query letter

Passive-Aggressive Voice

July 14, 2011

In the last couple of weeks, I’ve seen a huge rise in passive-aggressive overtones in query letters. I’m not sure if it’s just trending on its own or if a new piece of advice has been posted somewhere and lots of people are following it. I make a commitment to avoid calling out specific query [...]

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Querying with a Pen Name

April 14, 2011

I’ve been asked the question a few times now: How do you present your pen name in a query letter? If you’re writing with a pen name, should you use your real name? There’s nothing wrong with having a pen name, as long as you use the right name with the right people at the [...]

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Last-minute Query Tips, Part 2

December 9, 2010

In preparation for the open submissions period I’m reading for at Dragon Moon Press, I posted a list of quick last-minute tips for sending out query letters. Here’s the continuation. Tips, part two: some helpful things to keep in mind when giving your queries a last look-over, to help you avoid some common mistakes. In [...]

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One Book at a Time

November 15, 2010

Multiple queries are not usually recommended Unless otherwise stated, publishers and agents usually want you to select your strongest manuscript, or the one that best fits their guidelines, and just query one. If they’re open to multiple submissions, they’ll say so. if they don’t say so, just pick one to send. Hinting that you have [...]

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Last-minute Query Tips

October 28, 2010

With Dragon Moon Press about to reopen for submissions in a couple of days, I thought I would take the opportunity to refresh readers on some helpful things to keep in mind when giving your queries a last look-over, to help you avoid some common mistakes. In no particular order: If you know the name [...]

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Dragon Moon Press — Open Submissions 2010

October 18, 2010

Dragon Moon Press will be reopening its virtual doors for another open submissions period: November 1 – December 31, 2010. WHAT WE WANT: Completed 80,000-110,000 word novels, not previously published. As always, we’re looking for strong, compelling fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal fiction of all flavors. We are particularly seeking fresh, original urban fantasy. WHAT [...]

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Professional Address

September 27, 2010

I know I’ve compared the query letter to the job application before. I find it a useful comparison to make because, in essence, when you’re asking a publisher or agent to take on your manuscript you are asking for a job. I’ve discussed professional greetings and professional tone on this blog, but I’d like to [...]

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Contact Information

June 28, 2010

Two friendly reminders about contact information… 1. It seems silly, I know, but please put your contact information (including your email address) in the body of your email. Down at the bottom after your signature is a fine place. Sometimes when some email programs forward messages, or sometimes when some email programs print messages, the [...]

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Slush Metrics

May 6, 2010

Editors and agents reach a certain point in their slush-reading careers where a quick glance at a query will tell them whether it’s worth reading onward. You start to learn a certain set of warning signs, over time. For example, you learn after reading lots and lots of submissions that a query letter riddled with [...]

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Relevant Credits vs TMI in Queries

March 25, 2010

If I’m an unpublished author and I don’t have any relevant credits, what should I put in that paragraph in the query where authors list their previous publications and qualifications? I covered this a while ago in my post on query letters, but it’s come up again recently and I thought I’d give it its [...]

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