You’ve been slaving for months, maybe years, on your manuscript. You’ve read about belonging to a critique group to help hone your work, and you’ve taken the advice to heart. You have also listened to the advice about submitting your manuscript to an editor after your critique group is done with it, and after you’ve meticulously self-edited it. Now, you’re ready to begin submissions.
While some authors choose to send queries to a publisher or an agent, there is no reason to choose; send queries to both. But, there are a few steps you need to be aware of before you actually start submitting:
1. First Impressions
Professionalism, professionalism, professionalism. Yes, be professional. As with any business correspondence, do not use colored stationery, colored text, elaborate font, scented paper or envelope, or any other unprofessional features. You get one shot at making a first impression; don’t blow it on silly additions. And, don’t try to be cute or send a gift. Again, be professional.
2. Research
So, you understand you need to appear professional, but you also need to send your query to the proper recipients. You can have the most professional-looking query letter, but if you send a query to a romance publisher and you have written a children’s picture book, guess what? You’ll be out of luck. And just as bad, you will have annoyed that publisher.
Research publishers and agents who work within the genre you write. There are services, such as WritersMarket, that provide information on where and how to sell your articles or manuscripts. While these services may charge a fee, they’re a worthwhile investment.
There are also books that offer the same information, such as Writer’s Market, and Children’s Writers and Illustrators’ Market. If you choose this option, you will need to get the new versions each year. Agents and publishers change staff all the time, new companies pop up, and others close down; you will need up-to-date information for your query submissions.
3. Content
In the February 2011 issue of the Writer, agent Betsy Lerner explained, “Editors and agents alike enjoy nothing more than being startled awake by a witty or moving letter.”
They want to see something special and unique; this is where your pitch comes in. And even though this advice is from 2011, it’s still relevant today.
While you may have taken heed and had your manuscript critiqued and looked at by an editor, you can do the same with your query letter.
You want to give the impression that you are intelligent, so your query letter must reflect that. Get it in the best shape possible, with a great hook, and then send it off to be critiqued.
Publishers and agents receive more queries than they can comfortably handle, so don’t give them a reason to reject yours because of unprofessionalism. Give your query and manuscript every possible opportunity for success.
I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach. I can help turn your story into a book you’ll be proud to be the author of, one that’s publishable and marketable.
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MORE ON WRITING FOR CHILDREN
Book Marketing – The Foundation
How to Write a Story
Traditional Publishing and the Author Platform – Be Realistic
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