Saturday, May 19, 2012

Reason N+1 not to just dash off your query

In today's mailbag:


Writers are always told how very important the query letter is, and to back that up I sometimes mention the fact that my original query later became, almost verbatim, the backcover copy of my novel. 

Well, today my UK publicist sends me a review of my book that appeared in The American, an expat magazine.  It's a perfectly fine review, but I can tell the reviewer simply adapted the  backcover copy as a solid third of her 200-word piece.

That means that effectively, my original agent query has now become my own "objective" third-party review.

Good thing it's not a bad review or I'd be very annoyed with myself for having such a low opinion of my work.
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4 comments:

  1. BP5/19/12, 9:44 AM

    Janet! This is great, but I have to say I am always impressed with your advanced math terminology! Nobody talks like that! :D Were you a math junkie in your other life???

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kitty5/19/12, 2:49 PM

    my original query later

    They meant letter, right?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Elissa M5/19/12, 4:10 PM

    Kitty,

    I'm pretty sure the writer meant what he/she wrote. The original query (letter) later became back cover copy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kitty5/19/12, 5:19 PM

    Elissa... HA HA HA !!! My bad!

    ReplyDelete

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