tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post4020689923491656038..comments2024-03-29T07:43:01.003+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: HOW NOT TO HOOK AN AGENTNicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-79042449526429852602010-04-29T19:30:11.605+01:002010-04-29T19:30:11.605+01:00I can only hope writers put in the time to present...I can only hope writers put in the time to present their own work rather than wait for others to do it for them. It's just pretencious and lazy. It doesn't take a PR expert to write a great query letter. Just a bit of imagination and the willingness to revise it depending on an agent's needs and wants. Great post.Jayde Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07567870209914960701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-31865951687617348572010-04-28T16:49:25.287+01:002010-04-28T16:49:25.287+01:00This is very good advice, though I wish it wasn...This is very good advice, though I wish it wasn't needed. Feel so terrible for those writers who do not take the time to research and learn.<br /><br />Especially since the internet has made it easily possible to find knowledgeable people who generously share the proper information.Marisa Birnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17945909737147497606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-19474568653861230982010-04-26T11:19:45.803+01:002010-04-26T11:19:45.803+01:00This is great advice and I'll go further: writ...This is great advice and I'll go further: write your own curriculum vitae too (resumé for our friends across the pond). I've had recent experiences of employment agencies <i>utterly mangling</i> my CV, supposedly in order to satisfy their house style. This included the introduction of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.<br /><br />If you want a job done properly...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-31984180109017203922010-04-25T20:22:25.187+01:002010-04-25T20:22:25.187+01:00Great advice - great post. As always!Great advice - great post. As always!Privatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03018596012893869692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-49999047320424096632010-04-25T03:13:24.846+01:002010-04-25T03:13:24.846+01:00@galaktio
maybe this smiley for speechless (and ch...@galaktio<br />maybe this smiley for speechless (and chin hitting desk)<br />{:-o}]<br /><br />eyebrows through the roof, chin smacking the keyboard.Ebony McKenna.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02724727996270658767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-19213541439069401592010-04-25T03:10:02.338+01:002010-04-25T03:10:02.338+01:00Thanks so much for posting this - but the pessimis...Thanks so much for posting this - but the pessimist in me thinks even with such sage advice, far too many people will still use these services. <br /><br />I guess people hear reports about how impossible it is to get an agent/publisher etc and so they think they need an 'in'.<br /><br />For the record, I approached an agent under my own steam and they took me on. That's how it works.Ebony McKenna.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02724727996270658767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-67446369830161187082010-04-24T17:28:10.876+01:002010-04-24T17:28:10.876+01:00I agree strongly with Cat.
Crafting a query lett...I agree strongly with Cat. <br /><br />Crafting a query letter and putting the package together cannot be entrusted to anybody else.<br /><br />I found it a labour of love and quite exciting in a way; it represented the end of the creative production phase and the beginning of the marketing one.<br /><br />It allowed me to step back and review my whole work and to see it from the POV of other Alison Mortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12638794898163576730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-92057073253519113132010-04-24T17:06:38.541+01:002010-04-24T17:06:38.541+01:00Excellent advice; you've hit the nail on the h...Excellent advice; you've hit the nail on the head there, Nicola; thank you.<br /><br />:-)David John Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01524610087056533062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-58116103801508372262010-04-24T12:50:03.423+01:002010-04-24T12:50:03.423+01:00Many writers are looking for that in, but we have ...Many writers are looking for that in, but we have to accept that it's got to be us doing the hard work every step of the way to get there.Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-70734427147278551102010-04-24T12:22:54.093+01:002010-04-24T12:22:54.093+01:00Great advice. I can see how tempting it would be t...Great advice. I can see how tempting it would be to have a third party...until you know better, it could feel "professional." This entry will greatly benefit those still new to this whole (hell of a) game, I think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-34345751958431853552010-04-24T12:09:28.352+01:002010-04-24T12:09:28.352+01:00Sounds like yet another scam targeting writers. Do...Sounds like yet another scam targeting writers. Do we LOOK like we're made of money? Why are all these ideas/people/companies/et.al coming up with new ways to fleece us?Karen Jones Gowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01153821980625034810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-31402086511590043652010-04-24T10:54:46.113+01:002010-04-24T10:54:46.113+01:00Oh, boy. So you get representation to get represen...Oh, boy. So you get representation to get represented in front of the agent, who is supposed to represent you in front of publishers... <br /><br />People do this? Especially, when they know how long it takes. <br /><br />@ Cat: I am with you on the trust issue. With so much plagiarism on the prowl, I fear that the third party will steal my work and legally prove it's theirs and not mine. *Harry Markovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09140305922494369576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-29733764208344505322010-04-24T10:11:46.064+01:002010-04-24T10:11:46.064+01:00Thank you very much for such a useful and importan...Thank you very much for such a useful and important post!<br /><br />The other day I stumbled into one of these "outfits" while doing some research on the Net. For three dollars, they offer to write a query for you and send it to the likes of Penguin, Simon & Schuster, etc (never mind they don't accept unsolicited queries). And if you subscribed to their regular services, they GalaktioNovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17503003883441404979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-51794145902122251182010-04-24T09:23:09.415+01:002010-04-24T09:23:09.415+01:00I hope I don't sound hugely arrogant when I sa...I hope I don't sound hugely arrogant when I say I simply wouldn't trust anyone else to write my query letter for me!<br /><br />(Which is an entirely different thing from being willing to accept advice on its content and format, which I have been and am.)<br /><br />Apart from anything else, there is a learning process involved and you can't improve if you don't try! Or somethingCatherine Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17540552933192453722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-33549349680093448142010-04-24T08:24:19.208+01:002010-04-24T08:24:19.208+01:00Very sensible advice and it's nice to have it ...Very sensible advice and it's nice to have it all laid out in one post. Thank you.DJ Kirkbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08481107164497582398noreply@blogger.com