Can a simple comment on a submission make a literary agent howl with horror? Yes, absolutely, according to this agent's guest post:
Let’s start with the science bit – every day by email, post, carrier pigeon and osmosis I receive 10 unsolicited approaches from unrepresented writers out in the big wide literary firmament.
These come from all genres. There’s fiction (from coming-of-age to fin-de-siècle), non-fiction (from ‘My 38 Years As a Bank Manager’ to ‘Mucus – the bodily secretion that changed the world’), poetry (from love poetry to stalker poetry), cookery books and academic texts to verse drama – usually about earwigs taking over the world for some reason.
On one level I sit there excited about the wealth of creativity and on another I sit there silently screaming and wondering where the STOP button is!
The truth is that there are more writers than readers and almost all of this material will never be published in the conventional manner. But like a theatre critic sitting there as the lights go down night after night, one is always hoping that, as an agent, this is going to be your J. K. Rowling Moment. If only it were something that happened so much more often…
As one of the quality filters in the system, I am often asked how I sort the wheat from the chaff and the good from the evil.
The answer is that it really isn’t rocket science and that you, dear reader, could soon pick it up.
I start by reading the covering letter – if someone misspells my name that is never a good start and if they tell me that they have tried every agent in town and are now trying me, then that can, on a bad day, be a deal breaker. And if someone tells me they have analysed the bestseller list and created the ‘perfect bestseller’ in lab conditions, then I will most certainly run down the street screaming.
Funnily enough, screaming is not conducive to my taking on a new client.
Yours,
Grumpy Old Agent*
*Grumpy Old Agent is Simon Trewin, a literary agent at United Agents. He tweets as simontrewin.
Oh I don't know misha. I followed the link to your website and if you write your cover letter as well as your site presents, then I think it will be a very good letter. Your website is fabulous and reading it made me want to read your work.
I know what you mean though. I think the problem for me is that I was brought up being told that showing off is vulgar and crass ... and then I have to write a letter saying that I am wonderful and my book is wonderful too. It just feels strange to behave in such a way. Still I think what agents are looking for is the human element in the letter. I am sure that they don't bin them instantly if the writer fails to sound like the great I am. Good luck with your book.
Hello Sunflower,
Just saw your post. I'm busy composing a poem for a contest and designing a sketch to go with it; all the while fighting a nasty cold. My determination is not to repeat the short story performance of composing from 12 to 3AM then feel pressured to pass up doing what I do best: Perfect things.
There are countless ways to create a cover letter of style and substance; owing to the author's creativity, perspectives, etc...that's the style part. The substance part comes from learning as much information as possible, this site being a good place to start. The basic formula for combining the two is simply:
ExP+D=L where,
E is experimentation
P is practice and
D is determination with
L being the right cover letter.
Experiment with different ideas then Practice until the right one emerges. (I'm taking the third part, determination for granted, because you already have that, right?).
It may take time and many tries. But, trust yourself. You will know when you get it right.
My opinion is to get it to someone who can expose it, someone with good connections. If agents from Perth don't make the cut, find an agent who can.
Writing is a labour of love, but publishing is business. One shouldn't confuse the two.
With hope that you will finish/publish your book,
sincerely,
Jessica