Blogs & Tweets are a great source for me to feel connected in the interim. Much appreciate that Books & Such does both.

Writers need to study back cover copy and flap copy. What is it that hooks a reader? The same techniques will work for your query letter.

Think about it: writers bemoan the query process but it’s no different than the kind of competition you’ll have once the published book goes on the shelf.

I would not reccomend anyone do self-publishing because you end up spending thousands of dollars just to print and market the thing; then, you can’t cover enough ground to really break even. Plus, the editing on self-publish is not that great. Although, I have to admit I enjoyed Michelle Gregory’s self-published title, Edala. She only wanted to publish it for her friends and family. It was very, very good. I’ve also been in a writers group years ago where the majority in the group self-published. Their intentions were out of bitterness of not getting what they wanted from tradtional publishing, disagreeing with their publishers editing process, etc, etc (i.e. impatience, particular). I prefer traditional for myself because I do not have to market as much and their editors are professional. They know what will sell and what needs to be trimmed to make a better and tighter story.

A self-published novel usually sparks a negative reaction for me. Why? When I’m reading queries or proposals I look for hints that a potential client is market wise and a good businessman as well. Self-publishing a novel is an exercise in futility– The Shack notwithstanding. There’s simply no way to get enough distribution.

And it raises other questions. Is the author impetuous and impatient? If so, there’s no way he’ll last through the excruciatingly slow career build. Is the author more interested in seeing his name in print than building a career and a readership? Yep, it’s unfair to generalize but the query process is more akin to Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink than to a careful analysis. Time doesn’t allow.

But none of this is written in stone. This is a hard discussion to have via comments because response to query is all very subtle– whispers of concern rather than rules. I never meant to denigrate self-pubbed books, just to say that it is not something that is necessarily a plus in a query letter. Other agents may disagree.

As I’ve said so often, none of this matters a whit if the story sings. the combination of superb writing and a compelling story idea leaps tall obstacles in a single bound.

Just my humble opinions, but I’d like to know your take.

About careers. . . I can’t think of any off hand. It’s not really about those details but how they used in the story. Of course, on a query letter all you get is a snippet so it’s a good question.

I do know that some editors are tired of books about writers, but just because they see so many. Done well, the career wouldn’t matter. And by done well, I mean that the “work of his hands” is a device to tell us more about the character or to tell the story in a different way.

Of course it can be a huge plus if the work something distinctive that simply cries out for a story. Think about three successful African American sisters who raise bees and sell the finest honey in the still-segregated South (Secret Lives of Bees). Wouldn’t that whet your literary appetite before you read a word?

There are a lot of rules out there, and sometimes it can get confusing, that’s for sure. What’s helped me was that I found a couple experienced writers to kind of “mentor” me through it.

God’s timeing. God’s plan. I rest in that.

This industry is so much about relationships. Healthy, mutual, nurturing relationships between all branches of the publishing tree. I’ve found Christian writers to be approachable, kind, prayerful, and helpful. And I try my best to return the favor.

One thing I would advise anyone just starting to send out those queries is to practice patience. Publishing moves very slowly, and a writer excited to hear back from an agent or editor can go a wee bit bonkers waiting. Fill your time with productive writing, brainstorming new projects, and generally getting on with your life. And ask God to provide balance and perspective. Getting an agent IS exciting and celebration worth, but it is one step in a long journey of steps. And you need balance and perspective in order to complete the journey.

Bonnie Grove
http://www.bonniegrove.com