Top 10 Donts for Sending Query Letters

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Sending Query Letters - Top 10 Donts!
By Rowdy Rhodes
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this file nor the contents within. The following information is to be used to expand your knowledge of writing however use of the
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Having been both a publisher and an editor of more than one magazine over the years there has been
myriad of reasons for rejecting queries from writers who may or may not have excellent content. However,
when a publisher or editor is receiving a hundred or more queries a day they have some hard and fast
rules that quickly separate the wheat from the chaff in order to clear their desk at day's end.
The fastest way to receive a rejection from a publisher or editor is to have mistakes or waste their time in
the query letter you send. The 10 most common query errors that will get your idea tossed immediately
into the recycle bin are:
10.
Sending a query that has typographical errors in the first sentence, or any
other sentence for that matter. Using a spell checker is not enough of a solution.
Writing
They help, but … "Were" when you meant "Where" will pass by a spell checker
correctly and
but not by an editor or publisher. So read your letter out loud and have someone
being succinct
else read it as well before you send it in for submission.
is the most
important
9.
Sending a query containing personal wisdom quotes such as "Staying
ways to
positive has helped me, and will help other writers, accomplish the goal of
querying.
perfecting my manuscript." An editor or publisher doesn't care what your
thoughts are or how they influenced your writing. They do care about what you
have written. Tell them about that not about your writing wisdom.
8.
Sending a query that has very small type or, if printed, the letters are
lightly printed, almost grayish in colour. Editors and publishers, if scanning a
Make sure
hundred queries or more per day accumulate eyestrain making it difficult for your
that your type
query to be read. This eyestrain especially occurs at the end of a long day of
or print is
reading. They won't put your query aside and say to themselves "I'll read it
actually
tomorrow." They toss it. If you don't care enough to make it readable then why
readable by
should they care? So make your letter easily enjoyable to read by using dark,
someone with
larger print, but not garishly large.
tired eyes.
7.
Query letters are meant to be one page long. If, as a "professional writer"
you cannot get your idea condensed to a single page then you either do not have
It's extremely
full command of the English language, hence whatever you wrote is going to be
important that
long and boring, or you haven't taken time to solidify your idea in your query. If
you limit your
you haven't condensed your idea then by default it's assumed that the editor or
query letter to
publisher will have to correspond many times with you questioning your story.
They don't have time for that so hit the editor or publisher hard, quick and fast with
a single page
your full idea on a single page.
that explains
your story.
6.
If you send a query letter that is convoluted with details or hard to
understand instructions that will get your inquiry tossed. As an example of a real
Simplify it for
letter to a publisher from a writer: "The email address I am sending this query
the editor or
letter from is not mine. My address is xxxx@abc.com and should you need to
publisher to
reach me the best time is for you to send your email first thing in the morning
be able to
because I don't read email here after 1 p.m." Trust me when I say that a query like
make contact
this is getting tossed. You're making life difficult for the publisher or editor to
with you at all
contact you. Why? Don't do it. Make it as simple as possible for them to
times.
correspond with you in case they're interested in what you are proposing. Do you
really care if they called you at 3 a.m. and said, "We're publishing your book." ?
The Freelance Writing Organization - Int'l http://www.fwointl.com its associates and owners do not take responsibility for your use of
this file nor the contents within. The following information is to be used to expand your knowledge of writing however use of the
provided information is not intended to guarantee employment nor income. We are not liable in any way whatsoever by your use of
the suggestions and content you are about to read.

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5.
Query letters that have been photocopied and sent enmasse with no
greeting, salutation or personalization is just plain rude and whether in print or by
Personalize
email, is considered junk mail. And we all know where junk mail ends up. So send
every single
each letter specifically addressed to the appropriate person using the proper
query letter
salutation and greeting. It's not only courteous it's professional.
you send out
with a
professional
greeting.
4.
Don't tell an editor or publisher that you know how busy they are and that
you are going to keep your query short. You've 1. Already wasted their time
Don't waste
because they just had to read that sentence and 2. Unless you've been an editor
time and
or publisher you have no idea how busy they are on the day they read your query.
space in your
And if you have been an editor or publisher in the past you'd know right away not
to include time wasting sentences like that, which does nothing in getting to the
letter. Stay
point of your idea.
concentrated
on pitching
your story
idea.
3.
Sending a query that makes specific claims about who the audience will
be, how the story will attract them and the numbers the book will generate for the
Making claims
company should they choose to publish your novel. Immediately you are in trouble
about how
telling a publisher that! You are not a market researcher providing statistics to the
well your book
publisher or editor. You're a writer. You cannot make claims on whether or not the
will sell and
book will sell. All you're doing is guessing, hoping, trying to persuade through
the money
greed that the book will make the publisher millions. You have no idea what you're
that it will
talking about so why are you writing about it in your query? A publisher knows
what will and will not sell. They study the markets, compile the figures, they know
make is a big
their customers and have the experience to make that judgement. You don't. And
no-no.
again it does nothing but waste time and will get your letter tossed.
2.
This is a favourite among writers for some reason: Telling the editor or
publisher how hard you have worked on the manuscript. Explaining how much
Don't write in
time and effort you have invested in making it the perfect novel. It's not relevant
your letter
to the query you're making. Every writer works hard on his/her work hoping that it
how hard you
will be published. You're saying nothing that an editor or publisher doesn't already
worked to
know and again wasting their time by not getting to the point. Which is? Your idea
finish your
boiled down into a single page letter that explains very quickly what your story is
manuscript.
all about. Tell your friends and family how hard you worked on it, maybe they'll
It matters not.
care because the people reading your query don't give a flying hoot.
The Freelance Writing Organization - Int'l http://www.fwointl.com its associates and owners do not take responsibility for your use of
this file nor the contents within. The following information is to be used to expand your knowledge of writing however use of the
provided information is not intended to guarantee employment nor income. We are not liable in any way whatsoever by your use of
the suggestions and content you are about to read.

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1.
Last, but certainly not least is when a writer includes in a query letter the
fact that he/she has written a fiction novel. Do you know why this would be the
Do you know
number one thing not to say? It's because if you have written a manuscript that is
the difference
a fictional tale then by definition it is a novel. Novels are works of fiction.
Remember that and don't include it in your query letter. It makes you look stupid
between a
and unprofessional.
book of fiction
and a novel?
As an aside: You'll never hear a non-fiction book being termed or labeled as a
novel. It's a non-fiction book, sometimes called other names based on content like
an autobiography or a textbook.
In Closing
Make the
editors and
That's it folks. Print this out. Stick it with your manuscript and when you're ready to
start sending query letters use the above as a guideline to help get your query on
publishers
their desk and not in the recycle bin. You'll stand a much better chance of being
happy and
published if you'll follow these simple sets of rules and you will make editors and
some day
publishers happier everywhere.
they may
make you
Remember ... Relax! Write! Have Fun!
happy.
The Freelance Writing Organization - Int'l http://www.fwointl.com its associates and owners do not take responsibility for your use of
this file nor the contents within. The following information is to be used to expand your knowledge of writing however use of the
provided information is not intended to guarantee employment nor income. We are not liable in any way whatsoever by your use of
the suggestions and content you are about to read.

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