tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post115515743874999905..comments2024-03-26T18:28:06.391-04:00Comments on Evil Editor: Face-Lift 151Evil Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03879826770199639420noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155308914772258202006-08-11T11:08:00.000-04:002006-08-11T11:08:00.000-04:00Coincidentally, last year I sent a query letter to...Coincidentally, last year I sent a query letter to the VERY AGENT this query refers to, who sold A MAN TO DIE FOR, and he did call me to request the ms. I nearly fell out of my chair. Alas, he declined to represent me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155265368909664162006-08-10T23:02:00.000-04:002006-08-10T23:02:00.000-04:00EE said: Show of hands please, everyone who's ever...EE said: <I>Show of hands please, everyone who's ever sent off a query letter and received a phone call in return. </I><BR/><BR/>Me! Me! Oh, me! Pick me! (Hand waving in front of EE's face as I sit in the front row)<BR/><BR/>I got an actual phone call from an agent after I sent my query letter. She wanted me to email her the complete manuscript.<BR/><BR/>In the end, she turned it down, but let me tell you, I about cracked when I saw Caller ID say NEW YORK from the call because I knew it was going to be an agent.MaNiC MoMMy™https://www.blogger.com/profile/14038801888210803955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155233205165451052006-08-10T14:06:00.000-04:002006-08-10T14:06:00.000-04:00If writers would put all contact info up top, they...If writers would put all contact info up top, they wouldn't have any need to waste space in the letter itself.Evil Editorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03879826770199639420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155232395303229792006-08-10T13:53:00.000-04:002006-08-10T13:53:00.000-04:00Raising hand! Yes, I have had an editor call me a...Raising hand! Yes, I have had an editor call me after receiving my query letter. And, yes, I sent an SASE, but my phone number is on the letterhead.<BR/><BR/>After a conversation, I was asked to submit two mss.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155217489856836302006-08-10T09:44:00.000-04:002006-08-10T09:44:00.000-04:00The author's unnecessary "clarification" (they hav...The author's unnecessary "clarification" (they have sex) reminds me of <A HREF="http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/03/15" REL="nofollow">this</A>.braunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00387344142594757730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155215359611756012006-08-10T09:09:00.000-04:002006-08-10T09:09:00.000-04:00Don't give up, but take out the dirty parts, you p...Don't give up, but take out the dirty parts, you pervert. There's enough smut out there already.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155215048999810282006-08-10T09:04:00.000-04:002006-08-10T09:04:00.000-04:00I think it's standard practice these days to inclu...I think it's standard practice these days to include the actual names and places in query letters. Editors were getting so confused by every author using, "This guy went somewhere and did something."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155212204701964652006-08-10T08:16:00.000-04:002006-08-10T08:16:00.000-04:00Concerning the "anonymous people who liked the beg...Concerning the "anonymous people who liked the beginning" either this author totally ignored Miss Snark's advice or it is one hell of a coincidence and this author needs to visit Miss Snark's blog.<BR/><BR/>As far as the book goes, listen to EE, aav, and xiqay's advise. Don't give up on it. -JTCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155211907661926452006-08-10T08:11:00.000-04:002006-08-10T08:11:00.000-04:00EE makes great points in his editorial asides on t...EE makes great points in his editorial asides on the text. Agent Kristin Nelson has a good blog where she talks about how she's judged contests, participated in conferences (possibly mentoring, too) and why mentioning wins or what others "said" really means very little to her. Worth looking at (archives-possibly March or April).<BR/><BR/>And she recently posted a query that was successful and talks about what she liked (for comparison with our own). (And EE, she gives a nod to you and all your hard work on our queries.)<BR/><BR/>But given the problems with the mechanics of the writing in your query, I think you should go back to your novel and carefully check through it for similar problems. Just a thought.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1155193467973598292006-08-10T03:04:00.000-04:002006-08-10T03:04:00.000-04:00"All reviewers liked my novel and made only editor..."All reviewers liked my novel and made only editorial comments."<BR/><BR/>'Editorial comments' could encompass anything from "Send this now" to "I noticed you write entirely in lowercase, using only umlats for punctuation."<BR/><BR/>Leave it out. Personally, I wouldn't pick this up because your slim plot summary leaves out all stakes for the main character--you forgot to tell us why he cares about this client and why it is essential he solve the murder.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and the cutesy (OK, they had sex) makes it sound like the query was written by a giggling teenager. "Intimate relationship" says enough.Lunahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17015037227580626815noreply@blogger.com