May 28, 2002 Karen Strand Topic: Query Letters DiagoCat: Hi, Bill and Guest WTYates: Hi... DiagoCat: Looks kind of bare in here tonight. WTYates: It's early yet... DiagoCat: Hi, Peg DiagoCat: How is your Mother doing, Peg? PegWrtr: Hi, all... PegWrtr: She's doing quite well, All things considered, Cat. Thank you for asking. DiagoCat: Maybe summer will help. Life always seems more cheerful when the sun is shining. PegWrtr: Cindy will be a few minutes late... and our guest isn't here yet? WTYates: We need rain here but I still prefer sun... WTYates: Hello, Guest... WTYates: Hi, Lee... PegWrtr: Hi, Lee... DiagoCat: Hi, Lee Loriendil: Hello Bill, Peg, Cat and Guest! Loriendil: Or is it Paul??? Loriendil: I take it I'm not too late.... WTYates: Nope... Loriendil: :-) WTYates: That you, Karen? PegWrtr: Ah, our guest is here! Hi, Karen :) DiagoCat: Hi, WordPower. WTYates: btw, Peg. I checked and my auto logging is on. WTYates: Oops! She got bumped! PegWrtr: Oh, good... I was going to remind you to check that! PegWrtr: Oops... we lost Karen? WTYates: She's back! DiagoCat: Hi, Karen PegWrtr: Hi, Karen... welcome to Christian Writer's Workshop DiagoCat: Hi, Dan WTYates: Hello, Dan... PegWrtr: Hi, Dad Dan: Dad??? DiagoCat: I think Dan is Paul. WTYates: Freudian slip? PegWrtr: Freudian slip PegWrtr: gmta DiagoCat: No Deby tonight? Loriendil: LOL WTYates: What do female psychiatrists wear? Loriendil: She isn't online.... WTYates: A Freudian slip... PegWrtr: No idea, ooooohhhhh... DiagoCat: I haven't seen her all day. Loriendil: Perhaps she has to drive her daughter to practice tonight... Loriendil: LOL Bill PegWrtr: Cindy will be a few minutes late, but she'll be here. WTYates: OK... We'll start in about a minute... DiagoCat: Hi, Shelly WTYates: Welcome, Shelly PegWrtr: Hi, Shelly... welcome to Christian Writer's Workshop shelly: Hi! shelly: Can I ask a question PegWrtr: WTYates: Sure... Loriendil: Yay! shelly: Is this the same as the Iuniverse Writers Club workshop? DiagoCat: Hello, Tom WTYates: This is one of many iUniverse WC workshops... PegWrtr: Yes, ma'am...one and the same. WTYates: Here we go... WTYates: Welcome to the Christian Writer's Workshop WTYates: We will be under protocol tonight. WTYates: Type "?" to ask a question WTYates: Type "!" to make a comment. WTYates: Please type "ga" when you are done. WTYates: I will call on you in turn. ModernDayP: ! DiagoCat: Thought so. Loriendil: Me too Loriendil: Heh ModernDayP: to set the record straight diago ModernDayP: you had it backwards WTYates: Peg, would you open in a word of prayer for us? PegWrtr: Father, we thank you for this opportunity to learn more of our craft and to use it to Your glory. Karen: Hi. I can't seem to enter the workshop. Karen WTYates: AMEN! PegWrtr: Be with our guest Karen as she helps us with query letters. In Jesus' name, Amen. WTYates: You're here, Karen... Karen: Great! Okay! Am prepared for any questions on query letters or cover letters. WTYates: Our guest tonight is Karen Strand, author and more, who will answer our questions about query letters. WTYates: Karen, would you like to make some opening remarks before we open it up for Q & A? Karen: Have had much success with query letters. All questions are welcome. PegWrtr: ? WTYates: PegWrtr... PegWrtr: Is there a standard for queries? ga Karen: There is a basic format for writing queries. PegWrtr: ...can you expand on that? ga Karen: I can tell some of the do's and don'ts - or, address the general structure of the letter. WTYates: Let's start with the general structure... WTYates: ga PegWrtr: Structure...then the rest :) Karen: It should be brief - preferably one page. Should have a hook that draws the editor's interest. Then, the title of the article, the word length, why the reader should be interested...it's a sales letter. WTYates: ? WTYates: WTYates.. WTYates: Could you expound on the differences between queries for articles, novels, and non-fiction books? ga Chicky: Karen: Queries for articles, fiction and books are very similar - there really isn't a difference. (Unless it's a cover letter.) PegWrtr: ? WTYates: PegWrtr... PegWrtr: What's the difference between a cover letter and a query? ga Karen: If the guidelines say "send complete ms" - it will have a cover letter on top. This does not need to have as much info. as the query, as the article or story are right under it! But it still should give a synopsis of what the article or story is about. WTYates: Chicky... ModernDayP: ? Chicky: At what point in the completion of your manuscript should you begin to send query letters? Karen: For myself, I send a query once I have a "handle" on the story, That is once I've done a rough draft and know I can deliver what I promise. WTYates: ModernDayP... ModernDayP: I've had lots of experience writing cover letters for jobs (unfortunately, but that's irrelevant)... what's the difference between a traditional cover letter for a job as I know it, and a book cover letter??? Karen: Well - I'm not sure what a traditional cover letter for a job is like. But both, are sales letters so the idea is to sell yourself or your "product" ModernDayP: ! Chicky: ? WTYates: ModernDayP... ModernDayP: must be nice to not know what a job cover letter is... ga WTYates: Chicky... Karen: Ha! Chicky: You've probably said this while I was AWOL - but, I was wondering how long a query should be for a book manuscript? Karen: As with an article query, it should be a page to a page and a half. Now, the cover letter for a book proposal is something different. WTYates: ? WTYates: WTYates... WTYates: Could you elaborate on the differences? ga Karen: A letter with a book proposal will be more detailed. Perhaps telling a little about what's in some of the chapters, or a brief synopsis of the book. WTYates: ? WTYates: WTYates... Karen: ! WTYates: Earlier you mentioned 'dos' and 'don'ts'. Could you give some examples...? ga WTYates: Yes, Karen... Karen: Remember, the query goes out cold. The cover letter accompanies a requested ms or goes on top of the actual book proposal. PegWrtr: ? Karen: Dos and don'ts: DON'T say "this is my very first article so I hope you like it" or "my friends tell me I have a way with words" or, I would like 10 cents a word but will accept less..." anything that makes you sound unsure of yourself. ModernDayP: ? WTYates: PegWrtr... PegWrtr: Okay, here we have three different items... a cover letter, a query letter, and a book proposal. When does one do a query and when a book proposal? I thought they were the same? ga Karen: For a book, a query goes out unsolicited, asking if you can send a book proposal, which will contain sample chapters, synopsis, table of contents. The cover letter goes on top of the book proposal if they say yes. It will reiterize what the book is about, thank them, etc. WTYates: ModernDayP... ModernDayP: how do we convince others that we sound sure of ourselves as beginning writers, especially with regards to per word price negotiations and the like, and are there any industry standards in that regard??? ModernDayP: especially publishers, ga Karen: First, forget everything to do with pay. It's a no no, plus your writer's market will already give you that info. To sound sure of yourself, be positive about your writing and how it will benefit the readers... ModernDayP: ? WTYates: ModernDayP... ModernDayP: are you done Karen??? ModernDayP: didn't see ga Karen: Yes. Sorry. ModernDayP: k thanks ModernDayP: can you be more specific as to ways we can be more positive and ways we can make it sound more beneficial to the readers??? Karen: Are you talking about articles, or fiction? There's a difference...ga WTYates: I think he's talking fiction, right Paul? ModernDayP: neither actually PegWrtr: Welcome, George, to the Christian Writer's Workshop. ModernDayP: non-fiction books George: Thanks ModernDayP: ga WTYates: Talk about both, if you would, please, Karen... Chicky: Karen: Nonfiction: Determine what the reader's need might be. Then address how your article or book will meet that need. Fiction: You want to use words like intriguing, inspirational...ga WTYates: ? WTYates: WTYates... WTYates: Where and how did you learn about query letters? What has been your experience? ga Karen: Wow. About a hundred years ago! In early classes on writing and from my own experiences, and from preparing/teaching workshops on query letters. Karen: ga WTYates: ? Chicky: ? WTYates: WTYates... WTYates: Have you had any editors tell you about the best and/or worst queries they have received/ ga PegWrtr: Chicky: specifically, if a query letter is on a psychological thriller, which was accepted, an advance paid, then dropped under new editors guidelines, Chicky: how should that be written? Chicky: Karen: Ha. Yes. Jerry Jenkins (Left Behind series) says he once had a query letter returned with a match taped to the corner. Seriously, I can't recall any editors comments on that...ga Loriendil: ? WTYates: Chicky... you went ahead... Chicky: WTYates: You're forgiven... (This is the Christian Writer's Workshop! ) :) Chicky: Bill, may Karen answer me? WTYates: Sure... Karen: Chicky - if your writing is accepted, a "kill fee" is in order - some pay for it, if they change their minds. ga. WTYates: Loriendil... Loriendil: How does one sellā oneself to the editor when one hasn't had works published? Just concentrate on topics in the book one has experience in, perhaps? This is for fiction.... Chicky: ? Loriendil: ga Karen: If you haven't been published, there are other qualifications. Your own experience such as "as a teacher, I know about troubled youth" is an example. ga " WTYates: Chicky... Chicky: I got an impressive kill fee, but my question was on a new query letter under these circumstances - how do I word it now? Karen: You don't need to explain anything. Send it out fresh. ga WTYates: ? WTYates: WTYates... Chicky: Thank you WTYates: Karen, about how many queries (of all kinds) have you sent out? (Me=none) ga Karen: I don't know. Have been writing for many years, so a lot. ga WTYates: Thanks so much, Karen, for being our guest speaker tonight! Loriendil: Yes, thank you! PegWrtr: Time's up! WTYates: It has been helpful to learn more about query letters... WTYates: Peg, would you close in prayer for us? PegWrtr: Oh, btw... Karen will be with us again Karen: Thanks for having me! Suggestion: Go to a search engine and just type in "query letters." PegWrtr: Thursday on AOL. PegWrtr: Dear Lord, thank you for Karen being with us tonight. We have all gleaned something from her to apply to our own writing situations. Be with us as we go our separate ways. In Jesus' name, Amen. WTYates: AMEN! gong.au: no sound directory set Chicky: Amen Loriendil: Amen! WTYates: Thanks, Karen and all! Karen: Amen Loriendil: And thank you again, Karen! Chicky: Karen, thank you for being with us. It was very nice.