You know how I always say that the scary-scary odds--You're more likely to get hit by lightning/sing in a Broadway play than get published--are somewhat misleading? Well, they're skewed by--you guessed it!--those who don't do research.
Today, in our query pile of 32 emails:
One author asking to be excepted from the submissions process. Couldn't we just Google him instead?
Two JFK conspiracy books.
One author who CCs--yes, that's the one where we see all of them--all of the agents, and simply addresses the thing, "Dear agent." At least capitalize "Agent"!
One Eat, Pray, Love knockoff that insists nothing like this has ever, ever been written before. If you're a writer and haven't heard of a book that Britney Spears has (she was blurbed in the UK edition)...well...
One, "Dear Agent, can I get a do-over?" with regard to a query sent last week.
....and my favorite:
One email to our Submissions account--it's Submissions@--asking if we accept e-mail submissions.
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We hosted an author visit yester with SAVVY's Ingrid Law. She talked to the kids about the things in her "author toolbox." Inside, one of the biggest things she keeps is COURAGE. The courage to keep trying, to keep growing, and to keep working to rise above the slush.
I'm a Cowardly Lion, but knowing that others are messing up even worse than me gives me courage.
I have learned that it takes a lot of guts to read through the query one last time and click SEND.
Of course, not all guts are good. When your appendix turns on you, for example. That's not good.
While my queries haven't been accepted yet, this entry helps me not feel so bad. I should definitely keep trying.
While I haven't been accepted by an agent yet, this post make me not feel too bad. I haven't committed any of these blunders, so maybe there's hope for me yet.
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