Please post any helpful hints on writing query letters.

[Vanessa K. Eccles]

Hi everyone. I have been seeking representation for about a year now. I've recieved 20 form letters and counting. I'd like for anyone who has ever queried or knows about the process to list some helpful hints for a newbie, like me, and anyone else who may need the information. Thanks for your time.

 

 

[Kelli Wheelwright]

Elana Johnson has some great advice on this subject on her blog

 

http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/p/writing-query-letter.html

 

Not to mention I am COMPLETELY looking forward to her book!

 

KW

http://www.ekfamilybooks.blogspot.com

 

[Bri Meets Books]

One of my favorite blogs is queryshark.blogspot.com. It's the dos and don'ts!

[Vanessa K. Eccles]

Thanks Shawn. That's very good advice. It's hard for me to sum it up in a page, but I realize the importance to hooking the agent in a sentence.

 

[Eric Shivvers]

Great resources can be found in Elizabeth Lyon's book about writing book proposals. Also, Michael Larson's book How to get a Literary Agent is good as well. I am sure you know about the web site: http://www.agentquery.com/.

 

I cannot emphasize enough what others have said. Short, sweet and get them hooked. Make sure you are sending your work to an agent who covers your work. One agent wrote me back and loved my note saying it is hard to write query letters and I did it well. He did not move forward with my project but knowing someone took the time to read it was very inspiring as the rejections came back ten fold.

It is a long process and one reason why I gave it 8 months before I self-published my memoir.

[Vanessa K. Eccles]

Thanks for the comment and advice, Eric. I finished my first novel Georgia in 2009, but I have not been sending out very often. I've probably sent 30 and received 20 form letters. I have yet to get any feedback at all from my novel, but I'm not giving up. I am, however, seriously considering self-publishing.

 

http://www.vanessakeccles.blogspot.com/

[Eric Shivvers]

Get into writing groups or classes so you can get feedback. Make sure you get a good editor, a good graphic designer and a PR firm and then go self-publish.

[Vanessa K. Eccles]

When you published, if you don't mind sharing - What is the ball park figure that an average person would expect to spend publishing thier own book?

 

Again, I appreciate your time sharing with me.

 

http://www.vanessakeccles.blogspot.com/

[Eric Shivvers]

Well, I am a graphic designer so I cut out a good chunk of the cost. I would say it is about $2,500 -$3,500 for an editor, about $1,500 - 2,000 for a designer and about $3,000 for PR.And, I hate to say this, a lot of luck.

Now then, you can buy bundles through CreateSpace, a self-publishing house, and they can do a lot of the work for you.