she will contact you. As will an editor, if she feels that the writing in your query letter
is to the point and professional, and she thinks that your book idea is a good one.- Don't mention that your partner, your best friend, or the milkman think that
y ou’re a good writer or that you've got a brilliant idea for a book
Unless these people have publishing credits, no one cares. Mentioning them marks
you not only as an amateur, but also as someone who may be difficult to work with.
What do I mean by "difficult to work with"? Before you sign a contract, your
agent and editor will judge your behaviour, looking for tell-tale signs that you might
be a problem writer.
Problem writers:^
- Argue when asked to rewrite. Almost everything you write will need to be
rewritten. Your agent will ask you to add, delete or revise material in your
proposal. Your editor will ask for rewrites on your book, and perhaps more
than one rewrite. Therefore, if you show any sign that you may drag your feet
over these chores, or do them without a song on your lips, they will dump you.
Life's too short, and publishing is too competitive to indulge anyone's
temperament; - Procrastinate. Publishing is always on a tight deadline. From the day of your
first contact, you must show that you can work to deadline. - Can't follow instructions. Never be afraid to ask if there is something you
don’t understand. For example, if you're asked for a "bio" and you don’t know
how to write one, ask. No one will think less of you for asking, but they will
take several steps backward if you don’t follow instructions, or if you decide
that you will do things your way. - Turn in a messy or less-than-pristine typescript. Or fail to send an electronic
file when asked.
4.^ Don't^ be^ specific^
Many writers are never asked for a proposal because they don’t nail the query letter. If
you tell an agent your book is about "growing up in the fifties", the agent will simply
ignore you. This is not specific enough. You must be totally specific, so that the
person you're writing to can visualise the book, and can also visualise where it will fit
into the marketplace.