I want to make one extra point about #9. There are a *few* dishonest or unscrupulous editors and agents out there, but they're not usually out to steal ideas. Instead, they want try to charge you money up front. If an agent or acquiring editor wants money to consider your novel, they're not legitimate. You should refuse and tell all your writer friends to do the same. :)
Thank you! I managed to write my book - that was hard enough - now the pitching process- this is Really not my strong suit! As a first time author I need guidance on this aspect of things - big time! Thanks again for your help 😊
Great advice, I like the suggestion for subject line, and not giving too much story description and using the guidelines of the back of books. 🦋📖 I'm a voracious reader and I'm working hard to improve my craft.
Don't know how I missed this one! Great information, as always. I especially appreciated #8 and what unpublished authors can say about themselves. Thank you for creating these videos and being a delight to watch :)
I really liked the advice you gave on what to write if you're an unpublished author (which is what I am). 'I'm a voracious reader and I am always working hard to improve my craft'. This was always the one part I struggled with in the bio section of my queries since this is my first novel. I've read many places too where agents said, you can also skip the bio section if don't have publishing experiences to list. Would you say that's acceptable too?
Silly question. Say an agent wants the first chapter pasted into the body of an email, do I also add the page numbers on the bottom of each "page" or just leave the numbers out?
I want to know what if I want to have a pen name do I write it down on my query letter saying (writing as so and so) or just be professional and write your real name? Do you have to write a query letter for every single book or is it only one time and if you want a different agent then you write a query letter? What I mean is that if I write a horror fiction novel and send it to my agent but I was thinking of writing a crime fiction, memoir, or short story collection but my agent has no specialty of those genres, does that mean I need to find another agent with that genre and write another query letter?
Hi, Jorge! Great question. In my experience, different authors do it different ways. You can use your real name on the query and on the manuscript, write "by (Real Name), writing as (Pen Name." Or, you can query just using your pen name. There have been a few times when I didn't know the author's real name before I made an offer. Hope that helps!
This is the first time I think I've heard the tip about using the subject line for the title, genre and word count. So, my question is, that's stuff that is usually advised to be included in the body of the query letter itself. If you put that stuff in the subject line, should you still also put it in the body text of the query? I'd think it would be redundant at that point. And if you wouldn't, would that in essence free up some of the word count allotment of the query letter, or should we consider the text of the subject line to be part of that allotment?
Hello Mam, I'm currently using wordpad on my windows 10 hp laptop, the RTF version, is that word processor acceptable for writing querys and submitting stories, or shoould I look into using a different processor for these purposes ?. Thank you for your time in reading this.
If I don't know an agent's title (and thus far I have known the title of 0 agents) I use 'Dr.' since its gender neutral and while it might be incorrect it's not incorrect in an inconsiderate sort of way. I don't know if this is a good idea or not.
I want to make one extra point about #9. There are a *few* dishonest or unscrupulous editors and agents out there, but they're not usually out to steal ideas. Instead, they want try to charge you money up front. If an agent or acquiring editor wants money to consider your novel, they're not legitimate. You should refuse and tell all your writer friends to do the same. :)
Thank you! I managed to write my book - that was hard enough - now the pitching process- this is Really not my strong suit! As a first time author I need guidance on this aspect of things - big time! Thanks again for your help 😊
Some publishers have certain words they want in subject line, so it’s always good to watch out for that information in their submission guidelines.
Definitely! Good point, Teresa.
Thanks, Bryn. Well said.
Great advice, I like the suggestion for subject line, and not giving too much story description and using the guidelines of the back of books. 🦋📖 I'm a voracious reader and I'm working hard to improve my craft.
Adorably explained 👍
Don't know how I missed this one! Great information, as always. I especially appreciated #8 and what unpublished authors can say about themselves. Thank you for creating these videos and being a delight to watch :)
Aw thank you, I appreciate it! :) Thanks for watching, as always!
Great info, thanks
I really liked the advice you gave on what to write if you're an unpublished author (which is what I am). 'I'm a voracious reader and I am always working hard to improve my craft'. This was always the one part I struggled with in the bio section of my queries since this is my first novel. I've read many places too where agents said, you can also skip the bio section if don't have publishing experiences to list. Would you say that's acceptable too?
Hi Suzanne! Oh, thank you. I agree that you can skip the bio section if you want. It's really up to you!
How’s your channel not bigger? Also, I’m here from the Facebook Nanowrimo Group😄
Hahaha! Thank you Murielle! Well other than a couple of random videos, it really just started a few months ago. They take time. :)
Bryn Donovan Well, keep going then!! You’re content is really helpful!! And yes, I suppose it takes time. I should start soon too.
Silly question. Say an agent wants the first chapter pasted into the body of an email, do I also add the page numbers on the bottom of each "page" or just leave the numbers out?
Lilly Not silly at all, Lilly! In that instance, you don’t need page numbers. :)
The only silly question is the one you don't ask. If you don't ask, you don't find out what you didn't know.
Awesome video
Thank you, Bryn. Very useful and helpful information :)
Oh you're welcome! :)
Oh you're welcome! :)
Thank you so much for your instructions!!! That's helped me so much.❤️☘️☘️Best Regards from Switzerland 🇨🇭. Marina
I want to know what if I want to have a pen name do I write it down on my query letter saying (writing as so and so) or just be professional and write your real name? Do you have to write a query letter for every single book or is it only one time and if you want a different agent then you write a query letter? What I mean is that if I write a horror fiction novel and send it to my agent but I was thinking of writing a crime fiction, memoir, or short story collection but my agent has no specialty of those genres, does that mean I need to find another agent with that genre and write another query letter?
Hi, Jorge! Great question. In my experience, different authors do it different ways. You can use your real name on the query and on the manuscript, write "by (Real Name), writing as (Pen Name." Or, you can query just using your pen name. There have been a few times when I didn't know the author's real name before I made an offer. Hope that helps!
This is the first time I think I've heard the tip about using the subject line for the title, genre and word count. So, my question is, that's stuff that is usually advised to be included in the body of the query letter itself. If you put that stuff in the subject line, should you still also put it in the body text of the query? I'd think it would be redundant at that point. And if you wouldn't, would that in essence free up some of the word count allotment of the query letter, or should we consider the text of the subject line to be part of that allotment?
@@EventualWarlord Glad to know I'm not the only one. I tried finding an answer elsewhere, but with no luck.
Hello Mam, I'm currently using wordpad on my windows 10 hp laptop, the RTF version, is that word processor acceptable for writing querys and submitting stories, or shoould I look into using a different processor for these purposes ?. Thank you for your time in reading this.
If I don't know an agent's title (and thus far I have known the title of 0 agents) I use 'Dr.' since its gender neutral and while it might be incorrect it's not incorrect in an inconsiderate sort of way. I don't know if this is a good idea or not.
Hi, Bryn. I have an Uncle Brian Donovan.
I have a niece named Brennan, but her last name isn't Donovan.
Truth is someone already wrote the idea (your book) anyways? Really?