tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post7822500137027557775..comments2024-03-28T07:54:06.014-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: ON Queries about QueriesJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-5798819802581979582009-02-01T23:41:00.000-05:002009-02-01T23:41:00.000-05:00Woohoo! I really need this book! LOL. Wendy, thank...Woohoo! I really need this book! LOL. Wendy, thanks for the great advice. Hank and Jungle Red, thanks for the book and for a great blog!Silver Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17835128642056217571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-63468742100314606642009-02-01T20:12:00.000-05:002009-02-01T20:12:00.000-05:00Wendy--you're great! And so generous to take the t...Wendy--you're great! And so generous to take the time to answer questions and guide us.<BR/><BR/>Come back and see us..and good luck with your oh-so-wonderful<BR/>book.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-7625090612755167812009-02-01T19:08:00.000-05:002009-02-01T19:08:00.000-05:00Congrats Jenny and Penny. Thanks for stopping by. ...Congrats Jenny and Penny. Thanks for stopping by. And thanks for having me, Hank!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-7055250098036963922009-02-01T17:10:00.000-05:002009-02-01T17:10:00.000-05:00Oh--and come back Monday--when we talk About TEMPT...Oh--and come back Monday--when we talk About <BR/>TEMPTATION!<BR/><BR/>How can you...resist?Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-71850354768753381412009-02-01T17:08:00.000-05:002009-02-01T17:08:00.000-05:00Jenny Stamos Kovacs and Penny--you're our winners ...Jenny Stamos Kovacs and Penny--you're our winners of Wendy's books!<BR/><BR/>Please contact me through my website<BR/>http://www.hankphilippiryan.com<BR/>and Jungle Red will send you your loot!Hankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13208345842094656311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-50854331152006948032009-01-31T19:24:00.000-05:002009-01-31T19:24:00.000-05:00I used to love MAD and also GAMES Magazine. I thin...I used to love MAD and also GAMES Magazine. I think I remember reading that Games folded though, no?<BR/><BR/>I like to remind people that editors are people too. (I only know this because I am and have been an editor for mags and newspapers.) So we all have our own tastes, histories, preferences, interests, etc. Just think of all the people who turned down the world's most famous authors' pieces. All the more reason to A) do your homework on agents'/editors' past representation/purchases and B) keep submitting to others.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15934297504502738632009-01-31T14:47:00.000-05:002009-01-31T14:47:00.000-05:00Hank -- Some freelancers used to submit to MAD jus...Hank -- Some freelancers used to submit to MAD just so they'd receive the rejection.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-50671981858530104762009-01-31T13:11:00.000-05:002009-01-31T13:11:00.000-05:00Yes, Penny. I so agree!I got one rejection that es...Yes, Penny. I so agree!<BR/><BR/>I got one rejection that essentially said "What a great writer you are! But we don't love the plot."<BR/><BR/>The next one said "We LOVE the plot! But you aren't much of a writer."<BR/><BR/>I burst out laughing. If that doesn't explain everything...it shows you, right? It's not you. It's them. And that's just fine.<BR/><BR/>Rhonda, you submitted to MAD? I love that fershlugginer magazine. <BR/><BR/>Come back tomorrow for the winners of Wendy's book! And there's still time to enter..Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-21568468460005181192009-01-31T13:00:00.000-05:002009-01-31T13:00:00.000-05:00This must be rejection week. :) (The Guppies DO ru...This must be rejection week. :) (The Guppies DO run a "Winter of Rejection" contest. Anyhoo ...)<BR/><BR/>Editor Chris Roerden is blogging over at Poe's Deadly Daughters about writers' blind spots. Reactions to rejections seem to be a part of that. <BR/><BR/>http://poesdeadlydaughters.blogspot.com/2009/01/blind-spots.html<BR/><BR/>Between here and there, I feel like I've been in group therapy. =:-oAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-76299605286798625902009-01-31T11:17:00.000-05:002009-01-31T11:17:00.000-05:00I think the best I got was two rejections on the s...I think the best I got was two rejections on the same proposal. One publisher told me the book was too sophisticated for their readers. The other said the book wasn't polished enough. D'huh? *scratches head*<BR/><BR/>- PJ writing as Silver JamesSilver Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17835128642056217571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-61654230151416281812009-01-31T00:25:00.000-05:002009-01-31T00:25:00.000-05:00Well, this isn't a question, but I completely unde...Well, this isn't a question, but I completely understand about people not realizing that as writers, we work hard to achieve what we do.<BR/><BR/>love the quote about luck--i'm adding it to my list of quotes. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-66459978801880373582009-01-30T23:27:00.000-05:002009-01-30T23:27:00.000-05:00Oh, I've got a nice little "starter stack" of reje...Oh, I've got a nice little "starter stack" of rejections, too. :) Most of them are of the boilerplate "thanks but no thanks" variety.<BR/><BR/>But I did get one once that complimented what I wrote, then added, "Thanks for submitting." <BR/><BR/>But the most fun rejection I ever got was from Mad Magazine years ago. Seeing Alfred E. Neuman on the letterhead is pretty cheery, even for a rejection.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-80925221417238233112009-01-30T22:04:00.000-05:002009-01-30T22:04:00.000-05:00WINNERS OF EVIL WITHOUT A FACEFaechildMags Mention...WINNERS OF EVIL WITHOUT A FACE<BR/><BR/>Faechild<BR/>Mags Mentionables<BR/>Edie<BR/><BR/>Please email Hank via http://www.hankphillippiryan.com<BR/>click on contact<BR/>and send me your address!<BR/><BR/>(If you don't hear back from me instantly, leave a comment here and we'll connect somehow..<BR/>it just means you were caught in the spam filter.)<BR/><BR/>WINNERS of the Wendy Burt-Thomas book will be chosen and announced Sunday--so keep commenting and let's chat--Wendy will be here to help!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-1773266377337842852009-01-30T20:01:00.000-05:002009-01-30T20:01:00.000-05:00This was fun! Thanks for having me on the blog and...This was fun! Thanks for having me on the blog and for all your great questions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-48096884117929969142009-01-30T18:33:00.000-05:002009-01-30T18:33:00.000-05:00Hallie,I advise people to stick to one page for a ...Hallie,<BR/>I advise people to stick to one page for a query - two MAX. <BR/>If you don't have any relevant published pieces to mention, I'm not sure I'd mention the unpublished pieces (unless you're pitching a novel series and happen to have the second and/or third completed already). An agent/editor might wonder why the pieces aren't published. <BR/>I think it's valuable to mention contests you've won (or placed in), relevant work or life experience (if you lived with the Amish for 3 years and your novel is set in the Amish community), and any platform you have (blog, Web site, organizations, groups, classes, etc.)<BR/>Platform is HUGE because writing is really only half your job. Marketing your book after it's published is mainly the author's responsibility.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-67027251014474292712009-01-30T17:19:00.000-05:002009-01-30T17:19:00.000-05:00Hi, Wendy --Great answers! I've heard a rule of th...Hi, Wendy --<BR/><BR/>Great answers! I've heard a rule of thumb to never go beyond the equivalent of a printed page for a query letter--do you agree? And should writers tell the agent about their OTHER unpublished manuscripts. In fact, what information about the author is helpful to the query versus unhelpful.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-89952206831166099402009-01-30T15:42:00.000-05:002009-01-30T15:42:00.000-05:00Thanks so much, Wendy!Nancy A.Thanks so much, Wendy!<BR/>Nancy A.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-79067645977089430542009-01-30T15:27:00.000-05:002009-01-30T15:27:00.000-05:00By the way, if anyone has a writing-related blog, ...By the way, if anyone has a writing-related blog, Web site, book, contest, workshop, event, etc., feel free to email it to me: WendyBurt@aol.com<BR/><BR/>I have a blog called "Ask Wendy"<BR/>(http://askWendy.wordpress.com) that is based on a column I've written for WritersOnTheRise.com for four years. It's geared toward writers so I'm always looking for cool writing-related stuff to share. (Just no manuscripts.)<BR/><BR/>I am a big believer in writers helping writers when it comes to promotion!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-69675139788646122982009-01-30T15:23:00.000-05:002009-01-30T15:23:00.000-05:00Rayanne,I wouldn't go into an in-depth description...Rayanne,<BR/>I wouldn't go into an in-depth description of your character in the query. It's always better to show rather than tell anyway. <BR/><BR/>One suggestion is to read the back cover of some other character-driven books. They do a good job of enticing the reader enough to buy the book, so why not use the same approach to entice an agent/editor to request your manuscript? You can probably do this on Amazon too.<BR/><BR/>Remember, stuff still has to happen to your character, so you don't want to spend the entire query just focused on WHO they are.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-1762301721372555642009-01-30T15:18:00.000-05:002009-01-30T15:18:00.000-05:00Hi Nancy,It's hard to say without knowing the piec...Hi Nancy,<BR/>It's hard to say without knowing the piece, but I'd so just go with the pitch. I suggest this because too many writers tend to focus on the FACTS of their book (Jenny is a blond hairdresser born in 1960) rather than immediately pulling the reader into the query. If you really feel it's important to mention the fact that the characters are based on real people, do it later in the query.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-90996784286520216032009-01-30T15:15:00.000-05:002009-01-30T15:15:00.000-05:00Rhonda,Am I correct in assuming that your fear abo...Rhonda,<BR/>Am I correct in assuming that your fear about querying for fiction is all based on rejection? (And are we talking novels or short stories?)<BR/><BR/>This is the one time I will tell you to EXPECT rejection. Not necessarily every single time, but on some pieces for some editors. If you expect it, and recognize that you can learn a lot from some rejection letters ("I like your characters but the plot needs work"), it's like getting a free critique from a pro. I've gotten enough rejections over the years to wallpaper my entire house. But if I hadn't gotten them and learned from the feedback, I wouldn't have 1,000+ published pieces and three books today!<BR/>If you haven't already read it, pick up Stephen King's book, "On Writing" to learn how even the best in the world get tons of rejections. <BR/>My advice is to write the best possible query, have some other folks offer feedback, perfect it, then just send it in. <BR/>The only way to get over a fear of rejection is to get rejected. (And I'm fine with you getting an acceptance the first time and proving me wrong!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-31275919111104004632009-01-30T14:50:00.000-05:002009-01-30T14:50:00.000-05:00Darlene,Regarding formatting, the big problem nowa...Darlene,<BR/>Regarding formatting, the big problem nowadays is with attachments. Unless an agent/editor is expecting your query (and therefore knows it's safe to open the attachment and/or knows to look in their spam folder), your best bet is to just paste your query into the bulk of the email. With that said, you may lose some formatting - depending on your ISP and theirs - so try to use a simple universal font like Times Roman 12 and use spaces b/n paragraphs instead of indentations.<BR/><BR/>I always try to be as formal in email as I would on paper.<BR/><BR/>Your other option is to send the query as an attachment and then send a separate email letting them know what you sent, who you are, and that you'd be happy to resend it another way if they can't find it in their spam folder or regular email.<BR/><BR/>When it doubt, be formal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-89073850485613064682009-01-30T11:59:00.000-05:002009-01-30T11:59:00.000-05:00Hi Wendy,I've written a historical mystery where s...Hi Wendy,<BR/><BR/>I've written a historical mystery where some of the characters are based on "real" historical figures. Do you think it's helpful to mention the historical background or is it better to just start with the pitch?<BR/><BR/>Thanks!<BR/>NancyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-38858567156822604722009-01-30T11:50:00.000-05:002009-01-30T11:50:00.000-05:00Wendy, how do you suggest formatting an email quer...Wendy, how do you suggest formatting an email query so it looks good when it arrives? Should we try to write it like a traditional paper letter?Sofie Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16830230500527705589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-30447066244787644672009-01-30T11:32:00.000-05:002009-01-30T11:32:00.000-05:00Hi, Wendy:I have to confess that I am hopeless at ...Hi, Wendy:<BR/>I have to confess that I am hopeless at writing a synopsis so I am very lucky I got my first agent without a query letter (we met at a writer's conference<BR/><BR/>But I have met a lot of writers who could definitely make use of your book. The tendency is to rehash the story yada yada yada.Rhys Bowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06663634889908752121noreply@blogger.com