Thursday, August 23, 2007

Miss Snark's Greatest Hits (vol 35)

Some more good advice from my dive through the snarkives:

Novel queries really don't need biographical information. Or, you don't have to be a lawyer to write about them. In fact it might be better if you weren't.

From an agent's point of view, the value of a magazine sale isn't in the size of the check, or even in getting a check. It's in the credential that says a reputable editor thinks your stuff is worth printing-emphasis on reputable. The magazine has to have a seriously respected name if it doesn't pay pro rates.

There are a very small number of reasons that are acceptable for bothering an agent who is looking over your work.

Pre-blurbing. A bad idea that should be stepped on vigorously.

Another entertaining round of follow the directions when subbing to an agent, along with some suggestions for what not to put in a query.

2 comments:

Kelly Swails said...

Interesting. I'd never heard the bit about the envelope before.

Kelly McCullough said...

I hadn't either, which was one of the reasons I nabbed that post.