Query Critique
When I started this blog, Miss Snark most generously graced it with a visit. In typical Miss S fashion, she said that if I intended to mock rejections, then readers should have a right to mock my query. I politely informed her that I may be a nitwit, but I'm not that much of a nitwit.
Still, as I read Miss S's occasional feedback on queries, as well as the Crapometer and Evil Editor, I'm intrigued by the process of opening one's self up to such public critique. I've said all along that I have no illusions about my query being the best thing since the invention of movable type, but neither do I think it rubbish. (I am enough of a non-nitwit to know better than to send out rubbish posing as a professional query seeking publication for my novel.)
E2 is a decent editor of queries. The feedback given is often very good. The Crapometer is almost always useful, but some of the critiques remind me of the cliche about a group of blind people trying to get from point A to point B.
My personal theory is that I can learn from everything I encounter, if I'm open to the learning. I am not perfect in the openness part, but I do try. Perhaps someday soon I'll gird up my loins sufficiently so as to submit my query to one of the aforementioned critiques. We shall see.
PS -- Still waiting on the partials. I'm not anxious about it, and hope that the delay is because the agents in receipt of them are so engrossed by my writing that they keep reading it over and over.
Still, as I read Miss S's occasional feedback on queries, as well as the Crapometer and Evil Editor, I'm intrigued by the process of opening one's self up to such public critique. I've said all along that I have no illusions about my query being the best thing since the invention of movable type, but neither do I think it rubbish. (I am enough of a non-nitwit to know better than to send out rubbish posing as a professional query seeking publication for my novel.)
E2 is a decent editor of queries. The feedback given is often very good. The Crapometer is almost always useful, but some of the critiques remind me of the cliche about a group of blind people trying to get from point A to point B.
My personal theory is that I can learn from everything I encounter, if I'm open to the learning. I am not perfect in the openness part, but I do try. Perhaps someday soon I'll gird up my loins sufficiently so as to submit my query to one of the aforementioned critiques. We shall see.
PS -- Still waiting on the partials. I'm not anxious about it, and hope that the delay is because the agents in receipt of them are so engrossed by my writing that they keep reading it over and over.
posted by The Rejected Writer | 6/22/2006
1 Comments:
Do you really feel that way about EE?
I go back and forth. I think that, on a personal level, he's a really helpful, genuinely nice guy. His e-mail communications have been very supportive and professional. (As have my Ms. Snark e-mails, for that matter.)
But it seems like, as times goes on, his blog personae is heavy on the mocking yucks and less and less interested in the meaningful editing.
Let's face it, the more derision-worthy the query, the faster it moves to the top of his pile.
And then...
And then I've gleened a lot of good advice from his blog. I withdrew my query letter from consideration once I figured out that his interest was more geared toward entertainment than enlightenment.
But I have to credit him with some of the success I've had with my query letter to date. I've seen a lot of my mistakes get corrected at other people's expense.
He has good ideas.
Oh, I'm torn. I should just give him the benefit of the doubt.
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