Comments on: Query mistakes

By: S. S. Post

S. S. Post — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:08:44 +0000

My first query letter, I had searched for weeks about how to write a query letter. I got so caught up in tooling the description of the book that I entirely forgot to mention who I was, what the book was, or any info about how to contact me. I received a form rejection from the agent's SECRETARY.

Ow.

By: Maggie Parr

Maggie Parr — Mon, 17 May 2010 16:24:52 +0000

I once got a request for chapters from an agent, and in my excitement, I forwarded the email to my partner with something to the effect of, "I'm so happy! Love you!" Turns out I accidentally hit 'reply,' not 'forward'! Once I discovered my mistake, I sent the agent a sheepish apology. He admitted he was baffled by the letter but seemed to understand. Oh well, live and learn!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 17 May 2010 09:11:05 +0000

I have two comments. A while back someone at this blog, which is very classy I might add, suggested that it might be worthwhile if a writer having difficulties with a petulant character check on a blog entry by Mr/Ms Grandiloquent, the advice was five levels of achieving depth to one's intractable and annoying obstacle to a brilliant work of art. Yet, they used the five stages of acceptance for the final curtain made famous by Kubler-Ross in a hospice setting. Erik Erikson's eight-stage view of life's epigenetic evolution and decline would have been more fitting.
In all due respect why is the query such an annoying impediment to actually tasting the essence of a story well told. Let's face it, the industry does not have a high success to failure rate and an argument can be made that it is the inverse and failure is the norm while successful manuscripts are declined at every turn. Of course, what do I know? Having sound so negative, I have chosen to send your agency based on the overt scent of genuine class when the time is ripe. Also a man named Edward Jay "Action" Acton had enjoyed a story of mine and asked the man who had sent the yarn if the author could develop the story into a novel because of its length. It did not fit in slicks between ads for Cutty Sark and Porsches. This was prior to 1994. I did in fact develop it into a book that bears the same title as one of your successes, Insatiable. However, my version was too surreal and absurd and I didn't allow it out of the house.

By: Still waiting on reply from Dystel request

Still waiting on reply from Dystel request — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:17:05 +0000

Oh yes, the reply that I was an idiot for sending the "curse approach" was ABSOLUTELY trying to help me. I stopped.

Overall, even though we get made fun of for being idiots sometimes, it's a welcome belly laugh to hear about others chasing their tails.

And DGLM, actually, you already had requested the ms, I was eagerly waiting a reply and trying to generate other interest.

I just couldn't take it, was on the edge of my seat, nervous, scared, apprehensive, frightened, edgy, worried, jumpy, panicky, hungry, so I ate, then petrified, terrified, and horrified that I'd be rejected, (Or even worse, ha ha, accepted, then the curse would strike you, which would be a shame, because I love your work and had been knocking on the door for months)

Anyway, I got drunk, as is the writer's way, and went surfing, as is the surfer's way. Felt better. Still waiting though.

GREAT blog, thankya.

By: DGLM

DGLM — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:51:17 +0000

Many of these are things we have seen over the years (I think I missed the person with the really bad luck stories, although that would have caught my attention). In the end, we all learn from our mistakes and hopefully move on to writing successful queries and finding the most perfect person to offer representation.

By: Lynda Young

Lynda Young — Tue, 11 May 2010 05:24:25 +0000

I think lack of patience is my greatest mistake as well. I query too early.

By: February Grace

February Grace — Tue, 11 May 2010 03:17:48 +0000

My mistake was too anxiously querying a second ms to my dream agent before I realized that I hadn't done nearly enough paring down.

The request for the full came- but the second I sent it off I suddenly had the sinking feeling it wasn't as ready as I'd thought. Sure enough-it wasn't.

Now the word count is dropping steadily, the project is looking so much better and I really wish I'd had a bit more patience.

A rookie error and a lesson learned the hard way but at least it has been learned.

Edit, people. Edit, edit, then really start editing before you send.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 10 May 2010 23:41:26 +0000

Still waiting… The agent who gave you a heads-up was giving you a break! Otherwise, you might have kept sending around that query.

By: Em-Musing

Em-Musing — Mon, 10 May 2010 23:17:26 +0000

My first query ever had many mistakes. Got a nibble. Since then, better queries, but nada. I can't figure this process out!

By: Lisa_Gibson

Lisa_Gibson — Mon, 10 May 2010 21:16:50 +0000

I had been emailing my query back and forth to myself to make sure all the formatting was just so. Right as I clicked the 'Send' button to the agent, my eyes saw that the subject line said "Try this". Not a hideous mistake but a mistake for sure.