I have a question for all you fellow query people: Did you use a personalized greeting for each agent, or did you just use a standard introduction? Also, did you find snail mail or electronic submissions to be the most effective route? I'm hearing now that snail mail is better as an agent will actually sit and read the material. With email, it's too easy for them to reject a project. Having kids means I've been sending out a lot more email submissions, and now I'm worried that it was a bad idea. To tell you the truth, I kind of like the idea of sending off paper submissions—it's very Jo March.
Here's something nice for all of my friends with writer's block. Write a page or so in the morning, or before your usual writing session—just random stuff, like a journal. Write out all your stress and worries, cravings, work problems, family issues. Get it all out and don't worry about if it's good writing or not. You don't even have to save it. The purpose of this exercise is to get rid of all the toxic stuff that keeps you from being able to concentrate on your current project. It also helps to move your locked brain into more of a flowy state.
Good Luck and Happy Saturday!
Good advice here! Sometimes that does work for me.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yeah, sometimes it works and sometimes just jumping into the WIP is the best thing. I'm going to try this freestyle writing every morning this week and see if it helps keep me from being too overly conscience of my writing.
ReplyDeleteI wrote one query letter and then personalized the first paragraph based on interviews I have read or other information I have found out about the editor or agent I am sending it to.
ReplyDeleteSharon- Good luck with your query!
ReplyDeleteAmy, I wonder if you've ever seen the film 'The Ghost and Mrs Muir'. It stars the beautiful Gene Tierney, with Rex Harrison (the ghost), and George Sanders (the cad). When she first visits her publisher in London she wears the most amazing hat. Maybe this is the secret. It's a box of Kleenex movie, so be warned. If you get a chance, watch it.
ReplyDeleteI think I have seen that movie! I remember thinking, "I'm going to write about a woman who is in love with a ghost someday," just like the film.
ReplyDeleteThank you Cro. I want to see it again now.