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Before I Hit Send.

8/31/2015

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Before I hit send on an article, story, or even a query, I remember what a fellow writer told me. STOP! Why? Because when I think I am ready to hit send, I really am not. At least not until I go through my checklist to make sure I have checked and rechecked every last detail. This is my checklist:
  1. Have I checked and rechecked my manuscript for grammar and punctuation?
  2. Have I deleted weedy words such as "really, just, very". (There are lots of them, so make a list and check your manuscript)
  3. Have I read my submission out loud one more time before I send it? (You'd be amazed at the stumbling blocks I've found when I have read my stories out loud.)
  4. Do I have the editor's name right? 
  5. Do I have the correct email address? Believe me, it is very easy to send your email submission to the wrong email address. I know because I have done it.
  6. Do I have exactly what they asked for? Some want a query only, while others want a short synopsis and the first three chapters.
  7. Is my attachment, if they want an attachment, in the form requested? RTF, DOC, or PDF?
  8.  If they want my synopsis or query in the body of the email, is it in an appropriate format.

Writer, author, editor, and now Acquisition Editor for Leap Books Seek, Kelly Hashway posted the don't's of submitting a query. I am republishing this with her permission, but please check out her blog at http://kellyhashway.blogspot.com/. These are things to check before you hit send. 


  • Queries that didn't follow submission guidelines  I get that every publisher (and agent) tends to have specific submission guidelines and it can be overwhelming for authors, but please take the time to follow them. If you don't, it shows us you don't value our time or our preferences. That's no way to start a relationship with someone.
  • Queries that aren't at all what I'm looking for  I received queries for young adult books and early readers, yet my submission guidelines specifically say I'm looking for middle grade books. Querying with a book that isn't what an editor is looking for is wasting everyone's time, including your own. Besides, who wants an unnecessary rejection?
  • Misspelling the editor's name.  I understand Kelly is both a girl's name and a boy's name; however, a simple Google search brings up only one Kelly Hashway—me. And I have my picture all over the place. I'm not Mr. Hashway. I also got a lot of "Dear Ms. Hathaway" queries. I'm not related to Anne Hathaway or any other Hathaways. If you can't take the time to proofread to ensure you're spelling an editor's name correctly, you're telling me you don't care. That doesn't make me care much in return. :(
  • Replies asking if the author can revise and resubmit  If an editor loves your writing and concept but thinks the book needs work, he/she will tell you to revise and resubmit. Please don't email me and ask if you can—or worse, just assume you can. If I took the time to give you helpful feedback, use it to move forward and get ready for your next submission.
  • Forget to include a query  I kid you not. I received more than one query that didn't have a query letter. They were simply "here's my attached manuscript" messages. I didn't even know what the books were called. If you can't care enough to describe your book to me or even tell me the title, I'm not going to be the least bit excited to read your pages.



I know this may sound like a lot to go through before you hit send, but don't you want to put your best foot forward. I know I do. So what do you do before you hit send?


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What? You didn't like my story?

8/17/2015

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Every writer sends out their manuscripts with the hope that good news will soon follow. However, more often than not, instead of an acceptance letter, they get a rejection. That's when writers say, "What? You didn't like my story?", and it is quickly followed by "Why?"

Now, I've had my share of rejections. In fact, for my first book--The Home Day Care Handbook, I had so many I could have papered my bedroom. Of course, with each one I asked the what and why questions. I did it for at least the first 15, then I started asking myself why. Why didn't the publisher like it? Why wasn't it a good fit?  

I knew the manuscript was formatted correctly, and it was checked and rechecked for punctuation, grammar, and spelling. In addition, all the facts, recipes, age appropriate activities, and record keeping suggestions were tried and true. Plus, there were no other books like it in the market place and the subject (home daycare) was an up and coming new business. So if it wasn't the material or the manuscript, what was it? Could it be my choice of possible publishers? In a word, YEP!

Instead of narrowing my selection of publishers to approach, I followed the advice of another writer and "shotgunned" my queries. What's that? It is firing off multiple queries to multiple publishers at the same time just like the small pellets in buck shot. My only criteria was choosing publishers who asked for self-help books.  Lesson learned. I went back to the drawing board, so to speak, meaning the Writer's Market. I was more selective. I sent for catalogs. And, when I had a handful of possible candidates, I went to the library and checked out all the books they published in the proceeding two years. My list quickly whittled down to two publishers. That's two queries, not seventy. The response? Both asked for the full manuscript to review, and one offered a contract.

Now that I am writing again, I am remembering that lesson to choose wisely. So that is my reminder for this week, take time to analyze possible publishers to make sure your book is a good fit. And, if you get a rejection, review your manuscript and your choices. Finally, don't let a rejection throw you from your goal. Pick yourself up, dust off your derriere, and get busy! There's a reader out there waiting, and the last thing you want to do is keep them waiting.




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Do I write for passion or money?

8/2/2015

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PictureMy grand daughter with her favorite Ever After High doll, Darling Charming, daughter of Prince Charming.
Recently someone on LinkedIn started a discussion on whether one wrote to fulfill a passion or to make money. That made me think. Yes, of course, I have a strong desire to write, but it would also be nice to make money with my articles, stories, and books. Wait. That's not exactly true. What I would really like to achieve with my "passion" is to have a child love something I wrote so much that he or she wanted more. I guess what I am saying is I want to be a little like Shannon Hale.


Shannon Hale, the author of "Ever After High", is my grand daughter's favorite author. She loves this series about all the sons and daughters of the fairy tale queens and princesses, and whether or not they will choose to live up to their parent's destiny. (They are good books--I know because she has me read each one that comes out) And, as with any series for kids, there is merchandise. Lots and lots of merchandise in the form of dolls, and she has almost every one of them. But it's not the merchandise or the oodles of money that comes from a hit series, it's the love my grand daughter has for all of it.


The glint in her eyes, the sparkle in her smile, and the eagerness to read each new book--that is what I want. That is why I write. Someday, I hope to see the same joy illuminating the face of a child reading one of my books. So, do I write out of passion? Yes! But a little money would be nice, too.





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    Photo bySamuel Ferrara on Unsplash

    Sherry Alexander

    Dreamer, believer, reader, writer

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