Query Me

The hardest thing I've ever had to write (other than essays on books that I was never going to finish anyway) is a query letter. Query letters must be the bane of every aspiring author's existence, especially if it's the first time they're trying it out. I've written quite a few queries, all for the same book, and while they're all different, I do think that I'm getting better at them.

Let me tell you why query/cover letters are a fiction writer's nightmare, at least in my opinion: because fiction writers write fiction. Personally, I hate having to write about myself, about why I think my book is amazing and better than anything else out there. Not because I don't think it's amazing, but because it feels like I'm writing a heavily veiled "LOVE ME" letter to a editor I've never met before. I might as well be begging for publication for all the good it does.

The worst part of this is that I put so much work, effort, and time into writing both my cover letter and of course into the manuscript I'd like published. And generally, they go into a slush pile (read: recycling). And yes, I am aware that J. K. Rowling was rejected a million times or whatever, as were a bunch of other famous authors, and I'm sure they have binders full of rejection letters. But just because those authors have "interesting" stories about finally getting published doesn't change the fact that there could be countless other brilliant authors who didn't get published.

People say that the query/cover letter should be when you really shine by saying how good your book is, how well it fits into the market, and how good of an author you are. That it should reflect your style of writing while maintaining professionalism, and should really showcase your best work. And this is exactly what makes them so difficult. You can't just let your writing "speak for itself," you have to actually talk about it too. It's awkward, it's not easy to do, and it's a totally undervalued skill.

Which is why I'm currently working on perfecting it. Because, as cheesy as it sounds, I really would like to shine.

- Natasja