It’s worth what you paid for it.
This weeks Bad Advice is for writers. *disclaimer- this advice hasn’t bagged me a book deal but nonetheless…. I shall give it anyway.
Querying an agent or publisher.
1- Most new writers query too early. You are not the exception, the lone delicate snowflake deemed worthy to fall on the tongue of a hungry agent. Review, revise, and sit on it.
2- Do that last thing a lot more times. Review, revise, sit on it.
3- After you’ve sat on it for an appropriate amount of time, send it out to 5-10 agents. No bites after 15? Time to revise again.
4- Try not to write more than 250 words in your query. If you can’t sum up your book in that span, your plot may be convoluted and need work.
5- the ob-vi’s (obvious)
-Address the correct agent in the header.
-Do not use a comp title unless it really suits.
-Don’t tell them that you have a Pulitzer/greatest story of our generations/any other weird narcissistic poppycock.
-Remember to thank the agent for their time and consideration.
-If an agent passes/rejects your query, don’t write back to ask why. Move on to the next 80-100 agents accepting your genre.
7- Be tough, your worth and value are not your book. Just getting this far is a big deal. If it doesn’t work out this time? Write on writer.
Cheers, Amy
This concludes Amy’s Bad Advice: the summer edition. Dig my sweet progressive bifocals? I feel very distinguished.
If you have any tips for querying please share in the comments.
Amy-Westphal.com 