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Agent Query Letter

6/20/2010

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I have had a draft query letter saved on my PC for sometime.

Draft 1
My first draft was designed using examples from AgentQuery and advice  I read in Writers & Artists Yearbook.  The most important parts I learnt to include in a query letter are:
  • Title of story:  This is easy mine it Drift.
  • Genre:  What audience should the book be marketted for, i.e. Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal.  I find this hard as my story will appeal to more than one genre but apparently that is not a good thing.  What I did was choose the genre match that also would appeal most to the agent. 
  • Word count:  This should be rounded up/down to the nearest thousand i.e. 50,000 words.  You can use features in word processing software to see the word count (MS Word, this is displayed in the bottom left corner of the screen).  Don't write 50,817 words.
  • Description of story:  Tell them what they are investing in.  What is the story about? what can they expect?  Why will it appeal to readers? Why are you best suited to write it?
  • Witers Bio:  It just needs to be a paragraph about your previous achiements.  This can be hard for new writers.  A way to solve this is to enter compeitions, write short stories or articles for the small press or donate your writing to support a book to raise money for charity. 
  • Why you chose the agent:  Look at the titles that they already represent and consider whether you feel that your book would sit comfortably next to those. 
  • Have you sent this to other agents:  Agents can take 6 weeks or more to get back to you if they are intersted and not at all if they aren't intersted.  However, they don't like you sending your manuscript to other agents without their knowledge.  The solution is to add a simple sentence in your letter saying 'This is a simulataneous enquiry' or something along those lines.
  • Enclosures:  Have you checked their website to see if they want any enclosures such as a synopsis,  first 1,000 words or first 3 chapters?  If they do expect these with an enquiry, then you need to enclose them and just mention in your letter 'Please find enclosed.... for your consideration'
Draft 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
The first letter got my thought process going and I now needed to make it more professional.  I had a look at the examples on WeBook:  http://www.webook.com/landing/query-sample-1
It is interactive but does not display well on a small screen - so watch out if you are using a netbook. 

Studying each of the four examples I rewrote each query letter for my own use, editing as necessary.  At the end, I drafted my final version using the best bits of the previous 5 letters. 

I have asked people to read my 'perfect' letter to get their feedback.  As usual, it is always funny to hear how it isn't so perfect. 

The tricky part for me, is the paragraph about my story.  I have now redrafted that 1 paragraph a further 6 times and hopefully will get it REALLY perfect later this week.
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WeBook Newsletter - Page2Fame offer

6/18/2010

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Last night I recieved my WeBook newsletter and it was one that should defintely be acknowledged.  This one had an offer code to enter Page2Fame for free.

Page2Fame is the WeBook competition that usually requires an entry fee.  You submit the first 500 words of your story and then you are rated from 1 to 5 by other writers.  If during the rating period you score enough 4s or 5s then you make round 2 where you submit between 1,000 to 1,500 words and your writing is read by potential agents who can sign you if they like your work.  This is an amazing prize - a jump to the top of the slush pile.

The newsletter contained a coupon/code to enter Page2Fame for free (see snipet below).  I just entered Drift and Wipeout (both for free).  I may enter more over the course of the weekend.  Wish me luck *fingers crossed*

For you and everyone who participated in PageToFame in the early days, we are running an amazing weekend special. Submit for FREE (yes! for free!) from Friday, June 18 @ 5:00PM EST through Monday, June 21 @ 10AM EST.
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Synopsis

6/6/2010

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Whilst I was editing drifts, I wrote summaries on each chapter in the hope that this would make writing the synopsis easier.  I think it has helped but I am still no nearer to getting it right.

Trying to fit a full length novel into a 500 words summary (or one page) is really difficult.  I am down to 1,000 words at the moment (teo pages) and decided to take a break.  I have written five different versions today and they are getting better/shorter (was four pages long before). 

It's just so much happens in a full length novel, to share the whole story in one page is very difficult.  I have tried to put every important event or interaction into one sentence but it looks like I am going to need to cut it down further. 

I am going to give it one last attempt being really tough on what is important and cut down to just the bare essentials.

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Soundtrack to a Novel

6/2/2010

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When creating a story, you get involved with your characters and their lives and in a way you give birth to them and they are your children.  Just like all the important people in your 'real life' you see things everyday that makes you think of them or an occasion. 

More and more people are recommending songs that they were listening to whilst writing and drew inspiration from or that they have heard and think are suitable for their story - soundtracks to novels.  In fact, I have just read the first two books of The Weather Warden series and Rachel Vincent recommends songs for her readers to listen to.

Personally, I have had simialr experiences.  Just recently, I finished my final edit of 'Drift', sent my first query to an agent whilst listening to 'Starry Eyed' by Ellie Goulding.  I hope my story gets published so you can see how this song communicates Murray and Fern's relationship so perfectly - it's like it was written for the pool scene!
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