Research, Research, Research!

I have spent a portion of the past few days learning. How to write a query letter. How to organize a book proposal. How important it is to get your work critiqued. In the process I have found some terrific sites.

Writer's Digest is not only a fabulous print magazine, they have a nice website and an online community. You can learn a lot from this site. Subscribe to the magazine, too.

Writer's Weekly is another wonderful resource for writers. They have forums, articles and more about how to be successful at what you do. They also track situations where writers were not paid for the work they did. They follow up with the publications that did not pay and try to help get a resolution.

AgentQuery is a fantastic site... probably one of the best I've discovered so far. Not only do they help you find the right literary agent by letting you search their listings according to the type of writing you do, they have terrific networking ability. They help you write the best query letters, offer critiques and help you connect with the right people.

I also joined several email lists, some groups on LinkedIn and some other sites. They have yet to show me how worthwhile they are.

If you get the chance, follow some blogs written by literary agents and follow their advice. Don't waste their time by doing things differently. It does not make you stand out... it makes them reject you. Isn't there enough rejection in this business? Why ask for it?

Someone on one of the email lists I joined was posting their query letter for critique. They got a lot of advice and revised it. Still, the query did not match the formula that agents and editors want. This information can be found at the sites I listed here and many other places online, as well as in many books on how to get published. I can't stress it enough... FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. Write the query to the best of your ability following the formula. It isn't rocket science, but it is pitching your idea. Don't waste time telling them how many years it took you to write your book. Don't waste space asking them to give you a break or free advice. All you will get is stony silence or a rejection letter. Follow the directions... I'm just saying.