What No Cardigan?

Some people make bucket lists (from the movie, things they want to do before they kick the bucket). I want to make a sieve list, things I want to do, but have no idea what I am doing and so all the ideas drain through the holes like a runny marinara. First on the list is to learn to make marinara. Which isn’t the point of today’s post.

As you may know I write a bit. I really don’t know what I am doing, but people keep reading and saying nice things. ”You are a good writer for someone with such bad hair and poor fashion sense. Do you even own a cardigan and pipe?” Things like that. Comments and encouragement from people, who don’t know me in person, really inspire me to move forward. Right now the path to writing nirvana is at a fork in the road. The signs read, ‘Marketing Success’ and ‘Horrific Blunders by Writers You’ve Don’t Know’. The problem is that the well-worn paths are so ancient that the wood post has given way to time and crumbled, leaving the markers on the ground. I can’t be sure which path is the correct one.

There is a bunny sniffing the signs, so I ask him. He hops down the path heading towards the mountains, turns around and comes back…nibbling on a carrot. Was he giving me a clue, or simply engaging in a random act of snacking? I can’t be sure. So I must throw ‘Learn Book Marketing’ into the sieve and hope that I can get some helpful answers, before all my ideas drain out and puddle in front of the indifferent rabbit.

So I begin with query letters to people who review books. It seems like a good idea and all the cool kids are doing it. The problem is that I don’t know what should be in such an email. I have written an example. I ask anyone who has an opinion to tell me what you think. Feel free to suggest anything, which might compel a blogger to give me a chance.

Dear Kerrie Smith,

I have been reading the posts on your site and I thought I would send you a request for a review.

On Jan 1, 2010, at age 42, on the cusp of 43, I hated writing. I was under the impression that one only wrote under threat of pain from their evil 8th grade English teacher, Mrs. Johnson. I am 44 now and have accidentally written a novel…three actually.

Jan 2, 2010 I wrote a blog piece about woodworking and posted it. Later in the day I copied the post to a forum for woodworkers and when I checked the next day, 300 people had read my drivel. Twenty people had left very flattering comments. I wrote another. On the 28th day I decided to try something different and I wrote a blog piece, as the 1st chapter of a Noir Mystery novel, never intending to write chapter 2. It takes place in 1955 NY and our hero has just awoken from ringing in the New Year. He is a fair detective, who loves woodworking and the Brooklyn Dodgers. There is a woman, then there are two, and both seem to want the same thing from Henry and he is sure one of them is up to no good. This case is going to test him like none before.

I ended up writing a chapter periodically and eventually finished the novel in September of 2010. Three weeks later I started the sequel and mostly abandoned posts about woodworking. It was finished in Feb 10, 2011 and the 3rd started 2 days later. I have about 2000 unique readers per month, who stop in and follow my novels as they are being written.

A small publisher contacted me, as he followed my woodworking posts, and asked if he could publish. We are about two weeks from release of ‘The Henry Wood Detective Agency’, and I was wondering if it would be okay to send you a copy to be thrown on the pile of books to be read?

Sincerely,

Brian D. Meeks

http://extremelyaverage.com

So this is my idea for a letter. I don’t know if it is too long, too short, too boring, too bland, or just plain stupid. I really need some help on this one folks. The bunny and I would be eternally grateful. (Well not eternally, but we would be grateful for at least a fortnight.)

2011: 06/04
CATEGORY: Reviews
12 comments

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Sheila Landry

I believe that there is a bit too much background information in the letter. I personally love your humorous style of writing, but this is serious business and I believe that in a proposal such as this, you need to take on a more serious tone, Brian.

Be short, confident and respectful. Make them feel as if YOU chose THEM and THEY are the ones that should feel somewhat privileged. Not in an arrogant way,though. There is a fine line sometimes between confidence and arrogance - especially in print and when you don't know the person.

You have something to offer them that will benefit you if they nibble on it and also them. My editor is a firm believer in Win/Win philosophies and uses it to sell anything he is selling at the moment, be it patterns, rights to a company, or asking for exclusive rights for himself. He has taught me a lot by working with him for fifteen years.

Editors are busy people and they get lots of people trying for their attention and sometimes they have a way of tuning out new talent the way a mother tuns out her whining children. Many times when I submit to new companies (and even the ones I submit to on a regular basis) I put the subject line as "For your consideration". More so than not, it gets their curiosity up and they nibble. I also end with something like "thank you for your time and consideration" which acknowledges their busy schedule. I think it goes a long way and shows that you respect them.

I probably said too much here, but these are what have helped me in the past. Good luck Brian. I am cheering for you and anxiously await publication.

Sheila

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Brian Meeks

You gave me some very good advice. It seems everyone agrees that brevity is the key, which is not my strong suit, but I will try. :-)

wayne

yep too long for me as well,, but i'm not a writer.... ps i miss winston the camel will he make a return visit ,, i don t know how he would fit in hwd

Wayne,

I think you are right, he does need to make a return. I may see how he is doing tomorrow.

By the way - YOU ARE GOING TO DO GREAT! :D

ScottO @AgStateSense

My supper-eating ran a little long, but I'm finally willing to offer an opinion. Yes, a bit too long. State the purpose of the letter--I'm publishing a book, its genre, its title--and maybe include a sample from the book. Like the last paragraph from HWP81. That's a nice, concise, gripping bit.

Concise...hmm...this word is strange to me. It frightens me. I may have to ease into being friends with it. :-) Your suggestions are right on the mark and that is why I asked everyone what they though. In the back of my mind, I think I knew I was veering off track.

trish nicholson

I'm not anon-a-mouse I'm another rabbit but I forgot to put my name. Actually, I follow you on twitter - @trishanicholson

Yes, keep it short but give the carrot to the reviewer up front - after a bit of flattery get straight into what is so great about your novel - that will encourage him/her to nibble. At least, if I had a novel to send to a reviewer, that is what I would do. Good luck.

This seems like a very reasonable approach. Thanks so much.

Ania Ahlborn

Too long. Much too long. Keep these emails short and to the point. 'Hi, like your blog, been keeping up with it, thought you might like my book.' Give the pitch, say you hope to hear from them soon, and slowly back away. Letters that are too lengthy can scare potential reviewers away.

Then again, someone may tell you the complete opposite. I'm just a bunny with a carrot, and I'm probably randomly snacking. ;)

I really liked your suggestion and the bunny comment at the end. If everyone agrees that it is best to go short, then that is what I will do. I can definitely see where my lengthy emails may turn some people off. Plus, short ones are much easier to write. :-)

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What No Cardigan?

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