Comments on: When queries attack

By: Donna Hole

Donna Hole — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 03:31:25 +0000

Thanks Stephanie. I’ve seen this reminder on other agent blogs, but I never get tired of it. Especially when I’m querying my novel. I need posts like this to warn me to “remember to breathe”.

Silly, I know, but I get so focused on getting it right the content suffers.

……dhole

By: EEV

EEV — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:45:07 +0000

I guess the best guideline is to make the most professional query possible. The rest unfold by itself.
The thing is, the more we get worked up in the little details, the less we thing about the big bad monster of rejection…

By: stephen matlock

stephen matlock — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:19:14 +0000

Thanks for posting this. Part of the problem for first-time writers (and maybe for seasoned veterans who’ve been PAID for their work) is that it all looks the same: a big wall spray-painted with the words DANGER UNSAFE UNKNOWN FAILURE.

It’s helpful to know that the query process isn’t something that’s required just to make a writer’s life hell. It’s actually a way to get a reasonable idea of what the writing is about, and the goal for the writer is to explain simply and clearly what she has written and, one hopes, tempt the agent to say the magic words “LUNCH IS ON ME!” Or maybe “Yes, please send pages.”