Be Your Own Editor

Christine writes:

Hello, I am currently attempting to sell my first completed novel. Is it a bad
idea to send out queries to numerous agents, or is that an acceptable procedure? If I do, should I really mention it in my query letter? Thanks!

Excellent question, Christine, and one too few writers think to ask.

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My friend Joan needs help. And fast.

It’s my big moment. It came faster than expected. I get to meet with an agent, face to face, next week. What the heck do I do?

I get an entire 15 minutes to talk with the agent, who specializes in my area.

This is probably the exact wrong thing to do, but I’ve designed a cover and typeset ten chapters of a proposed book idea.

What should I do? What should I say? What should I bring?

Relax, Joan. You’ve come to the right place. I’ve sat on the other side of that table.

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Melody in Cleveland is frustrated:

I have sent countless queries to literary agents who specialize in the genre my book is in but I keep on getting rejections after rejections. I do have one literary agent interested in me but I haven’t heard from her yet. I’m hopeful but since I’ve been rejected so much it’s hard to really hope. I have changed my query letter and followed the 10 steps in writing a query letter but still I get rejections. I’ve had friends and family read it and even co-workers who don’t know me very well and they like it. It gets to the point of my story and it’s interesting. When I send it to agents that take romance, in the rejection it will state it isn’t right for their agency. Every time I get rejected I send out another query to a different agent and again get rejected. Do you have any suggestions?

You’re in good company, Melody. Don’t lose hope!

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Ben writes:

I recently decided to actually write a novel, something I have been kicking around for years. I recently read your article on e-marketing and had a few questions for you. I obviously haven’t sold my manuscript, I haven’t even finished it yet, but you are the first person I’ve found who I can ask questions to directly so I hope you will have patience with me. I currently only have one sample chapter completed and was wondering, do you wait until your manuscript is complete before searching for publishers, or do you use samples to begin the search early? Any advice you have would be wonderful.

Congratulations on writing your first chapter, Ben. Now get back to work.

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From Alec G. in NYC:

Here’s the story: I have recently finished translating someone’s memoirs. The book spans the course of the 20th century and falls under every possible category of interest: personal history, philosophy, story of one’s survival, etc.

My difficulty is with finding the right publisher. I’m doing this myself, i.e., w/o having to go through an agent. Print-on-demand [online self-publishing] is not the best option for me. I would rather prefer the traditional print, even if that implies a smaller print run.

Any suggestions you might be able to offer on this would be great and much appreciated!

I’ve got one suggestion for you, Alec: hire an agent.

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Gia asks:

An author friend of mine asked me, a former English teacher and a current recluse: “After the editor’s tidying-up, then what? How do you get people to buy your book?”

Boy, Gia, if I had the answer to that question I’d be a very rich woman. It’s no easier to answer than “How do I get galleries to show my paintings” or “How do I get a record company to sign my band.” The best I can offer your reclusive writer friend is my advice on how to maximize her chances of getting a publisher to bite.

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