Do's and Don'ts of Writing a Query Letter by Joan Marie Galat

Presenting ideas to help develop your own unique methods to improve your writing, Joan Marie Galat presents a "do's and don'ts" list and sample letters to help sell your manuscript and market your book.







Do:

• use a professional, formal business letter format
• select good quality white paper and black ink
• choose Times New Roman or another easy-to-read commonly used font
• address your letter to a specific editor—by name
• spell the name correctly
• make sure your submission is appropriate for the publishing house
• follow the publisher’s guidelines completely
• include a hook, mini-synopsis, and writer’s biography
• limit your query letter to a single page
• ensure spelling, grammar, and punctuation are absolutely perfect
• include a self addressed stamped envelope—called a S.A.S.E.
• leave one inch margins all around manuscript pages and double space text
• respond quickly when an editor or agent shows interest
• read your letter out loud to help catch errors

Do not:

• use unusual fonts, colored paper, or other formatting tricks to stand out
• use a tiny font to make your letter fit on one page
• call your novel a “fiction novel” (avoid redundancy!)
• use or discuss pseudonyms
• query more than one piece of work per letter
• mention previous rejections
• state that you have never been published or that you write as a hobby
• call yourself an amateur
• tell the editor the manuscript needs polishing
• ask for editing advice
• discuss copyrights or payment
• describe how good it is or how much work you put into it
• try to be cute (editors do not come running out of suspense to find out what happens next)
• tell them your friends love it
• mention that you are unpublished
• compare yourself to other writers
• send an original copy of your manuscript

Sample query letters (click to enlarge image):

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JOAN MARIE GALAT is the author of the Dot to Dot in the Sky astronomy series which offers a unique blend of storytelling and science. She has enthusiastically toured in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, sharing her ability to take complex subjects and make them approachable. These experiences have inspired her passion to encourage others to develop the ability to communicate through the art of storytelling.

Notes from "How To Be An Author" with Matt Beam

Author Matt Beam started writing fiction nine years ago. When he began he knew nothing about the craft, the life, what it was to be an author. Now, with 3 published young adult novels under his belt, Matt is guided by two harrowing, intangible, and yet somehow comforting concepts: the trajectory, like that of a global warming chart, is steep and treacherous, even when it momentarily isn’t, and each author’s path is his/her own.

Never straying too far from these two concepts, Matt provided eleven things to remember about being a writer:

1. You are never as bad or brilliant as you think you are.
2. There is no such thing as writer’s block.
3. You should be both open and arrogant.
4. The path is always up, even when it momentarily isn’t.
5. Accept and respect who you are as a writer.
6. Don't expect pats on the back, but enjoy them when they come.
7. Don't google yourself – it’s the crack cocaine of authorship.
8. Someone will hate your work, someone will love it.
9. Don’t read your reviews. (Yeah, right.)
10. Don’t quit your day job.
11. #@%* everyone! (Even those who love your work.)

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MATT BEAM is an author, a freelance journalist, an abstract photographer and a teacher. He has written 3 young adult novels: Earth To Nathan Blue, Can You Spell Revolution? and Getting to First Base with Danalda Chase. He has written articles for the Toronto Star, the National Post, and Toronto Life. Matt has taught in various capacities in New Zealand, Fiji, Guatemala, Vancouver and Toronto. He now lives in Leslieville with his partner, Lorraine, and their two cats, Fera and Mink.

Notes from "Writing Poetry" with Robert Hilles

Writing poetry might appear to be more about inspiration than planning but today you will learn how writing poetry requires much planning.

This workshop will focus on the three cornerstones of all writing: the beginning, middle and end. Participants will learn practical tips on the process of writing poetry from the original idea to the published poem. You will learn how to start the process, what to do once you have finished a draft and, finally, how to go about marketing yourself and your poems by setting goals, setting up writing exercises, revision techniques and publication strategies.

BEGINNING:

Set goals: Weekly, Monthly, Yearly; Career Goals (ie. Awards, Number of Books etc.); Publication Goals: Send out X poems; publish X poems in magazines; publish X poems; publish X books by certain date.

Pre-writing: Research by reading what is already out there; understand why you like the writing you like.

The first draft: Write whatever comes. Don’t censor yourself. Leave the draft for at least 30 days.

MIDDLE:

Revising/The Second Draft: Revise it once and leave for another 30 days; look at things like redundant words, bad repetitions, formal language, cut any unnecessary words (remember nothing is sacred); read it aloud see how it sounds; read it to others see how they respond.

END:

Revise your poem again and send out to magazines/organizations:

• When considering magazines: use poetry markets for Canadians.
• Markets include: Canadian Literary Magazines (Grain, Event, Malahat Review, Prairie Fire, Fiddlehead Review, Portal).
• American and British Magazines.
• Online Magazines (Ezines).
• Poetry Websites: like Poetry Webring.
• Your own blog (don’t under estimate this).
• Poetry readings, contests and awards (the Writer’s Trust has the RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers!).

Accept the fact you will get rejections so continue to send out until your poem is published!

Compiling a book: Once you have at least 10 poems published you can start thinking of compiling a book. Keep all your poems in a single file and name the that file the name of your book.

You need between 60-100 pages of poems to work from. Cut that down to about 70 to 80 pages of your best poems.

• Determine sections; revise the manuscript at least 3 times over a month or more.
• Go to Poetry Markets for Canadians and Select 10 publishers. Always start at the top.
• Select five and start with them. Those that need a Query letter prepare that and send it along with you 10 best poems.
• The Query letter should have 3 Key paragraphs: a) An introduction: who you are and where you have been published (keep it brief); b) manuscript description (again brief); and c) a paragraph saying you would be happy to send the whole manuscript if they are interested (if you are sending the whole manuscript write the same covering letter but send the manuscript rather than just your 10 best poems).

Networking: Many poets under-estimate the importance of networking. Most important is to Join Poetry organizations: League of Canadian Poets, Writers' Union of Canada, Canadian Authors Association, Canadian Poetry Association.

Other Networking activities include: going to readings, workshops, contacting poets you admire (via email), blogging.

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ROBERT HILLES won the Governor General’s Award for Poetry for Cantos From A Small Room. He has published thirteen books of poetry and five books of prose. His other books include: Finding The Lights On, Near Morning, Nothing Vanishes, Kissing The Smoke, Breathing Distance, Somewhere Between Obstacles and Pleasure, Higher Ground, and Calling the Wild.

Wrapped Within Again, New and Selected Poems won the Stephan G. Stephansson Award for best book of poetry. His second novel, A Gradual Ruin, was published by Doubleday Canada in 2004 and now is in paperback. His books have also been shortlisted for The Milton Acorn People’s Poetry Prize, The W.O. Mitchell/City of Calgary Prize, The Stephan Stephansson Award, and The Howard O’Hagan Award. His latest book of poetry, Slow Ascent, was published in the fall of 2006.