You send a "query" that has this, and only this:
Title
your name
your address
your city, state zip
your phone number
Word Count: of the query no less, not even the book itself
Prologue:
(redacted)
Chapter One
(redacted)
This is an example, one of the better ones actually, of a query that I just delete. If you've sent something to QueryShark and you don't receive an acknowledgment that starts:
Your submission to the Query Shark has been received.
then your query did not arrive OR it was deleted. Before resending, make SURE you follow the directions. If you keep sending queries that are clearly just plain wrong, your email address will be diverted to spam automatically.
**yes it's possible you sent the wrong query by mistake, sure. But no query should ever exist in this format. Every single thing about it is wrong. If you can't see that: READ THE ARCHIVES.
So...uh...you want me to read the archives? *grin*
ReplyDeleteThis blows my mind.
ReplyDeleteYikes.
ReplyDeleteWow. And it leaves folks like ourselves sloshing through the slush pile behind them praying for the chance...
ReplyDeleteA bad query is one thing. But not reading and following the directions and preferences of the agent only bottlenecks the whole process.
OMG! Likewise, also, and in similar vein, Yowza! Zoicks!
ReplyDeleteI have just discovered QueryShark, and this may serve as the best writing course I've seen this year! (The year isn't over yet.)
Having seen this, I'll go through the archives first, double check my MS and Query.
Then, its a quick waterboarding for my ego, to make certain it's not lying to me about my skills....
"Screw rule-following. I'm the most amazing writer on the planet and you owe me your attention. I don't need to read the archives like those other lemmings."
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing about this is that, after some research on the web, this is how I was going to start my query letter. I'm so glad that I found Query Shark. I would have ended up making a lot of mistakes. Once I am done reading the archives, I'll be ready to start my query.
ReplyDeleteQuery Shark really is the best site I could have discovered!