As always, people will call cover letters query letters and vice versa. But I’m not going to try to confuse you. I’ll tell you what C LIU thinks what a cover letter is. It’s something you stick on top of your manuscript when the editor or agent has already read your query letter at some point (from an earlier communication) and now you’re following up with more material. You need something to “cover” your manuscript.
IN OTHER NEWS:
No, it's not time for a free-tique round. I just finished the ones from last week. So if you didn't get yours for some reason, let me know.
I have to go back to my writing now.
But the TV is calling my name….Oooooh!
SNOOP SAYS:
I'm up for it.
Yes. That’s right, folks. I attached three sample chapters to my email when I queried my agent. Keep in mind: the agency’s guidelines said query with three chapters and a synopsis for novels. Then it said queries would be taken by email or mail. So I was okay to email. But understand my dilemma.
We’re getting to the really picky, picky, picky stuff now. I’ll talk paper, envelopes, and even email. EXCITING!
I’ll cover paper submissions first, then electronic submissions.
Paper Submissions
Paper
When guidelines don’t specify the method of sending the package, assume your submission will go on paper and be delivered by a postman. This is the typical way submissions are carted around when you’re submitting things yourself.
UPDATE: You may now download this article to your Kindle!
While everyone has different opinions on what a query letter is and what it looks like, I will summarize what I do. The method I use is pretty common. Pretty boring. But it works. Read my post, My First Query Letter. This post applies to both editor and agent query letters.
When I attended my first SCBWI conference, I heard many editors speak. Including the guy who…um…edited Harry Potter. He described how he preferred to be contacted: query letter only – if he liked the pitch, he’d request the manuscript.
I returned home and wrote my first query letter. It was the first piece of mail I had sent to anyone in the publishing industry. I thought my letter was decent (I had listened to what the editor was asking for.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Oh dang! What have I done? I'm just now realizing a lot of my subs are chapters. Whoo-wee, I've got some reading to do. If you're a tiquee who's waiting for a chapter tique, please send me a synopsis or brief run-down of your work. I will look at these and compare them to your three chapters so I can make decent big picture recommendations. Do not worry about how good this synopsis is – I just need to know what happens.
DOORS ARE CLOSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I promised another small round this morning. But please keep in mind, if you made it into the last round, you can not sub to this one. I hope to return all tiques next week. Some of you from the last round may get them back today. I'm going to open only TWO more slots. Just TWO. 1 new-tiquee. 1 retiquee.
You know the rules- if not, see my free-tique page at my website http://www.cynthealiu.
IN OTHER NEWS:
In a massive effort to procrastinate, I finally started working on my website. Please take a peek. Leave a comment and tell me how stinky or fab it is, and I'll promise only to post the FAB comments. 🙂 If you know of any beginning writers, I'd love to hear their feedback. This isn't a finished website by any means, but it's a start.
You’ve come to the spot where we’re going to learn everything that could be in a submission package you put together for an agent or editor. If you had a look through CWIM, CBC member list, or other publications, you’ve probably heard the words listed above before. And guess what? People will give you different definitions of these terms all the time. It’s completely crazy. BUT I will tell you how C LIU defines everything. I hope it will make sense to you, too.