- Query Letters Publishers Don’t Want to Read – Avoid These Common Mistakes

Rejection is swift and sometimes painful for authors who don’t take the time to write an intelligent query. Your letter is your job interview – make it a good one! Show off your writing talent instead of sabotaging yourself. Are you guilty of making these mistakes?

DON’T try to be trendy and pretend you are text messaging and use things like U instead of the word “you” in your email. Don’t type your entire message in one never-ending paragraph.

DO use capital letters at the beginning of sentences. Use punctuation, and check your spelling. Limit your query to three or four fact filled paragraphs.

DON’T send a blank email message, with nothing in the subject line, and attach a mystery file. This will be deleted by the recipient. Immediately.

DO give your message the appropriate title, and explain what type of sample is attached and why you are sending it.

DON’T send a note saying, “Hey, want to buy any of my stuff? Go look at my website, it’s posted there.” This message will also be deleted, often in less than two seconds.

DO tell a publisher that you have a fan following with short stories and excerpts you’ve posted on your blog and/or website. A ready and waiting audience will help sell your work.

DON’T live in the last century. Did you send a snail mail query letter to a publisher whose website clearly states they accept on line submissions only? If so, don’t hold your breath waiting for a reply.

DO make sure you thoroughly read a publisher’s website. And speaking of websites, pay close attention to the next DON’T.

DON’T forget to check their guidelines. If you’ve submitted your work to other presses you already know what to do, right? Not necessarily. Publishers aren’t all the same. Never assume that because one company wants an entire manuscript up front, they all do.

DO make sure you send exactly what they ask for, in the proper format they require. Chapter One means Chapter One, not the full manuscript. Send more than they ask for now and you’re lowering your chances they’ll even look at it.

DON’T try to be clever and sneak in the back door. That’s on-line breaking and entering! Their directions state where to submit, but some people seek out the names and personal addresses of the company owners and write directly to them. This is pushy, and they’ll often push the delete button. Even worse, don’t use a name-dropping trick and pretend to be highly recommended by one of their authors unless that’s the absolute truth. They’ll check. You can count on it.

DO send your query to the proper email box. Do they have a different place for questions than their box for full submissions? Take notice when addressing your email, or your message may go unnoticed!

DON’T be a stalker. Stalking is creepy. How often are you sending query messages? If they are interested in seeing your entire manuscript they’ll ask for it, within a reasonable amount of time. Expecting an answer in less than a week is ridiculous. A continual stream of messages asking if they want your book will land you on their email blocked sender list.

DO follow up with a polite note if you haven’t heard from a publisher in three months. Yes, I said months, not weeks. Some take even longer. Busy companies receive a lot of submissions.

DON’T get too personal with a publisher. Do you really know who’ll be opening your message in the submissions mailbox? Are you sending the same note to numerous presses at once? If so, don’t put the wrong name in a letter. Even if they do accept simultaneous submissions, don’t let them know you’re sending your work to dozens or maybe hundreds of recipients.

DO skip addressing anyone at the company by name, just in case. Dear Sirs may seem like a safe option, but if women are running the company they might not like to be addressed as men, even if they do wear pants…

DON’T use the fake agent trick. This always sounds too good to be true and they’ll know it isn’t. If you’re sending your query to a small press you should already know they typically don’t offer large advances, so agents aren’t seeking them out. A letter from someone representing you that is full of wild and wonderful praise is considered suspicious.

DO be honest. At all times. Really!

DON’T sound conceited in your letter. “I’m wonderful, everyone says so, my book’s going to be the next best-seller.” Well of course it is, because your letter proclaims your friends and family can’t say enough good things about your manuscript. They are your friends and your family and will say that to you, no matter what. No kidding.

DO understand that although you may be a wonderful writer, you must let the acquisition editors decide, based on the quality of your submission. If they even read it. That may not happen if your letter is laced with narcissism, signaling trouble ahead. Editors don’t have time to deal with drama queens.

DON’T worry if you’ve already made some of these silly beginner mistakes. Now you’ll know some things not to do next time. Good luck with your queries!