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I've finally finished my story. After countless months of toiling, rewriting, and putting the finishing touches on the manuscript, I find much to my chagrin that most literary agents and publishing companies don't even look at manuscripts! They just want to see query letters!
So I'm now agonizing over the query letter. Does anybody have any advice? Any articles/books/websites that have been helpful? I've got something worked up, but don't know if it's any good. I'll post it here if anybody thinks they may be able to help me...
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These two agents offer what I feel is good advice about a query letter - Jenny Bent (www.jennybent.com) and Jane Dystel (www.dystel.com). I especially like the advice of "let your project speak for itself."
Posts: 87 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
The problem I'm seeing is that there are a hundred different 'rules', many of them contradicting. No more than one page, no more than three pages, sample chapter, sample 3 chapters, first 10 pages, don't be chummy, be personal, don't use a name, use a name, don't say your unpublished, tell us if you are unpublished, etc. etc. etc.
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Have you checked the publisher's requirements? You may have to do a different query letter to every publisher you send to. If you can't find that information, call the publishing house and ask what the policy is. Sometimes the policies are posted on-line. Writing magazines list publishers and policies. Also, there is a book - I think it is called "Writer's Market" - published yearly. You can find it in the library, and get all kinds of info. I would suggest that as you put all that effort into your manuscript, that you not just start querying haphazardly! What is a little more time and effort, when the difference could be an acceptance, or a rejection?
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Yeah, it looks like I'm going to have to rewrite a query letter for just about everybody I send it to... I may just send it to a local publisher who showed interest about a year ago, they're requirements are just to send in the manuscript...
Posts: 10 | Registered: Sep 2003
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When I was writing my statement of intent for Ph.D. programs, I had a similar problem: each program wanted something different.
What I did was to assemble a comprehensive list of every question that I would have to answer. Then, not worrying about writing the statement of intent, I answered each question. I took these rough answers and wrote a "Master Letter." Then all I had to do was modify my master letter according to the requirements of each school.
This process saved me a lot of stress. I was able to focus on my academic career and goals without worrying about how my letter was sounding.
I've never written a query letter, and I have no idea what publishers are looking for. But perhaps this method might help in writing your query letter. Shoot for a "Master Letter," and then modify it according to the requirements of each publisher.
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