Category Archives: A blog about the topics of writing

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing tips

Writing a query letter: Do the research

Leave a comment

 

 

How many writers know how to write a query letter? If you self publish than you are good to go. But if you are trying to be traditional published or get a literary agent this is an important piece of paper you will probably ever write for your book.

In a query letter it is imperative you don’t make it long. If you get more than 2/3 of a page you have written to much. In it you write everything about your book in a concise way that will entice a publisher or agent to want to reach back to you.

This paper should have three to four paragraphs tops.

In the first paragraph you are reaching out to them. If you have met them at a meeting, conference and so on you would bring this up here. But it is a quick introduction. The second paragraph you are mentioning the title, word count, target audience and a very brief synopsis on what the book is about. The last paragraph is normally just you wrapping it up with anything that can be pertinent such as awards, recognition and so forth.

Simple, right? By all accounts it is but getting it just right takes some time.

But do your research before you just slap this together. I had no clue how to write one before I started submitting my first book-Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure. But I took the time to check it out and I asked people in the business.

Please make sure you follow the guidelines on submission. Every agent and publisher have their own rules on how to do so. Follow them. Just follow them. Yes, follow their rules. If you don’t well you can guess where your letter will be filed.

Give your book a chance to be seen. Doing that involves writing the best query for your book.

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing resources

Jasper, Amazon parrot is flying once again: volume four is finished

Leave a comment

Last week I finished the first draft of the fourth volume to my children’s chapter book series. It’s also know as the Jasper, Amazon parrot series. It caters to middle grade children.

I was able to accomplish this due to the sheet above that challenged writers to write something every day for a month. Jasper 4 had already been started so it only took me a couple of weeks to finish it up. Since I still had half the sheet left over I worked on editing the first draft.

When I reread the whole manuscript from scratch I saw so much work was going to be needed to get this work in tip top shape. The loopholes I saw were huge. The grammar well I am not good with grammar so I didn’t get discouraged from that. Though I am getting much better at it since I started this career as a writer.

Knowing how much needs to be done is daunting. To date I am about half way done doing the first round of edits on this volume. I am a stickler for getting things right when it comes to the animals, what they do, the issue I am addressing in a book and so much more. This will be read by kids or to kids by parents. I want to make sure I make it as accurate as possible. I don’t want them to just read it for fun. I want them to learn about the animals, the region, care about them and the topics that plague this area. Just because it is a children’s book doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the same treatment that other target audiences receive.

But you know what? I am done the first draft. I am done. That feels so good to say out loud. Jasper is flying one more time with new characters, new issue and more camaraderie with family and friends.

A blog about the topics of writing, Blogging about writing

My children’s chapter book placed in three categories in the UK: Shout it out loud when your book does well

Leave a comment

Life has been good for Jasper and I for ebooks and audios last year and definitely this year. Granted ratings for books go up and down faster than a yo-yo does. I do check other countries that has Amazon affiliates hoping to add another country to the list. Some I have gotten close but I have not broken the top 100 yet apart from the US and the UK.

I am sure people are getting tired of me shouting about this. They might want to get earmuffs. I’m not stopping. Greedy? Yes, perhaps. Motivated? Ah, yeah.

I am going to piggyy back off last week’s blog post where I talked about enjoying the wins both big, small and in between.

I want more. I absolutely want more for my brand and myself. You should want that for your book as well.

It takes a lot of time to write a book and get it in the shape it needs to pitch to be published. Your book deserves it for you to be motivated and greedy when good things happen to it.

Enjoy it but want more. You should want more and more even when the wins slow down to a trickle and in some cases stop completely.

I just had someone read volume three of my Jasper, Amazon parrot series and he said I wrote another winner. That felt so good that this fan of my series is still happy with the books. That is another win.

Don’t sell yourself or your book short. Shout it from the roof tops any time and all time when good things happen. People not in this field might not totally get it but other authors will.

If you don’t celebrate and proclaim from the top of a mountain why will anyone else do that for you? If you can’t appreciate you for the hard work and accolades that come from your time, effort and books what will it take to get excited?