Query Mistakes
I recently watched an online 1hr presentation given by a writing coach, with the title: 21 Query Letter Mistakes. For some reason, I only recorded 20. ☹
Formatting mistakes
Distracting Formatting – Don't get cute. Just plain text. Nothing else. They are reading your query often on their phones.
Playing Hide n seek with the information – Give them everything they need at a glance no attachments
Not Getting to the point – query word count 300 total with 100-150 on description of book. That's it!
Not Sticking to the point – It's all about the book and how it is bankable. Save you detailed Bio for your memoir.
Prep & Knowledge
· Lack of Lazer Focus – Again. It's all about this book and this book only
· Don’t jump the gun – Must have a finished polish manuscript for fiction. Detailed outline with primary research complete, if non-fiction is acceptable.
· Not following the rules of the game – deliver exactly what the agents are asking for
· Choosing the wrong agent – Do your homework. Agents have preferred genres. Highlight the genre of your book. You should have a list of ~50 agents.
Treating agents all the same – Must do the bonding open – Find some link (favorite authors, authors agent has represented). Do research on your agent. highlight similarities to books the agent have sold.
Not Knowing the details – Understand your reader – know typical word count for your genre. Ask yourself: What shelf would it go on at Barnes and Noble? – What is your primary genre?
Serious – Attitude
Thinking it’s all about you – only detail things about the book. Again, it's all about the book.
Too big for your britches - Humble with no attitude or expectations. Don't say this is the next best seller.
Don’t be a jackass – don’t be rude. Don't pester the agent for a response.
Don't ask for free advice – If get a response it's not an invitation for dialog. It ain’t an open door.
No little white lies – Don't ever say anything that isn't true. George Santos beware.
Writing
No Proofing the query – a typo is a killer.
Asking for the no – don’t ask a question. The default answer is always NO.
No hook or shock factor – you need to have a hook in the first sentence of the description paragraph - Ex: Marriage is a real killer.
Poor Storytelling – the description paragraph sets up characters desires, conflict, and stakes. That's it! Don’t summarize the plot.
You
Not believing in your writing- don’t give up too soon.
One take away that was not in the list of mistakes worth mentioning: A typical agent looking for new submissions will go through as much as 200 queries in a day! And that’s on top of their workload of selling the books they have agreed to represent. One example the coach sited was an agent in NYC, whose goal was to plow through at least 100 queries on her phone during her train commute every day. One recommendation was to send the query to yourself and proof read it on your phone. That’s how a lot of agents will view it.
Hope this is helpful.