letters from the query wars 8/6/2010

Aug 06, 2010 19:31

# of queries read 2 weeks ago: 171 ( Read more... )

query wars

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Comments 14

thecoughlin August 6 2010, 23:56:06 UTC
Do those who send this kind of additional correspondence think about the others waiting for that chance? Does a query + 5 pages + synopsis = a chance?

My take would be these people avoid deep thinking at all costs.

And yes, your left side of the equation equals the right -- and I have an engineering management degree :) so I excel at fuzzy math.

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Cupcakes anonymous August 7 2010, 00:21:51 UTC
Well, as for the cupcake...my husband and I are opening a bakery, so no need for me to risk a shark attack.

Oh, wait...you probably meant that symbolically. Cupcake (ultimate treat) as request for full by an agent. In that case, I hope to do so by improving my writing and storytelling, revising my manuscript, and not giving up.

But I’m not above bribing with baked goods. :)

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edgeofthewood August 7 2010, 01:01:04 UTC
And then there are those of us who are so terrified of being one of the 245 that we just never submit anything any more. And yet we still read agent blogs. ;)

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anonymous August 7 2010, 06:16:45 UTC
I really wanted to get my hands on that cupcake, especially the toy shark. That was adorable.

Tara Maya

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gringo_in_tj August 7 2010, 10:26:35 UTC
If you are professional enough to respond to every query, then obviously there should be no further need for communication once you've declined. As for me, on the writing end, I appreciate exactly that, because I don't wish to waste my time either. However, since not all agents respond (quite unprofessional in my opinion), I reckon you have to pay for their sins by putting up with disgruntled writers who feel the need to press their luck (and this is my cross to bear since, even though I wouldn't waste my time with such foolishness, others do, apparently).

Not all writers do this. I keep a spreadsheet, so that I never query the same agent or the same publisher twice. It's a time saving business practice.

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