10 Things NOT To Say to an Agent or Editor # 5 (+Blog Carnival)
#5: “Hey, I just checked out your site and it looks pretty cool - wanna represent my brilliant book?…. Call me! Ted :-)”
….Or some such. The tone of your initial query e-mail to an agent or editor is all important. The trick is to be friendly but professional.
There’s no need to be stuffy, or to use big words in an effort to impress (used inappropriately, they don’t!). No jargon either, please. Just the facts. What you’re writing, how it compares to what else is out there, why you are asking us to represent you.
We’re all human and we understand what you’re essentially seeking in contacting us. But to take you - and your all-important work - seriously, your query needs to possess the polished nature of someone who knows the business (even if you’re just starting out).
Don’t adopt a pleading or a desperate tone. Don’t boast or tell us that you’re the next big thing (more on this in tip # 6).
The best queries are those that convey - and therefore instil - a quiet confidence.
FONT BLOG CARNIVAL (APRIL)
Here are some of the best submissions that we received for this month’s blog carnival, articles from around the Internet on all things interesting in the world of writing, reading and publishing:
Amy Munnell presents An Interview…with ghostwriter Cecil Murphey posted at 3 Questions…and Answers, saying, “30-year veteran, Cecil Murphey discusses how to be a successful ghostwriter in today’s celebrity-centric world” and also Make Your Fantasy Come True… saying, “Fantasy publishers who will consider unagented manuscripts”.
Terry Dean presents 7 Steps To Start A Blog Today posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry Dean.
Bob Younce presents A Directory of Internet Article Writing Sites posted at The Writing Journey, , saying, “Bob Younce takes a look at the options writers have for publishing their material on the various online article submission web sites. Along the way, he considers their usability, usefulness, and potential for profitability.”
Cindy King presents 4 Ideas To Get Your Website International posted at Get International Clients.
Ciaran Buckley presents How to Get Published: The Prepared and the Passionate Mind: posted at Ciaran Buckley.
Rebecca Suzanne Dean presents How To Write Your First Paragraph posted at Rebecca Dean.
Missy presents Scene and Summary posted at Incurable Disease of Writing, saying, “In writing fiction, there is a fine line between summary and scene. How do we discern when to use narration and when to show the scene?”
Madeleine Begun Kane presents Poems About Poems posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.
Cathrene Gehue presents The Three R’s of Writing and Being a Writer: Reading, Re-writing and the Repercussions posted at Writ Bits.
Michael J. Kannengieser presents Mr. Grudge: Writer’s Plot Notes: “Someone Has to Die” posted at Mr. Grudge, saying, “This is an article on how to “kill” off characters in your novels.”
Tip Diva presents Tip Diva | Top Ten Tips - Beating Writer’s Block posted at Tip Diva, saying, “When Tip Diva is not thinking of advice and how-tos for this website, she writes for a trade magazine. Writing for both a magazine and a blog can be pretty taxing on her brain, and she sometimes finds herself continuously staring at a blank Word document. Writer’s block happens to the best of us, but there are some ways you can beat it.”
Adie Dornom presents 3 Tips to Blog Like a Manaic and Still Have a Life posted at Lee McIntyre’s Honest Marketing Blog.
Justine Kyle presents The Individual Nature of Writing. posted at A Slice of Life.
5 Responses to “10 Things NOT To Say to an Agent or Editor # 5 (+Blog Carnival)”
Leave a Reply
 |
April 11th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Hi there!
Thank you for including my article…and for all of the other great reads!!
Cindy King
Captivating Elusive International Clients
http://www.cindyking.biz
April 13th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Great Carnival, I like the people that you have listed.
April 14th, 2008 at 1:27 am
[…] Font Blog Carnival […]
April 18th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Thanks so much for your support for my article, and keep up the great carnival! Lots of good advice here.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Hi,
Thank you for the support you gave my article and my blog. This is deeply appreciated, however belated this thank you is. -Mike.