A blog about the topics of writing, Writers and Support

Query rejection letters: Nuggets of gold

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Yes, another post about query letters. This one concerns the letters you might get.

Anytime a publisher replies, even if it is a rejection letter, and they give you something to work with pay attention to what they are saying. These are nuggets of gold as I call it. Be appreciative of the time they took to write you back. With all the letters they get this is not a luxury they have, time.

If any gives you any positive reinforcement be appreciate of that as well for the same reason. You can build off of this knowing you are heading in the right direction.

I submitted Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure to quite a few publishers. I had one in the state reply to me. He stated that while he was saying no he gave me three points of what he felt I should do to make my manuscript stronger. Three. I was over the moon and floored. He was objective where I could not be. Plus he saw things my writer groups had missed. He didn’t have to tell me anything. He didn’t even have to reply. But he did.

I took the suggestions to heart and applied what he suggested immediately.. After having my editor fix the changes I added I resubmitted the book. Two publishers later someone accepted my query letter. That is how my first book was published by a traditional publishing house.

I was stoked. I was soooo stocked. I even included him in my acknowledgments of the book.

Again, I go back to authors who submit and give up easily. They also tend to not take a response with tips seriously. But they should. I have had publishers give me encouragements, give me points of what I was doing right and with my first book the lane to turn into to having it published.

If you are fortunate to get a positive reply from a publishing house, regardless if it is a rejection letter, pay attention. It may be the step you need to achieving the goal you are reaching for.

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing tips and ideas

Rejected query letters: Will you quit?

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A local writer began a few years ago to send out query letters to publishers. She, like everyone else who does this, started to get rejection letters.

When I asked her after some time how it was going she informed me she was quitting, I learned she sent out six. Nothing I could say or do would convince her to keep going.

To be honest if you are going to give up that readily how serious are you wanting to be traditionally published or get a literary agent? How badly do you feel your book deserve a shot?

I was just really surprised how easily she gave up on herself and her book. Rejections from publishers are a rite of passage. It will happen. No one is immune.

To date this writer has not sent any more letters.

When I was submitting “Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure” I received a lot of rejections. Some didn’t even send me a reply back. But I did something apparently that was odd according to other writers. I saved all my rejection letters. People tend to give me a weird look when I tell them that. But I have and will continue for any other manuscript I submit. To me it shows I am still trying, still believing in my book and myself and knowing that there is bound to be someone who loves my book as much as I do.

My mantra is still the same as it was when started. All I need is one yes, just one. In fact I have that taped up to my cork board by my desk. For if you don’t love your book, and I mean truly love your book, why would anyone else?

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing tips

Writing a query letter: Do the research

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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.

The Musings of A New Englander