I received this query letter recently:
“Hey,
How are you today?
I’m a regular visitor of your
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/ and I am writing to you because I’d love to contribute a guest post/article. Moreover, I also have a personal blog that offers a wealth of information.
I have been brainstorming many topics that I think your readers would enjoy. If you are interested in collaboration, I can send you some topics and examples. I’ll make sure the piece is written within your parameters. If this might be something that works for you, then please let me know ASAP.
I look forward to hearing from you.”
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First of all: my name is not “hey”. Second, the blog that is referred to in the query is an old one, not updated since 2017. And third, the writer does not state if she wants to write a guest blog or a paid article. Next, she does not explain her writing background, personal experience, or any links to her previous articles or books. I was curious and placed her name into a Google search and learned she is writing for a student essay agency.
If she would have written to an agent or publisher she would never have gotten an answer. I am wondering if many writers who complain about rejection letters had written similar queries…
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How to Query to Publishers
A typical literary agency receives close to 5,000 unsolicited query letters and book proposals per year – or approx. 150 per working day. On average, these agents accept only 10-12 new clients – only one out of every 500 submissions… Do you want to learn how to write a query, and how to approach the agent?
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First Step: Read Their Submission Guidelines – and Follow Each Step!
Do you want to get to know more about the person beforehand – after all, she or he will be your partner for a long time? My best advice: Read their blogs to get informed about the process and find out more about how they work and what they are like before you approach them. And have a “business plan” for your book ready: Who will be your readers, who are your competitors, and how will you market your book?
The mission of your query letter should be to convince an editor or literary agent that they want to invest time in you and your writing project. A query letter is the first impression you make in what will hopefully blossom into a much longer professional relationship. But if the first word in your query is already unprofessional, almost disrespectful…
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The pitch is usually achieved in one or two sentences, and it gives the recipient a sense of what the book is about and why they should get excited about it. The query should convey your approach, tone, and style, and should answer the following:
- What are your specific qualifications for writing on this topic?
- If others have written about this topic, how will yours be different—and better?
- Include a line or two about your background and two or three of your most relevant clips (links are fine).
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Write a paragraph of evidence that supports that your writing project is worthwhile, has an audience, and is worth their time. No matter if it is a guest blog, an article, or a book project.
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