The dreaded "query". That's what looms in front of me today. This probably accounts for my total lack of sleep last night, regardless of how many times I bunched my pillow, emitted deep sighs and tried counting my breaths...in, out, in, out. The large lump in the pit of my stomach refuses to go away this morning. I HATE the idea of having to compose a query letter.
I'm a writer. A teller of tall tales. I weave a good read together, but tootin' my own horn has never been one of my strong points.
Problem #1: A query has to be non-fiction. I WRITE fiction. I can't expound upon the truth in my query. It must be factual and honest. This alone is enough to make my insides quiver (and I ain't talkin' with desire!)
Problem #2: I must take my 210 page novel, with all it's intricate details, and somehow...squeeze it's juicy plot down into a description that can hook a prospective agent in one to two short paragraphs.
Problem #3: I am NOT already a published author. In that dreaded paragraph where I have to tell all about myself...I don't have a degree in Journalism or Creative Writing, I haven't won any awards for short story submittals, I haven't had anything officially published yet...but I CAN write DAMN IT! Maybe this is exactly how I will word this paragraph.
Most agents now accept queries by email...along with a synopsis and the first 10 or so pages of your manuscript. That's going to save me a lot of money in postage, cause I intend to query every agent who is even remotely interested in receiving submissions for thriller romances. Let the good times roll...kind of like my stomach.
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i read what you have written up and i like it very much! :)
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