Help! My Query Letter Isn't Working (or, Query Letter Resources)

                                              Query Letter not working? Try again!

       In general, there are two different kinds of rejections in the publishing world. There are form rejections, and there are personalized rejections. What I've been told is that a form rejection means you probably need to work on your query, because the agents probably aren't reading any further. Personalized rejections, while still rejections, are a bit more celebration-worthy because it means the agent probably read some of your actual manuscript and has actual suggestions or reasons the project is not for them. 

       I got all form rejections. This may not sound great, but I'm not surprised. This is where most authors start out, and although I fantasized about being one of the only authors EVER to land an agent on my first round of querying, I knew that most likely would not be the reality. So, after receiving a round of "thanks, but no thanks" responses to my agent queries, I know what I must do: try again. 

       In order to learn more about query letters, and in order to help anyone else out there in a similar position, I've gathered a list of great resources on query letters. Have fun researching, and as always, if YOU have any great resources or tips on query letters, please share!

The Complete Guide to Query Letters: Here are the basic necessities, spelled out step-by-step 

Query Shark: This is a great blog by agent Janet Reid that includes queries that got a YES, and suggested revisions to submitted queries--kind of like a tutorial. You can also follow her on Twitter @QueryShark.


10 Dos and Don'ts of Query Letters: short, sweet and to-the-point, by Writer's Digest. 

23 Query Letters that Worked: I'm definitely a learn-by-example kind of gal, so I love seeing examples of real-life letters that were successful!

Quite the Query: More successful letter examples (and featuring my friend Jessica Lawson...check out her voice-filled query!). 

I Stop Reading When...: Find out some common mistakes that immediately turn agents off.

AgentQuery Connect: an online forum to give and get advice on query letters. 

A Pretty Much Foolproof, Never-Fail, Silver Bullet Query Opening: If you like formulas, you'll like this. 

Read Over 60 Successful Queries: More examples! Because really, we can all read and listen to how we're supposed to do it, but it's hard to know what works unless you see it. 

What Agents DON'T Want in Query Letters: So now that you know what you should have, make sure you don't include any of these...

                                    Happy Querying!

Mid-Year Review

       

       Here we are, halfway through 2015 (I know, when did that happen?) Since I consider my writing a second job, I thought it would be a good time to give myself a mid-year review. 
       As a refresher, here are my 2015 New Year's Resolutions:

1. Read more blogs about writing, and make comments. Goal: one new blog/comment per week. 
       Well, we're starting off with a fail. I have done neither of these things on a weekly basis. Perhaps this resolution was too ambitious. I'm going to change it to one or two a month and go from there. Baby-step to make it more likely: compose a list of writing blogs so I can easily click and read when I have time. Have ideas of writing blogs for me? Please leave them in comments!

2. Do at least two rounds of queries for my middle grade novel. 
       Ok, this one I feel better about! I have done one round of querying (eight agents) and await to hear from seven of them still (first reply was a "no." Add it to the Rejection Tally). Most agents say they'll respond or pass within eight weeks, so that gives me plenty of time for a second round of querying in the fall!

3. Begin new middle grade novel (I have two ideas I'm kicking around...will let you know which wins). 
       Another win! I have begun a new middle grade novel while I'm waiting to hear back from agents. My new project: an alternate history set in Chicago in the 1960's, in which gender roles are reversed, i.e. women are the dominant sex. Told from the point of view of Theo, a 12-year-old boy who wants nothing more than to grow up, get married, stay home and raise his kids. 

4. Write two blog posts per month.
       Well...not quite. If I'd stuck to this I should have 12 posts this year and I have 8. Three quarters of the way isn't too awful, right? My husband and I bought a house, packed, and moved all between the end of February and the end of March, which sunk writing way, way down on my list of priorities. But it has risen to the top once again! (song playing in my head: "Survivor" by Destiny's Child)

       No need to wallow in the mud of my failures...let's celebrate two out of four resolutions (I mean really, two and three quarters)!! And I now resolve to try a little harder on following other writing blogs, and continue with my own blog posts. 

       Now for you: there are 6 more months left in the 2015 calendar. Time to do a little self-evaluation of your own...revisit resolutions, see where you're at, and re-resolve, if needed. How have you done on your New Year's Resolutions? Can you remember what they are? I wish you the best of luck in tackling old goals and creating new ones, and I celebrate with you in what you've already accomplished thus far! And, even if you think you haven't done much in the way of your goals this year, here's a little Pooh Wisdom to keep in mind: 

On Rejection

       To borrow from Thomas Edison, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Ok, so I'm still a few thousand away from his mark, but I have found many ways NOT to publish a book. 

       Rejection sucks, let's be honest. But the silver lining is that in most cases, to be rejected at all, you have to have put yourself out there in one way or another. Dumped by a boyfriend? Well, you made yourself vulnerable and gave it a shot. Turned down by your first college pick? At least you applied! Didn't win a writing contest or got yet another rejection letter? Hey, good for you for writing a book and putting it out into the world for others to judge!

       I'll never forget one of my first rejections I received. I'd sent a picture book to a publisher that was accepting open submissions and looking for exactly what I had. I couldn't contain my excitement when I got an immediate email response that they were going to "kick it around for a while." Kick all you want! Months later, I got a very simply stated rejection email: "Sorry, turns out it's not going to work for us after all." Booooo! That night, I happened to attend a writing workshop with my local SCBWI network. As part of my introduction, I told them about the rejection letter earlier that day. 

       They all clapped. 

       I've never felt better about a rejection. They reminded me how awesome it was that not only had I written a book and flung it out into the publishing world, but I had gotten interest. Maybe not a bite, but at least a little nibble. 

       Still, it never hurts to be reminded that even my favorite authors get rejection letters...

       Do you have an awful, funny, or great rejection story? I'd love to hear it! Please post it in a comment below. 

       I, at the very least, will applaud you.