A Foot in the Door

When I was a kid, I learned about the parts of a business letter (for a refresher click here). Today I'm taking it a step further. I'm going to share the parts of a business query letter.

This is an author's first chance to show the editor/agent that they can put together coherent sentences and follow the rules (an important consideration for starting a relationship based on the ability to deliver a polished product and willingness to discuss and implement revisions.) You've worked hard to finish the manuscript. Don't skimp on putting together a dynamite query letter.

I learn best from studying an example. Here's the query I'd send if I was shopping out STROKE OF GENIUS (coming May 25th to your local bookseller!)

My Real Name
Mailing address
City, State, zip (I'd add an email and phone number as well. Make it easy for the agent/editor to reach you.)


Agent/Editor's Name (Pick a specific target! Know who's buying/representing your type of fiction.)Company
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip

Date


Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name; (You'll never go wrong with too much formality. Later you'll be on a first name basis. No need to be pushy here. Make sure you've got the gender right. If you send something to Ms. Chris Keeslar, he might be amused, but you'll feel pretty silly. If you are doing multiple submissions, make sure you match up the name with the right mailing address. Nothing will get you "File-13'ed" faster than sending a query to one person with the name of their competitor here.)


I enjoyed meeting you at the NECRWA conference last weekend. Here is the proposal for STROKE OF GENIUS you requested. (If you have pitched the project, this short opening is the place to remind them. It also allows you to go ahead and include the three chapters and synopsis or full manuscript they've already asked you for. If you haven't pitched, here's where you show you've done your homework. If they represent/buy books similar to yours, demonstrate that you are saavy enough to connect the dots. For example: I enjoyed your author Lisa Kleypas's latest release, Tempt me at Twilight. I hope you'll be interested in my light-hearted historical as well.)

STROKE OF GENIUS is a 90,000 word, sexy historical romance set in the heart of the Regency. It's Pygmalion meets Cyrano De Bergerac. (This is the "tell 'em whatcha got" portion of the query. It's essential to give them an approximate word count, sensuality level and romance subgenre. Don't say your work defies classification. They need to know where to shelve your story in order to sell it. Don't offer them a 150,000 word manuscript and tell them you wouldn't know where to cut it because it's all too beautiful. Be sure you've checked the submission guidelines on their website to make sure your offering fits their parameters. If you have a one sentence way to give them the gist of the story, insert it here. Then follow it up with a short--no more than three paragraphs--blurb style description of your story. Help the editor/agent envision the back cover of your book.)

Crispin Hawke is revered by the ton. His artistic creations are celebrated in every fashionable parlor, tales of his fiery bed skills whispered behind every fashionable fan.

Grace Makepeace is determined to wed a titled lord, but her Bostonian bluntness leaves her least likely to succeed. To be accepted by the ‘high-in-the-instep’ crowd, she has her hands ‘done’ in marble by the incomparable Crispin Hawke.

Crispin schools Grace in flirting and the delights of the flesh. But when she catches the eye of a marquess, Crispin regrets helping her. Can an artistic genius transform an American heiress into the most sought-after Original without falling for her himself?


A partial and synopsis of STROKE OF GENIUS is available upon request. (If you are a first time novelist, you must have a completed, polished and thoroughly sanded manuscript. Until you finish the book, you have nothing to sell. Once you're published, you may be able to sell on three chapters and a synopsis, but until then, only query completed works.)


(The next portion of your letter deals with your publishing credits. Contest wins go here. If you've had a non-fiction book published, share that info. If you earned an MFA or journalism degree, that doesn't hurt. If your day job relates to your fiction, be sure to point it out. Demonstrate that you have a platform--a group of people who will be interested enough in your work to buy it. Do not share how much your mother loves your work or what being published would mean to you. Keep it professional.)


My most recent release, A CHRISTMAS BALL (October 2009 Leisure Books) was listed in the top 100 romances on Bookscan for 8 weeks. I have a frequently visited website, http://www.emilybryan.com/, an active blog, http://www.emilybryan.blogspot.com/ and a vibrant web presence on the major social networks. I am represented by Natasha Kern. (A caveat here: Natasha wouldn't let me query my own stuff. She'll do it for me, but I help her pull together the same sort of material you see here. Other agents may want you to send editor queries.)


Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Your Real Name
w/a Your Pen Name

Then you wait.

And wait.

After a couple months, you may drop a quick email just to make sure your package was received. Do not press them for a decision or I promise you it will be "no." If you are submitting to multiple parties and receive a request from one of them, as a courtesy to the others, you may wish to let them know you've granted an exclusive to X for a certain length of time. This is a gray area since most agent/editors hate multiple submissions, but the wheels of publishing grind with such glacial slowness, it's a fact of life.

If someone has asked for a partial or full manuscript based on a face-to-face pitch, it's good manners not to submit elsewhere till they've had time to review your work. If you're a newbie, after six months with no response, I'd think it would be logical for you to send the party a note letting them know you're ready to start submitting elsewhere. This may move your work up the TBR pile, but maybe not. Be prepared to move on.

And of course, while you're waiting you're busy writing the next Great American Novel, because once they buy the one you've queried their first question will be: "What else have you got?"

Remember what you're looking for is not just the sale of one book. You are looking for an agent or a publishing home that will help you grow a career. Good things take time. And finding the right agent and publishing house are both good things.

Ok, now it's your turn to ask questions, correct my mistakes or offer your own advice! I look forward to hearing from YOU!

10 Commandments for the Agent Hunt

Having an agent is so important to an author's career, IMO, I won't waste time explaining why you need one. For the purposes of this post, let's assume it's a given. If you want a writing career, you need professional representation. Period.

That said, here are my 10 Commandments for the Agent Hunt:

1. Thou shalt do thy research! Look for an agent who represents the kind of fiction or non-fiction you write. If you write romance, don't submit to an agent whose website clearly states they do not represent romance. The list of RWA eligible agents at RWA National is a good place to start your search. (Yes, you must be a member of RWA to access the site, but if you write romance, you really should belong to this excellent organization.)

2. Thou mayest cyber-stalk thy chosen agent if thou art casual about it. Lots of agents have blogs. I strongly recommend you follow one belonging to the agent of your dreams. Agents have articles published in trade journals. Set a Google alert and read what your prospective agent has to say. Who knows? You might decide to keep looking once you know more about what he/she thinks.

3. Thou shalt not attempt to secure an agent until thou hast a finished manuscript that has been revised, rewritten and polished to within an inch of its life. Until you have a finished manuscript, an agent has nothing to sell.

4. Thou shalt not give thy agent a reason to say "no" to thee. That means no following her into the bathroom during writing conferences. No daily emails asking if she has read your submission yet. Patience isn't just a virtue. It's a matter of survival.

5. Thou shalt give thy agent a reason to say "yes" to thee. Enter as many writing contests as you can. Each win or place gets your name out there in the publishing community and believe me, it's a surprisingly small world. Winning a contest or two or six tells an agent someone besides your mother likes your writing. An important selling point.



Develop a platform. It's no longer enough for an author to deliver the book. She needs to deliver an audience for it too. If you don't blog, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc, I suggest you start now to build that core of people who will be excited when your book sells and will want to run out an buy it on its release day.

6. Thou mayest meet thy chosen agent and pitch face-to-face if thou be of stout heart and plump pockets. Agents and editors attend writing conferences all the time. Check to see if the agent you are targeting is going to be in attendance at a conference near you. Smaller regional conferences are cheaper and provide a more intimate setting than a national one, so don't sweat it if you can't make the big one.

No one will offer to be your agent on the basis of a single conversation. They must read your writing first. But the advantage to a face-to-face is that you will be able to start your query letter by reminding them where and when you met and if they request a partial or a full submission (this is a biggie) you'll be able to write in large block letters on the outside of the envelope: REQUESTED MATERIAL.

This won't get you an immediate read, but you will be placed in queue nearer the top than the bottom of the slush pile.

7. Thou shalt master the art of the query letter and synopsis. I know these two things give most writers the willies, but if you remember what they really are, it's easier. They are marketing pieces.

For the query, make sure you include these things: title (make it a doozy!) genre & word count, state of completion (which for a new author must be FINISHED!) a back cover style blurb of no more than two paragraphs, your writing credits (here's where those contest wins go)

No agent goes straight to the synopsis when she opens a submission packet. She'll read a chapter or so to see if your voice speaks to her. Then she'll crack open the synopsis to see if you understand the elements of story and how to put together a compelling tale. You may not be coy with the ending. All loose ends must be succinctly tied up. The synopsis is an important selling tool, not just to an acquiring editor. The editor will use the synopsis to sell your book to the marketing department, the art department, and other editors so there's plenty of in-house buzz about your book.

Believe me, you want buzz.

8. Thou shalt send in exactly what is requested, no more no less. An agent is trying to figure out if it's worth his/her time to work with you. If you fail to follow their first directive, what does that tell them?

9. If an agent calls to offer thee representation, thou shalt thank them politely and ask for time to think about it. Ditto for an offer of publication directly from an editor. This is not the time to shout "Yes! Yes!" orgasmically into the phone. (Save that for after you hang up!) This is the time to set the professional tone of your relationship.

The agent dance is a delicate courtship. First the author approaches the agent. Then the agent may decline or offer representation. At this point, the author may ask to speak to some of the agent's other clients. This is the time to discuss exactly what you expect from an agent. Do you want someone who will serve as a first reader? Make editorial input? How are payments handled? What is the agent's fee? (15% is standard. More for foreign sales and film rights when a subsidiary agent will probably be involved. Do NOT pay a reading fee or any other fee up front.) Ask where they plan to submit your work. Why there? Where do they see you in 5 years? Take your time. You're getting into financial bed with this person. Make sure they are "the one!"

10. Thou shalt not wait until thou hast an offer on the table before thou searchest for an agent and if thou submittest to multiple parties, which is understandable though not optimal, thou shalt keep them all apprised of any developments in a timely manner. Any agent worth their salt wants to be involved in the sale from the get-go, not called in at the last minute when they likely can't make any changes to the contract or benefit you in any way short of taking 15% of your advance. Honestly. I've had agents tell me they hate getting that "Wow! I've got an offer and I need an agent" call because it means they feel pressured to make a quick decision. Agents have only so much time and the good ones aren't about single sales. They want to help their writers develop careers. If they are a good agent, they weigh prospective clients very carefully and choose the ones who are most deserving of their time.

The multiple submission thing is just common sense and good manners. And frankly, I'd encourage you not to do it in the first place. A better solution is to give an agent an exclusive on your work for say, six weeks. If they don't respond by then, write them a polite thank you and let them know you'll be submitting elsewhere. This is an important decision on both sides. Give it time to marinate.

If you're in the Agent Hunt, aim high. Look for an agent who is active, selling and has a client list of authors whose work is similar to yours. Don't settle for an amateur, a beginner (unless they are a junior agent at a MAJOR firm) or a frustrated writer who has turned to agenting because they think it's easier than writing.

I wish you much success in your Agent Hunt and may you only bag the trophy bull!

If you have questions, I'll be happy to take them and if I don't know the answer, I'll ask my agent (the fabulous Natasha Kern!)

The Agent Dance

The manuscript is finished. You've polished it to within an inch of your life! Now what?

If you just want to sell this particular manuscript, you can take your chances in the slush pile. But if you want a writing career, you need an agent.

It is probably true that it's as hard or perhaps harder to establish a working relationship with an agent as it is to find an editor who wants to publish your work. But the angst is worth it when you consider what an agent brings to the table.

A good agent knows the acquiring editors at all the publishing houses. He/she knows who's looking for what. An agent should have established credible relationships with the editors and a reputation for representing quality material, so that when they send in a submission, the manuscript jumps to the head of the TBR line. The agent, not you, gets to follow up and should be able to get an answer on your work in much less time. Your agent has your back in contract negotiations. He/she sweats all the details. A good agent can see on down the road to where you'll be in 5 years, and help you develop a plan to get there. Some agents even offer editorial imput to their clients. And every agent worth her salt has told me they'd rather be involved in a project from the first kernel of a idea than be called in only once an offer is on the table and there's little they can do to shape the contract but take their 15%.

Notice I prefaced the above by saying "good" agent. There are predators out there and this is definitely an "author beware" decision. You are getting into financial bed with this person. I've heard of authors being swindled out of their entire advance and subsequent royalties. It's time for due diligence. (Published authors, here's an opportunity for you to share your horror stories in order to save others. But for liability reasons, I ask that you not name names.)

So check out the agencies. Do a little friendly internet stalking of agents who interest you. (I got that tip from Anna DeStefano!) Check out their client list. Do they represent the type of story you write? Some agents have blogs. Follow them. You'll learn alot about how they operate.

Go for a face to face meet. You don't have to go to a national convention to meet top shelf agents. Many attend regional conferences. Check your local area and see who's coming to take appointments. It's worth a conference fee to be able to chat in person with someone who may be shaping your career. And if they've heard your pitch and are interested, you'll move to the head of their slushpile. (Yes, I'm sorry to say, agents have slushpiles, too.)

I titled this post The Agent Dance for a reason. Here's how the process works:

1. Author choses agent she would like to have represent her.

2. Author queries said agent.

3. Agent responds with "No, thank you" (in which case, you thank her politely and move on. Don't vent. Don't whine. Don't demand further explanation. Publishing is far too small a world to burn a single bridge. Your paths will cross again.) Or the agent wants to see more (in which case, you send him/her exactly what he/she asks for. No more, no less.)

4. Author waits.

5. Author waits some more.

6. Author starts working on the next manuscript and almost forgets she even submitted a manuscript to the agent.

7. Agent sends a rejection letter, a request for revisions, OR he/she calls with an offer of representation.

8. Author does not hop up and down and scream "Yes, Yes" orgasmically into the receiver. (Save that for after you hang up!)

9. Author interviews the agent. This is your opportunity to discover what the agent sees in your work (And if the agent does not use the L word, thank him/her politely and decline their offer. If your agent doesn't LOVE your writing, he/she is not the right agent for you.)

Find out what plans the agent might have for where the manuscript will be submitted and why that publishing house is a good fit. If the agent says, "Oh, we'll shop it everywhere. Someone will love it", thank them politely and move on.

Now is the time to set expectations for the relationship. How does the agent work with his/her clients? Don't expect them to hold your hand and stroke you constantly. They do have other clients and while you're at it, ask to speak to some of the agent's current clients (If they refuse to give you some names, thank them politely and run like the wind!)

10. If you like what you hear, you agree to form an agency relationship, put it in writing, and work productively together for many happy years.

Here are a few don'ts:

1. Never pay a "reading" fee. An agent should consider your work without an upfront charge to you.

2. I know I said to do a little cyber stalking, but don't do it for real. Agents are people too and don't appreciate being hounded. Be considerate of their time before and after you agree to work together.

3. Don't expect an agent to sell sloppy prose. The best agent in the world can't gloss over less than the best you can give her. She's an agent, not a miracle-worker.

4. Don't accept an offer of representation unless you feel strongly that this person will advance your career. Having no agent is better than having the wrong agent.

So that's what I know about the Agent Do-Si-Do. If someone posts a question I don't know the answer to, I'll be glad to ask my fabulous agent. Happy hunting.

New release ~ New website!

Last week I was in San Francisco for RWA Nationals. I had a ball and especially enjoyed rooming with my critique partner, Darcy. She ripped my old website to shreds and started me down a path to designing a new one. Check out the results at www.emilybryan.com First person to spot a fixable error (spelling, non-working link, missing picture, etc.) and drop me a note using the Contact Em form, will receive their choice from my backlist. The number of winners is limited to the number of errors. (So I could be in real trouble here!) Have fun!

I said I'd post a sample query letter, so here it is: (Of course, you use the standard business style for the letter with your address and contact info, then the editor's address before you launch into the body. The names have been changed to protect the guilty!)


Dear Ms. Editor's last name; (or Mr. Editor's last name. Be certain of the spelling!)

I enjoyed meeting you at the AnyoneCanWrite Conference last week. Enclosed please find the synopsis and manuscript (or partial if that's what they ask for--always send exactly what they request.) of HUSH, the 90,000 word romantic suspense, you requested. (I've reminded the editor of the request and exactly what type story I offer, and yes, they want a word count.)

In the stillness, evil waits. Megan Kelley can’t hear him coming, but she knows he is there. Set in Boston where politics have always been a blood sport, HUSH is a tale of ballot corruption and organized crime, of honor lost. And rebuilt.

A bout with meningitis left Megan with only 60% of normal hearing. When she practices her speechreading and ends up ‘eavesdropping’ on a murder-for-hire contract, she becomes a target herself. In a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, Megan must discover why an MIT professor was murdered before his killer catches up to her.

She’s forced to rely on the cop who’s her unfaithful ex-husband and the new man in her life, a former Navy Seal with some dark secrets. Megan must find the courage to trust again to find closure not only for the murder case, but for her heart as well. (This was my blurb-style pitch. It might be a tad long, but I wanted to show I've balanced the suspense and the romantic elements of the story.)

I currently write historical romances for Leisure Books as both Diana Groe and Emily Bryan. Since May 2006, I've had 5 books published to critical acclaim, and am under contract for a 6th title and novella for 2009. I love writing historical romances and plan to continue, but will not be violating my contract with Leisure when I branch into romantic suspense with a different publishing house. (These are my publishing credentials. If you're not published, include contest wins here. I'm letting them know I'm still writing for Leisure and also signalling that there will be no legal trouble if they pick me up in a different sub-genre.)

I hope you enjoy HUSH. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Diana Groe (I sign with my legal name, not my pen name)

And that's it. There may be a better way to query out there. This is what I do.

Don't forget to check out my new website. www.emilybryan.com There are several pages just for aspiring writers under WRITE STUFF.

Enjoy!

Writing a 'Grab 'em by the throat Query Letter'

Being a selling writer means acquiring several skill sets. One is the craft required to put together a compelling story for 400 pages. The other is to market it effective to the people who might be interested in publishing or representing it. The first step is an engaging query letter.

Let’s start at the top. I’m assuming you’ve done your homework and know that the particular editor or agent you’re targeting edits/represents work similar to yours or is actively looking for it. You can find this information on agency or publisher websites, through networking with published authors, reading trade magazines or the acknowledgement page of their authors’ latest release. Make sure you have the editor/agent’s name spelled correctly. And be certain of their gender. Chris Keeslar, senior editor at Dorchester, tells of queries he’s received that start “Dear Ms. Keeslar,” and then the writer proceeds to ‘remind’ him of when the writer supposedly met ‘her.’ Guess what happens to those queries.

Start with a brief reminder of how you met the editor/agent only if you have. Writers’ conferences are invaluable for this sort of networking. If you haven’t, you might give them a short and sincere compliment about their other clients’ work. Don’t fake it. Don’t say you’ve read something if you haven’t.

Then launch into your sharpest blurb-style pitch of your work. Only tout one manuscript per query unless you’re pitching a series.

Tell the editor the word count and sub-genre of your completed manuscript (oh, yes, it must be finished before you submit.) In the final paragraph, list your publishing credits. Here’s where you put your contest wins or short stories you’ve had published. If you don’t have any publishing credits, just let them know how they can contact you to request the full manuscript.

Don’t say your mother likes your manuscript. Don’t tell them you’re the next Nora Roberts or JK Rowling. Keep the query short. Absolutely no longer than one page. Remember agents and editors read constantly. Use 12pt or larger Courier New or Times New Roman font. Smaller font equals eye strain, which equals fussy editor, which equals rejection. Be professional. Be patient.

And start writing your next story. Because if the editor/agent wants this one, their first question will be “What else have you got?”

Good luck!
www.emilybryan.com