My name is (name). I'm a (age/gender redacted---and NOT someone under 30 and thus perhaps just immature) in (city/state), who just discovered the joys of writing fiction two years ago. I'm in the middle of my first full-length manuscript -- a romantic thriller. I saw your name in the Crime Scene Writers Yahoo Group run by Wally Lind, retired forensics cop. You came with a high recommendation for mystery writers -- even though I'm working on a suspense novel. I'm also a member of RWA and the Kiss of Death Mystery and Suspense chapter.
I'm not ready to begin marketing my work yet, so you may wonder why I'm contacting you.
What I would like to know is: What can you, a literary agent, do for me besides brokering a better contract, thereby earning your keep? There it is. Straight forward and to the point
I'm beginning my interviewing process now so that when I'm ready I'll know who I want to represent my work.
My response: delete unanswered
9 comments:
The best part is he's going to read this on here and say, "If she thinks I'm letting her sell my multi-million dollar book and movie rights after not even bothering to answer, she's nuts!"
Y'know, Janet, I'm beating my head on my desk along with you. Wow.
btw, thanks again for taking questions yesterday. It's much appreciated.
Sisters in Crime is a thoroughly delightful group of people. There wasn't a single idiotic question or comment. I truly appreciate the time y'all invest in getting informed and learning about this biz. Would that EVERYone did that; my life would be easier but I'd have little to rant about.
but if everyone knew the business you would have blog posts like this one!
Wait. You mean that isn't how you get an agent?
Surely this was a bad joke? Nobody's this clueless, and even if he is, there are too many "classic" blunders for this to be serious.
And the saddest part of all this is that whoever wrote the query may never truly understand why it's so wrong. No amount of explaining it to them will help either.
At least this person didn't say s/he was writing a fictional novel.
I know there are worse things they could have included... but still.
*beats head slowly against her desk*
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