Back to the obligatory pit of author despair known as Query Hell. In other words, everything is back to normal.
Except for me, it's not really all that hellish anymore. I've done it too long. I've been at this game, off and on, for the better part of several decades. To put it in perspective, when I submitted my very first short story to a magazine, skinny ties, pastels, and leg warmers were in style - everybody wanted to look like they'd come straight off Miami Vice. The publishing world looked much different than it does today, mainly because of the online accessibility of information to authors.
Back in the day, I'd get out my well-worn Writer's Market guide and pour over it 'til I was half blind. After compiling a number of submission-worthy candidates, I'd carefully print out the material I'd polished and crafted, stick it carefully inside a Manila envelope with an S.A.S.E., and take my submissions down to the post office. Then I'd go back to writing, and one by one, the rejections would trickle in. It was always an adventure getting the mail, wondering if that would be the day I'd find an actual acceptance. I usually didn't, and became quite calloused to getting rejections. I filed 'em all away, collecting them like trophies, keeping the giant stack like some badge of honor. I figure I have well in excess of a couple hundred now. I did get an acceptance finally, got the galleys and everything. And then nothing. Don't know if the magazine abruptly folded or what, but that's the way it goes sometimes.
Of course, there were times, jetting around the world courtesy of Uncle Sam, that this just wasn't possible. It's hard to mail submissions out and collect rejection slips if you're not home. Long hiatuses from the submissions game have been pretty much the norm.
And things have gotten much easier with the advent of e-mail submissions. A whole lot easier! I never query via regular mail now. I have no reason to. Yes, there are still agents out there who do not accept e-queries, but at this point in time, wouldn't you be a little hesitant of an agent who hasn't caught up with technology enough to operate that way? Hell, a lot of agents accept only e-queries.
It's far easier, too. There's tons of information on agents out there. What they're looking for, how to query them, what to include, pretty much anything an author would want to know. It's a lot quicker, too. No complicated envelope, S.A.S.E., trip to the post office, and waiting on the postman. Just zip it off and watch your e-mail. You already do anyway. Now there's more time for writing.
Except that there's not. That time has been replaced by blogging, and tweeting, and all the other endless forms of social media out there. Most agents want an author to have a good online presence. They want to see the author is engaged himself, has worked to market himself as much as possible already. It makes their job all that much easier.
Looking back, things haven't gotten any easier, but I've gotten better at it. The one thing that jumps out at me right away is how much better I understand the publishing industry. Publishing Separate Worlds was a tremendous learning exercise for me. This blog has been too, especially with all the research I've put into the Literary Agents tab and sidebar. I know better how to find what I'm looking for, and how to write better what they're looking for.
So it's back to the trenches for now, writing, editing, pouring over submission guidelines and then trying not to mix 'em up with I send the queries out. It's still frustrating at times, but I've gotten as jaded to rejections as literary agents are to bad queries, so it's all cool. And hey, it's not personal, it's the way things are.
Showing posts with label Queries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Queries. Show all posts
Monday, February 13, 2012
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The Future of Querying
I just had a random thought, inspired partly by author and former literary agent Nathan Bradsford's recent post on query critiques. It got me wondering, with the recent surge of query critiques, how will that affect the query process in the long run?
Let me explain. Starting few years ago and continuing today, we have seen the emergence of the query critique, with agents such as Janet Reid critiquing them with Query Shark and her main blog, BookEnds, LLC's agents doing the Workshop Wednesday posts, Kristin Nelson posting advice in Pub Rants. The list goes on and on. I could post more, but you get the idea.
The good news is there's plenty of advice - solid, real advice from those in the industry - we struggling authors can find and use. Unless you're this guy, you probably have a pretty good idea on how to structure a decent query. Bad news is, so does everybody else out there. This means that aside from the folks who just aren't ready to begin querying yet, you're competing on a pretty even playing field with queries. I'm going to go out on a limb and say the majority of queries over the next few years will be formatted correctly, spell-checked, and contain at least a semblance of personalization and professionalism.
Now I've seen a recent post from an agent who ranted there were plenty of chuckleheads out there still throwing astoundingly awful queries out there, but for the life of me, I can't find it again. I wanted to link it here, because it's a good read. Oh well.
I think though, in spite of the fact that some people just aren't going to get it right, the majority of authors will continue to hone and fine tune their queries to the point where the queries will be a good deal better than the actual manuscript. I think that while it'll make agents' jobs much easier to a point, by culling out the obvious bad ones, it'll make it a lot tougher by masking some of the bad ones with good queries. And I don't know how many of the bad ones will be that much more obvious than before. Bad writing is bad writing, and a failure to follow submission guidelines has always been a huge strike against anyone doing it. The fact that there is more contrast between bad and good queries today doesn't make it any easier than it already was to discard the bad ones.
Of course, that's just my musings. I could be wrong. I don't know. I write about the future; I don't predict it. But I think this push by agents to educate authors on how to write a proper query will certainly affect a resonant change in the way the query business is done. Couple that with the changing face of e-publishing, and we have the makings of a giant shift ahead.
Let me explain. Starting few years ago and continuing today, we have seen the emergence of the query critique, with agents such as Janet Reid critiquing them with Query Shark and her main blog, BookEnds, LLC's agents doing the Workshop Wednesday posts, Kristin Nelson posting advice in Pub Rants. The list goes on and on. I could post more, but you get the idea.
The good news is there's plenty of advice - solid, real advice from those in the industry - we struggling authors can find and use. Unless you're this guy, you probably have a pretty good idea on how to structure a decent query. Bad news is, so does everybody else out there. This means that aside from the folks who just aren't ready to begin querying yet, you're competing on a pretty even playing field with queries. I'm going to go out on a limb and say the majority of queries over the next few years will be formatted correctly, spell-checked, and contain at least a semblance of personalization and professionalism.
Now I've seen a recent post from an agent who ranted there were plenty of chuckleheads out there still throwing astoundingly awful queries out there, but for the life of me, I can't find it again. I wanted to link it here, because it's a good read. Oh well.
I think though, in spite of the fact that some people just aren't going to get it right, the majority of authors will continue to hone and fine tune their queries to the point where the queries will be a good deal better than the actual manuscript. I think that while it'll make agents' jobs much easier to a point, by culling out the obvious bad ones, it'll make it a lot tougher by masking some of the bad ones with good queries. And I don't know how many of the bad ones will be that much more obvious than before. Bad writing is bad writing, and a failure to follow submission guidelines has always been a huge strike against anyone doing it. The fact that there is more contrast between bad and good queries today doesn't make it any easier than it already was to discard the bad ones.
Of course, that's just my musings. I could be wrong. I don't know. I write about the future; I don't predict it. But I think this push by agents to educate authors on how to write a proper query will certainly affect a resonant change in the way the query business is done. Couple that with the changing face of e-publishing, and we have the makings of a giant shift ahead.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Finding a Literary Agent
Finding the right agent is a complicated and intimidating process. In fact, finding any agent at all is hard. There are a limited number of agents out there, still fewer credible and capable agents, and by the time you've pared them down to those who actually accept manuscripts of your genre, the list is probably much shorter than your average grocery list.
So how do you do it? How do you find an agent? More importantly how do you find one who is competent enough to market your work correctly, connected enough to sell it, and scrupulous enough to trust with what you've poured your heart and soul into for who knows how long?
Research and hard work are the keys to a solid approach at this. It takes time and energy and a lot of hard work, probably almost as much hard work as you've put into writing your novel.
The first key to finding an agent is organization. Like anything else, organizational skills are a vital part of the search for an agent. Since you're highly unlikely to find an agent with the first query you send out, you have to track your submissions carefully to avoid sending multiple queries for the same manuscript to agents who have already passed, research the right agents, and not duplicate efforts.
Keep a detailed log of your submissions in whatever format is easiest for you to use and maintain. Whether it's a database, a spreadsheet or a word document, populate it with the pertinent details of your submissions. Include dates queries were sent, the agency sent to, the specific agent and the contact information for them. I also include details on the response, whether there was no response after a set amount of time, a personal rejection or a request for more. I file all of this by each individual title I send out and maintain it meticulously and often.
Since I now query exclusively via e-mail, I have separate folders in my e-mail for queries, bites, and related correspondence, and I keep every e-mail for my reference. If I need to see specifics on how an agent responded back, I have it. I have also kept every rejection I've ever gotten via snail mail as well. I have a large folder with each one inside, in case I have to reference them too. Chances are, I probably won't need to reference them all, but I have them in case I do.
The next step is learning to write a killer query, one that will catch the attention of the agent you're targeting and land you that request for the full manuscript. Study advice from agents regarding queries. Find out what works for them and what doesn't. Your goal isn't to make a perfectly constructed query for query's sake, it's to sell your writing and your novel. Agent Query has some advice on writing better queries. They have a forum showcasing queries that actually worked. Chuck Sambuchino also has good advice on writing queries. Query Shark, as I've mentioned before, is one of the better places to see query analysis in action. It's better because you can see them broken down and critiqued as they improve with subsequent iterations. Study the queries posted there for what works and why it works. You'll notice that a few of the queries that break the rules are the ones that entice you to read the book the most. You'll notice that most of the ones who follow the rules, however, are effective as well.
As a general rule of thumb, you have approximately 250 words to interest your target audience enough to want to read more. If they want to read more, they'll ask for more, and that is exactly the point of a query letter.
Some tips:
A synopsis should generally be two to three pages, but must cover the essentials of the novel. If it runs a little longer, you should be fine. Agents don't read synopses for the reading pleasure or to get a feel for your writing. They read them to understand where the plot goes, how conflict is resolved, and the motivation behind character action.
Author Nathan Bransford has some tips on synopsis writing, as does Marg Gilks of Writing-World.com. Other examples can be found by doing a little more research yourself. Very few authors like to write synopses, but they are a vital part of marketing your work.
Some tips:
Once you've found an agent who has compatible needs in a reputable agency, you need to branch out to other sources of information on them. Vet them through sites like Publishers Marketplace and Query Tracker. Visit Preditors and Editors to make sure they're not running a scam or conducting bad business practices. Find out if the agent you're interested in has a separate website from the agency's website. Do they blog or twitter? A large number of agents now do both. Check these sites immediately before you send them a query, as their needs can change. They can also shut down for submissions while on vacation, a hiatus from work or other reasons. It does you no good to send your query to an agent who isn't in the market for manuscripts, so it is in your best interest to do your research thoroughly.
Check and double check the agent's submission guidelines. They're not there simply to look good. They're there to tell you as an author exactly how they want their submissions. They'll tell you what genres they'll consider, what they're specifically not in the market for, what's hot that they're looking for more of at the moment, and how to correctly format and send the material. Do they accept e-mail or snail mail? Both? Do they have a submissions form on the website? Do they want just a query? The first five, ten, or even fifty pages of the manuscript? A synopsis? Generally it's a combination of all of the above, and maybe other specific requests. Find out exactly what they want and give it to them exactly the way they want it.
The vast majority of agents do not even open, let alone consider e-mail with any attachments. They want to see the requested material pasted into the body of the e-mail. They need your contact information - name, address, phone, e-mail - but they do not want to see it up front. Put it at the end of your letter. It's there when they need it, but not in the way.
Once you're sure you're ready to send everything out, compose the e-mail and send it back to yourself. Open it and make sure it looks correctly. Send it in plain text, to avoid any instances where the HTML does not get translated correctly in the agent's e-mail program. Send it again to yourself. And again. Read it out loud and continue to tweak what doesn't sound right. Once you've gotten exactly what you want back a couple of times, you're ready to send it to the agent. Send it and file it in your query tracking system.
Now that you've sent it out, you start all over again. Rethink your query and edit it further. Find another agent, vet them and send out another query to them. Do that multiple times to multiple agents. Querying multiple agents at the same time is perfectly acceptable, and even encouraged. This is not the same as simultaneous submissions, which is when you send the same manuscript to be read and considered by multiple agents at the same time. You're not going to get your manuscript into nearly enough hands if you query one agent at a time every once in a while.
Be methodical in your research and precise in your submissions. Get it right the first time. And the second, and third and however many more times you have to send it out before you sell it. Remember, you're not only selling a product, you're selling yourself as an author, one who will be able to produce more novels in the future. Doing it the right way will increase your chances of success.
So how do you do it? How do you find an agent? More importantly how do you find one who is competent enough to market your work correctly, connected enough to sell it, and scrupulous enough to trust with what you've poured your heart and soul into for who knows how long?
Research and hard work are the keys to a solid approach at this. It takes time and energy and a lot of hard work, probably almost as much hard work as you've put into writing your novel.
The first key to finding an agent is organization. Like anything else, organizational skills are a vital part of the search for an agent. Since you're highly unlikely to find an agent with the first query you send out, you have to track your submissions carefully to avoid sending multiple queries for the same manuscript to agents who have already passed, research the right agents, and not duplicate efforts.
Keep a detailed log of your submissions in whatever format is easiest for you to use and maintain. Whether it's a database, a spreadsheet or a word document, populate it with the pertinent details of your submissions. Include dates queries were sent, the agency sent to, the specific agent and the contact information for them. I also include details on the response, whether there was no response after a set amount of time, a personal rejection or a request for more. I file all of this by each individual title I send out and maintain it meticulously and often.
Since I now query exclusively via e-mail, I have separate folders in my e-mail for queries, bites, and related correspondence, and I keep every e-mail for my reference. If I need to see specifics on how an agent responded back, I have it. I have also kept every rejection I've ever gotten via snail mail as well. I have a large folder with each one inside, in case I have to reference them too. Chances are, I probably won't need to reference them all, but I have them in case I do.
The next step is learning to write a killer query, one that will catch the attention of the agent you're targeting and land you that request for the full manuscript. Study advice from agents regarding queries. Find out what works for them and what doesn't. Your goal isn't to make a perfectly constructed query for query's sake, it's to sell your writing and your novel. Agent Query has some advice on writing better queries. They have a forum showcasing queries that actually worked. Chuck Sambuchino also has good advice on writing queries. Query Shark, as I've mentioned before, is one of the better places to see query analysis in action. It's better because you can see them broken down and critiqued as they improve with subsequent iterations. Study the queries posted there for what works and why it works. You'll notice that a few of the queries that break the rules are the ones that entice you to read the book the most. You'll notice that most of the ones who follow the rules, however, are effective as well.
As a general rule of thumb, you have approximately 250 words to interest your target audience enough to want to read more. If they want to read more, they'll ask for more, and that is exactly the point of a query letter.
Some tips:
- Do trim your query to as close to 250 words as possible. If can't get the job done in that amount of words, you're doing it wrong.
- Do craft an opening hook that encourages them to find out more. A good place to research this is the back cover blurbs of similar novels in your local bookstores.
- Do write a polite, professional query. It's still a form of business letter to a professional in the field, and it's your venue to sell yourself as a professional they want to work with.
- Don't ramble about your personal life or how really great your novel is. Agents stress time and again the best way to get them to read more is to show, not tell them how great it is.
- Don't try to include too much in your query. It's best not to try and stuff every character and subplot into it. You haven't got the room. Include the essentials.
- Don't open with passive voice, rambling run-on sentences, or rhetorical questions. Agents are evaluating not just the content of your novel, but your writing talent and style as well.
A synopsis should generally be two to three pages, but must cover the essentials of the novel. If it runs a little longer, you should be fine. Agents don't read synopses for the reading pleasure or to get a feel for your writing. They read them to understand where the plot goes, how conflict is resolved, and the motivation behind character action.
Author Nathan Bransford has some tips on synopsis writing, as does Marg Gilks of Writing-World.com. Other examples can be found by doing a little more research yourself. Very few authors like to write synopses, but they are a vital part of marketing your work.
Some tips:
- Do write the synopsis in omniscient form, regardless of how the manuscript is written.
- Do use a synopsis for showing the logical progression of the novel from beginning to end.
- Do note the key points of conflict and resolution in the manuscript. Present the stakes present for your characters and their motivation and basis for the decisions they make.
- Don't leave the agent guessing how the novel ends. Save the suspense for the readers. The agent has to know how it ends to know whether it's going to sell or not.
- Don't include too many details which detract from the main plot of the story. While they may be important to your story, if they are not part of the basic plot or key subplots, they do not belong in the synopsis.
Once you've found an agent who has compatible needs in a reputable agency, you need to branch out to other sources of information on them. Vet them through sites like Publishers Marketplace and Query Tracker. Visit Preditors and Editors to make sure they're not running a scam or conducting bad business practices. Find out if the agent you're interested in has a separate website from the agency's website. Do they blog or twitter? A large number of agents now do both. Check these sites immediately before you send them a query, as their needs can change. They can also shut down for submissions while on vacation, a hiatus from work or other reasons. It does you no good to send your query to an agent who isn't in the market for manuscripts, so it is in your best interest to do your research thoroughly.
Check and double check the agent's submission guidelines. They're not there simply to look good. They're there to tell you as an author exactly how they want their submissions. They'll tell you what genres they'll consider, what they're specifically not in the market for, what's hot that they're looking for more of at the moment, and how to correctly format and send the material. Do they accept e-mail or snail mail? Both? Do they have a submissions form on the website? Do they want just a query? The first five, ten, or even fifty pages of the manuscript? A synopsis? Generally it's a combination of all of the above, and maybe other specific requests. Find out exactly what they want and give it to them exactly the way they want it.
The vast majority of agents do not even open, let alone consider e-mail with any attachments. They want to see the requested material pasted into the body of the e-mail. They need your contact information - name, address, phone, e-mail - but they do not want to see it up front. Put it at the end of your letter. It's there when they need it, but not in the way.
Once you're sure you're ready to send everything out, compose the e-mail and send it back to yourself. Open it and make sure it looks correctly. Send it in plain text, to avoid any instances where the HTML does not get translated correctly in the agent's e-mail program. Send it again to yourself. And again. Read it out loud and continue to tweak what doesn't sound right. Once you've gotten exactly what you want back a couple of times, you're ready to send it to the agent. Send it and file it in your query tracking system.
Now that you've sent it out, you start all over again. Rethink your query and edit it further. Find another agent, vet them and send out another query to them. Do that multiple times to multiple agents. Querying multiple agents at the same time is perfectly acceptable, and even encouraged. This is not the same as simultaneous submissions, which is when you send the same manuscript to be read and considered by multiple agents at the same time. You're not going to get your manuscript into nearly enough hands if you query one agent at a time every once in a while.
Be methodical in your research and precise in your submissions. Get it right the first time. And the second, and third and however many more times you have to send it out before you sell it. Remember, you're not only selling a product, you're selling yourself as an author, one who will be able to produce more novels in the future. Doing it the right way will increase your chances of success.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Timing a Manuscript Submission
Much has been said about submitting a manuscript to a literary agent or publisher, but I've seen less written about the timing of a submission. Obviously the best time to submit is when your manuscript is fully edited and polished to the best of your ability. That is not what I'm talking about here. I'm referring to timing a particular genre to a point in time when its chances of being picked up are the highest.
We've seen the incredible boom of zombies and vampires, especially young adult vampires, recently. The market is teeming with those books now. Even a few years ago there were far less of this type of book than now. Agents actively look for certain hot topics because that is what sells at the moment. It's their job to time a publication to catch the wave of public popularity. These types of books may or may not interest you, but they're what is selling at the moment.
But when there is a lag time of at least a year, and usually much longer between the submission of a novel and publication, how does one gauge what's going to sell when submitting a manuscript? When the lag between finding the perfect idea, writing the first draft, editing, editing, editing, submitting it, and finally getting published is far longer than that, it's almost impossible to predict. An author would have to be precognitive almost a decade into the future to get it absolutely correct.
One of the ways to deal with this is to have a few different titles ready to go. If you have for example, a horror story, a paranormal love story and a science fiction romp all ready to go, you'll have your bases covered better than if you have only a single novel. After studying the market and needs of agents, you'd soon realize your horror novel just might have to be shelved while you actively market your paranormal work because that is what is currently selling. And when, in a few years, horror explodes back into the spotlight, you'll be ready for that too.
The best way to time a manuscript publication however, is to do your research. Don't settle for the first or second agent that lines up with your genre and call it good. Study what agents are currently accepting. Find out what they've been selling. Find out what genres their client authors are writing and what titles are forthcoming. Look as far into the future of the industry as you can. This helps you catch market trends early on and allows you to get in on them while they're booming.
Submitting a novel is tricky business. There is so much to be put into it in order to find an agent and actually get your book into print. Obviously delivering a finely tuned query that introduces a polished and well crafted novel helps, but it's important to study all the different factors that influence what works and what doesn't. I feel it takes almost as much time and effort crafting a query, synopsis and studying the market for a submission as it does to write the first draft. Authors tend to concentrate more on the writing and less on the marketing aspects of being an author, and thus tend to present a submission which is less appealing than it could be.
Once the novel is written, it's time for the hard part of being an author. It's time to really sit down and do your research. You've done the research needed to set a believable and colorful plot. You've studied how to craft your words to say what you're trying to express. Now you have to put in an equal amount of work studying how to market your novel and get it onto bookshelves and e-readers around the world. It's not an easy task, but knowing what is selling and what gives your novel the best shot at success is a great first step.
We've seen the incredible boom of zombies and vampires, especially young adult vampires, recently. The market is teeming with those books now. Even a few years ago there were far less of this type of book than now. Agents actively look for certain hot topics because that is what sells at the moment. It's their job to time a publication to catch the wave of public popularity. These types of books may or may not interest you, but they're what is selling at the moment.
But when there is a lag time of at least a year, and usually much longer between the submission of a novel and publication, how does one gauge what's going to sell when submitting a manuscript? When the lag between finding the perfect idea, writing the first draft, editing, editing, editing, submitting it, and finally getting published is far longer than that, it's almost impossible to predict. An author would have to be precognitive almost a decade into the future to get it absolutely correct.
One of the ways to deal with this is to have a few different titles ready to go. If you have for example, a horror story, a paranormal love story and a science fiction romp all ready to go, you'll have your bases covered better than if you have only a single novel. After studying the market and needs of agents, you'd soon realize your horror novel just might have to be shelved while you actively market your paranormal work because that is what is currently selling. And when, in a few years, horror explodes back into the spotlight, you'll be ready for that too.
The best way to time a manuscript publication however, is to do your research. Don't settle for the first or second agent that lines up with your genre and call it good. Study what agents are currently accepting. Find out what they've been selling. Find out what genres their client authors are writing and what titles are forthcoming. Look as far into the future of the industry as you can. This helps you catch market trends early on and allows you to get in on them while they're booming.
Submitting a novel is tricky business. There is so much to be put into it in order to find an agent and actually get your book into print. Obviously delivering a finely tuned query that introduces a polished and well crafted novel helps, but it's important to study all the different factors that influence what works and what doesn't. I feel it takes almost as much time and effort crafting a query, synopsis and studying the market for a submission as it does to write the first draft. Authors tend to concentrate more on the writing and less on the marketing aspects of being an author, and thus tend to present a submission which is less appealing than it could be.
Once the novel is written, it's time for the hard part of being an author. It's time to really sit down and do your research. You've done the research needed to set a believable and colorful plot. You've studied how to craft your words to say what you're trying to express. Now you have to put in an equal amount of work studying how to market your novel and get it onto bookshelves and e-readers around the world. It's not an easy task, but knowing what is selling and what gives your novel the best shot at success is a great first step.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Query Writing Help from the Query Shark
For aspiring authors who are looking for an agent or publisher, things can be tough. Your odds of landing one or the other are something close to two percent, and that is if you've got your act together. Most agents and publishers are very particular about query letters, and sad to say, most query letters are discarded with hardly a second glance. They never even make to cut to real consideration because they're not written well enough to get the reader to want to read more of the novel.
And why should they read more? If your query doesn't instantly grab their attention, they realize your writing probably won't either. And that's a bad thing. That is the kiss of death for a debut author. Authors already have enough going against them. They certainly don't need to compound it with a bad query.
There are a few agents out there that provide some help in this area. One of the very best in my opinion is the Query Shark. Literary agent Janet Reid, from FinePrint Literary Management, provides an outstanding blog critiquing queries sent in by aspiring writers. I've also linked to the blog under Publishing Resources, because I think it is that valuable to a new writer. I highly recommend if you're serious about sending out queries on your work, you read her blog. In its entirety. Several times. It's invaluable advice to writers trying to become published authors.
And why should they read more? If your query doesn't instantly grab their attention, they realize your writing probably won't either. And that's a bad thing. That is the kiss of death for a debut author. Authors already have enough going against them. They certainly don't need to compound it with a bad query.
There are a few agents out there that provide some help in this area. One of the very best in my opinion is the Query Shark. Literary agent Janet Reid, from FinePrint Literary Management, provides an outstanding blog critiquing queries sent in by aspiring writers. I've also linked to the blog under Publishing Resources, because I think it is that valuable to a new writer. I highly recommend if you're serious about sending out queries on your work, you read her blog. In its entirety. Several times. It's invaluable advice to writers trying to become published authors.
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