Authors often gnash their teeth at the nearly-universal advice that you should personalize your query letters. It’s time consuming to research agents individually, people don’t know what to say, and there’s something about it that just rubs people the wrong way. It pays to personalize. Just do it. In this post I’ll explain why and […]
Query Letters
The “voice of god” from movie trailers is killing your query letter
Last week I went to the movies for the first time since the pandemic started, and I encountered a curiosity I’d largely forgotten existed: movie trailers. And while I was coaching a writer on how to improve their query letter, I had an epiphany: lots of authors are writing their query letters like the “voice […]
How to format a query letter
SUBJECT LINE: Query – [Something that makes sense like your book title] Dear Blog Readers, This is how you format an e-mailed query letter. Note that I did not begin with the recipient’s address or my address or the date, as that is not customary for an e-mail. I also am not indenting because indenting […]
One of the fastest paths to rejection: implying you don’t read much
I saw a mini-blowup on Twitter last week that arose because a publishing professional had the temerity to suggest that anyone seeking publication should be very well read. Apparently this is still a controversial opinion in some circles! Look. If you don’t read books, no one is going to take away your laptop and lock […]
My guide to publishing a book
It’s here! I’m so excited to announce the publication of my guide to publishing a book: How to Publish a Book: 41 Rules for Successfully Publishing a Book That You Will Love Forever. It’s available as an ebook and in paperback. Whether you’re pursuing a book deal with a Big 5 publisher or trying your […]
The best strategy for sending query letters
Once you’ve written a fantastic query letter and compiled a list of reputable literary agents who specialize in your genre: it’s go time, baby. Here’s my best strategy for sending out query letters. What not to do Let’s talk for a second about what not to do when sending out a query letter. One of […]
