10 Things NOT to Do in a Query
My awesome coworker, Alice Pope, recently posted 10 Helpful Tips on Writing Query Letters on her blog. The catch? It was April Fools’ – so the tips are helpful, but…
My awesome coworker, Alice Pope, recently posted 10 Helpful Tips on Writing Query Letters on her blog. The catch? It was April Fools' - so the tips are helpful, but only if you don't do them. Check out her full post here.
Alice Pope's (April Fools' Day) Tips:
1) DO opt for brightly colored paper and fun fonts.
2) DO let editors and agents know that you've read your work to your kids or your grandchildren.
3) DO compare your work to best-selling authors.
4) DO send your letter certified mail.
5) DON'T finish your novel before you start querying.
6) DO boast. You know you've got a great book project.
7) DO go into a lot of detail about your manuscript.
8) DO let them know that you've hired an illustrator if you're a picture book writer.
9) DO query about all your manuscripts at one time.
10) DON'T bother to mention that you've queried multiple editors or agents.
Chuck Sambuchino is a former editor with the Writer's Digest writing community and author of several books, including How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack and Create Your Writer Platform.
