The Small Stuff
6
Online query forms include some things that might seem like minutiae against the backdrop of a completed book, bio, and query letter. But small doesn’t mean unimportant. Publishers want to know about you, your book, and what kind of team player you are. Here are some things you’ll be asked and why they matter.
Author Website
Word of mouth and personal connections sell books. This is good news! It means book sales aren’t totally out of your control. Your author website is an effective launchpad for your book and an open door for the creation of the all-important email list to keep friends and readers informed. I’m on any number of author email lists; I hope you are too.
I came across this upcoming $90 Writer’s Digest webinar on email newsletters hosted by Jane Friedman on July 13, 2023. There’s plenty of free online help for creating a newsletter list, but this might be a help if you need a jump start. Don’t worry if your first email goes to only your mom, cousin, and best friend. Those folks will be great marketing assets. The earlier you start the better.
Social Media
Yes, publishers look at your social media. And no, they aren’t out of line to do so. Social media is fraught with—well, fraught—but an online presence can be an indication of your willingness to step out of your comfort zone, make connections with fellow authors, and self-promote. If you have no social media accounts, start some before you query. A note saying you’ve begun to establish your presence online in preparation for publication can go a long way. Just mean it. It shouldn’t need to be said, but it does: when you put a social media link in a query, it must be real and active. “Account does not exist” isn’t a good first impression.
Comps
Don’t skip the request for comparable books. Editors and agents use these to get a sense of your direction and mindset. If you can’t think of any comps, read more. Scour Amazon; go to Google. If you still can’t find books similar to yours, keep trying. Stop the query process until you have comps. The more current the titles the better.
Submission Guidelines
I’ve said this before. Check guidelines carefully for every query you send out. If your book doesn’t fit the specified guidelines, don’t submit to that publisher. This is the first thing an acquisitions editor will check; they answer to their publishing house, too. If a query doesn’t meet the house requirements, it probably won’t be read. These guidelines include word count, genre, age category, form (as in full length novel, novella, short story, poetry, non-fiction), and so on.
Think of the query as a job interview. Be honest, do your homework, and be respectful of your potential publisher.
Here’s an article on how one new novelist got published.
I’m drawing this short series to an end. I hope I’ve encouraged you and given at least a little help. Please feel free to contact me with questions or thoughts. Good luck!
Cindy