member and BIG time fan of AgentQuery Connect. For those aspiring writers who do not know AQ, run don’t walk to the website as it is a fantastic source for information on every step of the road to being repped and published, a very supportive writing community, and (most importantly for the purposes of this post) a good spot to get feedback on a query letter before you send one out.

Now anyone who’s ever drafted a query letter knows it takes time. The letter is a vital sales document. Write it well and you snag the interest of an agent and a coveted request for a partial or full. Write it poorly and you may never even warrant a form rejection. Writing a good query is not easy (there are hundreds if not thousands of articles and blog posts offering advice on how to compose a good letter). BUT should it really take months and drafts in the double-digits?

At the risk of aggravating many I say no. In fact I say, NO, NO, NO. What I’ve noticed, watching query critique threads over the months and years, is that many writers become paralyzed by fear and good intentions. Writing their query becomes a Sisyphean struggle (you remember, the guy who had to push the big rock up the hill over and over) and in the process time, enthusiasm and confidence can be lost. At some point the incremental improvements their letter is arguably making are not worth the agony. More than this, letters can lose voice (see my opinions on this topic in an earlier From the Write Angle post). Looking at critique threads with ten, twenty, thirty, even fifty versions of a single query, I want to scream GET ON WITH IT, or SEND THE DARN THING. But that kind of verbiage in individual critique threads would hardly be appropriate.

So I am saying it here. Just DO it. Query. I am not saying send your first draft. I am not saying don’t seek critique. I am saying all things in moderation. How many drafts of my letter did I do—maybe four. How many people did I show it to for review before it went out? Five (and two of them weren’t even writers). Did it work? More than uncommonly well (I had a very high request rate, snagged an agent I adore and now have a publishing contract). Could my letter have been better? Sure. But if I were still working on polishing it, then my book wouldn’t be coming out in March 2012 would it?

Writing 411: Picture Book E-Queries

by Cat Woods

Picture Book Manuscript? Check.

Targeted Agent List? Check.

Query Letter? Heck no!

We all know that writing for very young children is different than penning novels for older kids and adults. Make no mistake, writing a query letter for picture books is an equally unique process. It is also highly nuanced, making it necessary for writers to really research potential agents and their guidelines.

In my experience, more agents are open to receiving a full manuscript for picture books than for any other age group. In part, this is due to short word counts. After all, it is easier to enjoy a book by reading the book rather than by reading a summary of it. With picture books topping out at 500 words, manuscripts can be shorter than the query letters representing them.

Thus, e-querying agents for picture books falls into two distinct categories.

1. Agents who accept manuscripts along with a query letter.
2. Agents who do not accept manuscripts with a query letter.

You can figure out your targeted agents' preferences by visiting AgentQuery, Query Tracker, agent websites/blogs and market resources such as those found at and by Writer's Digest. Verla Kay's Blue Boards is another great resource, as is the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

For the sake of space, I will address only the first instance (with manuscript), as a cold query letter without a manuscript or sample pages is the same for picture books as it is for older novels. Additionally, the example provided below is not a MUST DO, but rather a guideline that I used when searching for my agent. My method is a conglomeration of info gathered on websites, via magazine articles, at writing conferences and my own personality.

Subject Line: Query: TITLE, picture book, 475 words (Capitalize your title.)

Method to My Madness: all my pertinent information is available at a glance. Agents immediately know I'm sending a query letter for a picture book within the acceptable word count. They should also get a feel for my manuscript based on my title. In this way, I'm not wasting anybody's time.

It also serves a secondary purpose. If an agent were to provide feedback and request a revision, a simple change to my subject line would keep Said Agent up to date on what is coming in, while remaining consistent and keeping my title in the agent's mind. My new subject line would look like this: Requested revision for TITLE.

Dear Mr. Agent Awesome: (Don't forget to double check spellings for names and end with a colon.)

(Very brief bio and/or a relevant blurb on why you chose this agent.)

As a library board member, a child advocate in the court system and a past preschool teacher, I recognized a need for stories about XYZ. I am a member of the SCBWI and a moderator on AgentQuery Connect. I have also presented at Young Writer's Conference across Southwestern Minnesota.

I follow your blog/met you at a conference/etc ... and feel TITLE may address your interest in XYZ (a tie into your bio would be nice). Per your guidelines, I have included the full manuscript for my picture book.

Method to My Madness: The agent will get to read my manuscript. It's pasted into the body of the text, and therefore does not require a blurb. In this instance, I feel it is a good idea to let the agent know who we are and what we're doing. This is our time to connect with the agent and let our personalities shine through.

But be brief. Agents have little time to wade through our backgrounds from infancy to old age. We should provide only those details that lend credence to our ability to write this particular story. Case in point, I said nothing about my pubbed works in the adult arena or that I have four children. Avoid telling the agent about the story. Again, Agent Awesome will have the opportunity to read our text as long as we don't bore him with our life histories first.

I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you.

Method to My Madness: I'm a people person. A warm thanks is my style. Some people may argue it lacks professionalism or that it sounds needy. I tend to believe it's a whole lot better than a sterile and abrupt end such as "Thank you" or a rude "Call me". The choice is yours, but know that agents don't reject a manuscript based on this line. And if they do, they're likely not the kind of agent you want.

Sincerely,
Cat Woods

Phone number
Address
Words From The Woods

Method to My Madness: with luck an agent will need to contact us. If we fail to provide this information, we may inadvertently slow down the process or fail to make a viable contact with an interested agent altogether. I do add my blog address to my writing correspondence, as an interested agent may google me. If you don't have one, don't fret. Blogs are not necessary to secure an agent.

Next, paste your manuscript into the remainder of the email—never, ever send agents to your website or blog to read it or send it as an attachment unless expressly requested by the agent—and check for the following things:

• formatting: spaces, line breaks, etc. You want a clean copy for easy reading.
• white space: you may need to adjust how your manuscript looks to make it easier on the agent's eyes.
• italics should be capped or underlined, as some email servers don't support fancy schmancy text.
• likewise, centered titles can be brought to the left margin for a clean look.

Finally, dip your fingernails in Tabasco so you can still answer the phone when it rings! There's no point in chewing your nails when you could be typing your next book.

Writing a query letter is not as difficult as it sounds, particularly when we can submit our manuscripts at the same time. When sending writing samples is not an option, my picture book query letters have two extra paragraphs: one for my hook and the second for my mini-synopsis. I also combine my bio and agent search info to make one small paragraph.

How about you? What tips do you have for writing picture book queries? What do you put in your subject lines and how do you close? Do you include a hook and mini-synopsis when sending your manuscript? If so, why? Do you tailor your manuscripts based on the agents you send to? If so, how? Lastly, where's your go-to resource for agent information?

Curious minds want to know!

The Seven Stages of Querying

by R.S. Mellette

Much the way my old scene partner and I had an epiphany by going back to the basics with Shakespeare, I had one a while back with my query letter.

Like all writers, I'd been through the seven phases of query creation:

• Denial: "I'm a novelist, damn it, not a business writer. I can't write a good query letter."
• Pain: "Reducing my entire book down to one paragraph? I can't! It hurts too much."
• Anger & Bargaining: "These agents are all so stupid. If they would just read my work, I know they would sign me in a second. I'd be doing them a favor by letting them read it."
• Depression: "Why do I even bother?"
• Resurrection: "Every writer has been where I am now, so maybe it's not that bad."
• Reconstruction: "You know, maybe my query letter wasn't perfect. Maybe those people over at AgentQuery Connect had some good ideas."
• Acceptance & Hope: "I write because I love to write, and if I never land an agent or get published, that's fine by me. I'll still keep at it, because tomorrow is another day."

And then, of course, the cycle would start all over again.

It was during one of the Reconstruction periods that I had my epiphany. I thought about my query letter the way an actor or writer does a scene. "What is my objective?" "What do I want?"

"I want to get an agent."

But is a query letter going to get me an agent?

No. Never in the history of the universe has a query letter landed an agent for a novelist. Only the manuscript can do that. It's one of the things I love about this business. No one is too old, too ethnic, not ethnic enough, too male or female. Your work is all.

So, yes, I want to get an agent, but that's my super objective. That's what my character wants by the end of the play, or novel, or the next few years. In that case, what is my objective for the query letter?

I want whoever reads this letter to want to read the book. I want the agent to hit the reply button.

That's it. That's all. Anything else is a distraction.

I went back to my letter-in-progress with that mindset. The changes were subtle, but important. I created an exciting build in the last paragraph, ending with an emotional punch. Then, in a cocky (some say stupid) move, I signed off with:

"Wanna read it?"

My request rate went way up. In one case an agent got back to me in minutes saying only, "In a word, yes."

Eventually, of course, it was the manuscript that landed me representation, but without that application of artistic cross training, I'd've never tapped into my inner salesman.

Voice—It's not just for manuscripts anymore (actually, it never was)

by Sophie Perinot

Query letters (*sigh*). Most writers would rather gnaw off their own arm than write one. But, if you want to make a run at acquiring an agent and getting a traditional publishing deal, there is no escape—write one you must. There’s a lot of chatter out there in writer-land about “the rules” of querying. Don’t believe me? Peruse the archives for any of the dozens of excellent agent or author blogs, or head over to one of the on-line writing communities (AgentQuery Connect is my personal favorite) and count the number of threads/posts devoted to crafting, critiquing and editing query letters. But one of the most important elements of a successful query is often overlooked in those numerous and lengthy discussions—voice.

This is a major oversight. I would posit that snagging an agent with a good query is NOT merely about what you say but is equally about HOW you say it. For those of you who have seen “The King’s Speech” (and if you haven’t, forget reading my post and get yourself that DVD) think of the moment at Westminster Abbey when Geoffrey Rush (playing speech therapist Lionel Logue) asks Colin Firth’s George VI of England, “Why should I waste my time listening to you?’ The King’s answer. . . “Because I have a voice.” If you want agents to listen to you, to pay attention to the punchy mini-synopsis of your oh-so-clever plot that you spent a gazillion drafts perfecting, then you’d better let the voice that imbues your manuscript sing out from your query letter as well.

Why is voice the forgotten step-sister of the query letter discussion and, consequently, MIA in so many structurally sound query letters? I think there are a couple of reasons.

Voice is not easy to define. There is no nice little check-list of steps that I (or anyone) can give you to follow in order to make certain that your query letter has voice. But I think every writer can learn to recognize the presence or absence of voice. As Justice Stewart said (in his concurring opinion in Jacobellis v. Ohio) “I know it when I see it”—okay, okay Justice Stewart was talking about obscenity not voice, but substitute the word and the point is the same. You can spot voice even if you can’t define it. You just need a little practice. Next time you sit down to read query letter examples (you can always head to the threads full of queries posted for critique at various writers’ sites for this exercise) don’t fall into line-edit mode. Don’t look for the flaws in the hook; point out the missing comma in the second sentence; or immediately notice that the writer has mentioned too many characters by name. Read the entire letter beginning to end rapidly to get a “feel” for it. Does the letter set a mood? Does it have a distinctive tone? Is the author’s style of writing consistent from beginning to end? Does the query create a world that you are sucked into (even if it is only for three brief paragraphs)? If the letter does any of those things, then—ding-ding-ding we have a winner—the letter has voice.

Voice is very individual. Once you’ve learned to sort query letters into “voiced” and “voiceless” piles you can’t merely use the queries that have a clear voice as a template for your own. Rats. You need to go back to the roots of the story you are trying to pitch—your manuscript. What tone and style of writing do you use to tell your story? If you were writing a blurb for the back cover of your novel how would it read? DON’T over think this (yes, I can see your brow furrowing already from my desk in cyberspace)! Just grab your keyboard and pound out one or two draft cover blurbs. Do they have voice? If so, imo, you are well on your way to a great query. All you have to do is massage those blurbs to make sure the critical information (hook, mini-synopsis, closing paragraph w/stats) agents expect in every query are all there. Remember, however, this “voice” approach does not mean writing your query in the same POV or tense as your book. Queries need to be third person present tense. It does mean creating the same ambiance.

Nothing kills voice like committee. Read that again. This is the most heartbreaking of my points. You’ve learned to spot voice. You’ve gotten back in sync with the voice that drove your manuscript and you’ve drafted a query letter that you believe employs that same voice. But you can still blow it by editing the voice out—often with the help of others.

Now it is wonderful (truly) that we writers have so many on-line resources today. Besides asking our faithful critique partners to take a look at our draft query, we can post it and get dozens of opinions from fellow writers. We can then re-post a newer version of our query and get opinions all over again. And somewhere along the way, in trying to incorporate all those suggestions (yes, even the excellent ones) we can stamp out all the voice our poor little query letter ever had. If you can bear one more quote, as Lady Bracknell says in The Importance of Being Earnest, “I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance. Ignorance is like a delicate, exotic fruit. Touch it, and the bloom is gone.” Now this time you need to substitute “voice” for ignorance. When improving your letter (and I am NOT suggesting that you cannot learn from others, or that you cannot edit a letter in a way that is beneficial) take care that voice is not trampled under foot.

Don’t let other writers re-write your query for you in their own style (I am sure I am oft guilty of this in my query critiques and I take this opportunity to publicly offer a mea culpa for such behavior). Err on the side of voice. Be prepared to ignore people. If you feel that making your letter fit a format or satisfy a majority of those who commented will destroy the voice of the letter step slowly away from the precipice. Thank everyone politely and then stop checking that darn comments thread. And remember that every comment should be “gut” checked. Trust your gut. Your gut (and your brain) wrote your manuscript. That puppy is probably 80k words so your gut and your brain can manage 200-300 words worth of query. I guess the position I am ultimately taking is: maybe a little feedback is better than a lot when you are trying to develop and project your author-voice. I would never have wanted 10 or 20 (let alone 30 or 50) opinions on my query. I got four. If that is heresy so be it.

What do you think—is voice as crucial an element in your query as in your manuscript? Is it as important as a clear synopsis of the plot? More important? Can voice alone can generate requests? Do you have a useful test/method to share for identifying writing with voice?