What of this thing called a query? A thing quite essential to getting someone to read your book, that's what. If you google 'query' you're going to get approximately 50 million hits on what not to do. I question how helpful that is. In the end, it all comes down to this wee little paragraph which is apparently the most difficult task to writing a book. It's intimidating, that's what it is. So many rules, so few words. What's a writer to do? In the end, I suppose if you have your eyes open, and you've written you're words as clearly as possible without sounding wooden, you've got to try. Those 50 million hits are going to keep your manuscripts in a drawer forever. Take a chance, send it out. If nothing happens, do it again...and again...and again forever perhaps. Having faith in one's work is the only thing that really gets the job done.
I've noticed lately that I've matured when it comes to criticism. I don't take offense or go off broken hearted like I used to, and if it's someone I trust, I actually go back and re-read the section they thought needed help, and generally I do see that they are right, and fix it up. Perspective is everything. I'd apply the same need for criticism to the query letter. The real issue is finding someone you trust to read things. It isn't all that easy - how's the new baby, want to read a manuscript for me? Getting a literary agent or publisher to read your book is hard, but so is getting a trusted person to read it. If you're lucky enough to belong to a writer's group, well you've got it made. If you are a lone writer in a very small town, things get iffy. So here's a question for you - does anyone know of a literary group that work online from far away? I'd be ecstatic to find that. Or create that, if you're interested.
Alright, enough with the writing and ranting. We had a wee snowfall last week, that didn't last of course but still had me all excited for snow. Yesterday I picked up a new pair of snowshoes. They are taunting me from the corner as we speak, promising all sorts of grand snowy adventures wandering through the woods. Couldn't I at least put them on and wander about the house for a little while, ripping up my wooden floors with the crampons and generally terrifying the cats? Silly snowshoes, behave thyself. They have also suggested that we get in the truck and drive to Alaska for a few days of tramping about, just to make sure we like each other. I don't want to point any fingers, but the truck was warmed up and the snowshoes sat innocently in the passenger seat with a toque and mitts sitting beside them when I awoke this morning. I shook my head, no, it's Hallowe'en tonight and there will be little monsters about that I don't want to miss.
Hmmm...wouldn't snowhoes make a great costume?
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