tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post1165420977124308556..comments2023-10-18T09:45:58.442-05:00Comments on Loree Huebner ~ Between you, me and the gatepost...: The Informal Formal Query LetterLoree Huebnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09845600356878587780noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-41863744172341336862011-07-19T19:05:05.153-05:002011-07-19T19:05:05.153-05:00Jen: Welcome here! Thank you so much for your grea...Jen: Welcome here! Thank you so much for your great tips. I'll check out that "Query to call" - lots of good ideas here. The Shark is awesome! Never thought of practicing on a movie I like...great idea. Thank you so much for taking the time to write some great tips.<br /><br />I've been at these crossroads before...this time, it just feels different. I want my query to be really good this time.Loree Huebnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09845600356878587780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-18656296045559180832011-07-19T08:28:16.749-05:002011-07-19T08:28:16.749-05:00What a fabulous post Loree! I'm a newbie here ...What a fabulous post Loree! I'm a newbie here on your blog and I'm very happy to have met you!!! <br /><br />Querying is tough. You want to keep your personality but also want to remain professional. <br /><br />Query to the Call by Elana Johnson is what I used. It was an AMAZING guide. It's a free pdf that gives you the step by step process on how to write one. After testing out my querying I went on Query Shark and checked out all the negative and positive queries and re-wrote it again. Once I thought I finished a good one for me I practiced on movies.<br /><br />That's right. Take a movie you love and write a query for it. Don't add their names (make them up) and hand it over to your friend. Ask them if they know what movie it is. If they can guess the movie chances are you're getting better at showing. It helped me a ton!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667521490706435608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-73576938816172360412011-07-19T07:33:31.349-05:002011-07-19T07:33:31.349-05:00Tana: Thanks a bunch for your encouragement and ti...Tana: Thanks a bunch for your encouragement and tip. Wishing you well on your success...you go girl!Loree Huebnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09845600356878587780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-33311080084005736412011-07-18T22:02:26.283-05:002011-07-18T22:02:26.283-05:00Good luck to you in your querying endeavors! I'...Good luck to you in your querying endeavors! I'm sure you'll hit it just right! Make sure to put enough of you in it to make it interesting!Tanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10518718614911804428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-73623987720201338722011-07-16T22:03:42.379-05:002011-07-16T22:03:42.379-05:00Abe: Thanks. I grew that one from seed. I start th...Abe: Thanks. I grew that one from seed. I start them inside in April.<br /><br />I've also got 3 hummingbirds. One gorgeous male, and two battling females. I'm going to try to get some good pictures of them feeding on the feeders this week.Loree Huebnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09845600356878587780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-31576186207562493962011-07-16T06:33:17.376-05:002011-07-16T06:33:17.376-05:00Nice Moonflower. I got one but it seems to be pink...Nice Moonflower. I got one but it seems to be pinkish. I don't know why but it was so dry last summer the blooms were not big.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-1958109019359620652011-07-15T21:36:35.947-05:002011-07-15T21:36:35.947-05:00Rachel: It really is like a dance. I know the basi...Rachel: It really is like a dance. I know the basic steps, but since I've last danced...there is a new version of the dance.<br /><br />I'm having trouble with the "make it sound like a blurb on a book jacket" part. It's coming along. I'm working through it.<br /><br />I really appreciate you taking the time to give me some awesome tips. Especially, the one about showing my writing style in the query. <br /><br /><br />All you guys are great! Everyone is giving awesome tips on query letter writing. Thank you for sharing!Loree Huebnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09845600356878587780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-15301128835167167902011-07-15T21:20:57.280-05:002011-07-15T21:20:57.280-05:00It's a dance trying to balance professionalism...It's a dance trying to balance professionalism without sounding stuffy in a query letter. You still want to include a proper business greeting like "Dear Mr. Smith" though. I assume you've heard this before, but never say "Dear Agent" or "To Whom It May Concern." Personalize it :)<br /><br />You want to pull the reader in, which in this case is the agent. You want your query to read similar to your book. For instance, if you write funny middle-grade, it would be perfectly fine to use some of the same tone and phrases you use in the book. I did this for my MG comedy query letter (which landed me my agent). <br /><br />It gives the agent and idea of what the book will read like, makes it interesting, and prevents your query from being too stuffy or business-like. Whatever the genre, you can breathe life into your query by showing some of your writing style IN the query. <br /><br />If you don't have any previous publishing experience, you don't have to SAY that. Your lack of mentioning your publishing experience will clue them in that you are a debut author.Rachel Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05115715188356354737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-12073942007016181422011-07-15T20:44:19.953-05:002011-07-15T20:44:19.953-05:00Kathleen: Welcome here! Thanks for stopping in and...Kathleen: Welcome here! Thanks for stopping in and your kind comments. <br /><br />Your book sounds great. Can't wait to read it.Loree Huebnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09845600356878587780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-66845685979714926222011-07-15T14:34:22.078-05:002011-07-15T14:34:22.078-05:00Thank you so much for visiting my blogsite and not...Thank you so much for visiting my blogsite and noting you had been there....means the World to me. I do hope you purchase Serenia's Kanzas since it not only includes the Civil War but a very strong romance such as what you and your handsome husband obviously share. Congrats on a great job with your son....Well done you.Kathleen Boston McCunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12098302883843934656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-7594899284771327752011-07-15T14:30:15.440-05:002011-07-15T14:30:15.440-05:00Charissa: Thanks for the encouragement. I've b...Charissa: Thanks for the encouragement. I've been doing everything listed but still feel frozen and overloaded. I've been down this road before...I don't know why it feels different this time. Thanks for stopping by!Loree Huebnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09845600356878587780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-23316965593496683452011-07-15T14:18:05.167-05:002011-07-15T14:18:05.167-05:00I am totally NOT at this stage yet. But I give kud...I am totally NOT at this stage yet. But I give kudos to you for being persistent. Maybe you could just take it on a case by case basis? Read up on the agent, get a feel for them through a blog they might have or read some interviews they've done? Knowing who you're dealing with might help you figure out how to word the query. Also...Check out Savvy Authors and see if they have a Workshop coming up that could help. They are cheap and done online. Best of luck, sweets!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686424597825645224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-72476799019922032932011-07-15T12:29:39.352-05:002011-07-15T12:29:39.352-05:00Tori: Great to get to know you!!
Your query outlin...Tori: Great to get to know you!!<br />Your query outline is awesome...very helpful! Thanks for popping in and taking the time to write that out for me. Congrats again on your recent success! <br /><br />I'm getting some real great advice from some awesome writers.Loree Huebnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09845600356878587780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-42103646128200400452011-07-15T12:05:27.711-05:002011-07-15T12:05:27.711-05:00Hi Loree!
Thanks for following! I'm following...Hi Loree!<br /><br />Thanks for following! I'm following you now too. :)<br /><br />My queries are formatted into 3 parts. Part 1 is the technical stuff: "I'd like to submit my word count, genre, title, if part of a series, for your review."<br /><br />Part 2 is paragraph 2 going into the blurb Brandi mentioned. Sometimes this may be 2 (short) paragraphs with the first describing the hero and heroine and how they meet and the second paragraph describing what is at stake.<br /><br />Part 3 is a brief paragraph of who I am, and the answers to whatever questions the submission guidelines ask, ie: Why would your book fit XYZ publisher?. <br /><br />Nothing wrong with businesslike; many blogs will tell you that authors need to treat this stage as an interview and put their best foot forward. This is a business. Part 3 adds a personal touch to the query. <br /><br />Hope this helps!Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09753199463334338618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-90210633325778287042011-07-15T11:05:36.121-05:002011-07-15T11:05:36.121-05:00Jessica: I do have query brain overload! Thanks fo...Jessica: I do have query brain overload! Thanks for your tip. I think I do have the tone like the book. It's a inspirational historical so it works. Thanks for stopping in.<br /><br />Brandi: The blurb thing...I've heard that's important to sound like the blurb on a book jacket--then comes business mode. I think mine was the other way around. It was business first. I think that may be the problem. Thanks for your helpful tips and Gail's query samples. I'll check them out. Have a great week.Loree Huebnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09845600356878587780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-17141969237242455252011-07-15T10:41:34.721-05:002011-07-15T10:41:34.721-05:00Hi, Loree! My queries read like the blurb on the b...Hi, Loree! My queries read like the blurb on the back of a book. Then the second of third paragraphs went into business mode, talking about number of pages, where it fits in market, etc. I know you have information overload, but I found that Gail Gaymer Martin's query letter samples work well. Hope this helps! :-)Brandi Boddiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08017741568841209088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4088468378019844860.post-17007301018031783172011-07-15T08:07:44.423-05:002011-07-15T08:07:44.423-05:00Love the flower! Summer has been filled with all k...Love the flower! Summer has been filled with all kinds of busy-ness. You're off the hook. ;)<br /><br />There's so much info out there about how to query, it's brain overload. <br /><br />I have read that the tone of the query should be similar to the novel. I know, that helped bunches, huh? lolJessica R. Patchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13614501794157211301noreply@blogger.com