Hello!
My name is Jimmy Hollis i Dickson. (That’s “file under Hollis”: Dickson was my mother’s maiden name. I have adopted the Catalan custom of honouring both parents. [“i” is Catalan for “and”.] Though – to tell the truth – I don’t care which name I’m filed under… as long as my books make it onto the shelves.)
CV: I am a confused and confusing person. The only agnostic child (out of 9) of missionaries, I feel that I’m closer to Jesus’ teachings than most of my siblings. (Of course, they’d disagree.) My nationality is U.S. American, but I was born in Macau, then a Portuguese colony (later a Portuguese territory, now – along with Hong Kong – enclosed in a “special economic zone” within China), and I’ve spent less than 4 years (spread over 6 visits) out of my 61 in America. From the age of 18, I’ve been “European”.
I’ve lost almost all of my mother tongue (Cantonese) – for which I could kick myself – and speak 4 languages fluently enough for [some] natives to ask (after half an hour of conversation) “You’re not from here, are you?” In addition to French, the one I spent 6 years studying in formal education, and smatterings of Portuguese and Italian.
From the age of 13, I wanted to be a teacher (Maths at secondary school, later all-round for 3-to-6-year-olds), but after 1 year of [an excellent] teacher training college [where I was doing really well] I dropped out because I DIDN’T want to be a policeman to little children.
When asked my profession, I answer “writer and publisher of books for children” though I have never made a living out of either and have lost over 400€ as the latter.
I have earned my living as kitchen drudge, factory and warehouse worker, childminder, general labourer, carpenter, EFL teacher (both private classes and for a language school), and translator/proof-reader of translations, among other things.
It would be hyperbole to say that I would do most jobs in order to finance my writing and publishing ventures. But “make me an offer and I’ll consider it”.
Ssoooooooooooooooooo…
Just why am I writing to you? Again: confusing.
Children are the most important aspect of my life, books are a life-long passion, and providing GOOD books for children is my life’s ambition. (That’s 3x “life” in one sentence, but I hope that you’ll forgive that.)
a) I have read your profile on your web-site and that gives me a degree of hope. I am aware that many agents would have binned this e-mail by now… but then I’m looking for a “different” agent. One who – like me – is willing to take a chance on unknowns for the sheer love of literature.
b) I am looking for representation as a writer, translator (preferably of children’s books, but I’ll tackle pretty much anything – aside from religious tracts and high finance), and/or proof-reader/copy editorº. You can see a précis of the book (for 3-8s: “Not Now, Daddy!”) that I’m currently most interested in “pushing” at http://la-granota.com/list.htm and the full book (minus “How This Book Was Born”, a page of 16 thumb-nail “the making of” photos, and the author’s photo) at http://jimmsfairytales.com/olivia.htm * (http://jimmsfairytales.com offers an offering of my writing for older children.) I could send you a full pdf if you’re interested.
As a writer for children, my aim is to be… confusing. I want to challenge stereotypes and encourage children to think. I often turn roles and/or situations on their heads. A thread that seems to run through ALL of it is “There is ALWAYS another POV… and The Other has a right to their own opinions and values.” (For adults, I’ve written a “song cycle” around the death of Rachel Corrie, a young American volunteer in Gaza. Each of the 13 poems comes with the “voice” of a different person. See http://jimmsfairytales.com/shelives.htm )
c) I am also hoping that you might steer new writers and/or illustrators in the direction of our “publishing hut”. As I have intimated, “We’re not in this for the money”. (A minimum of 25% of the profits of each book go to worthy causes – to be decided in consultation with writer and/or illustrator.)
Having lived the experience of an unknown writer trying to get a foot in the door, I hope to provide a springboard for first-timers to reach greater heights. I know that many publishers turn down mss that are good… but not commercial. That is not an issue with La Gr@not@. But quality and ethics are – very much so. See http://la-granota.com/crazy.htm for an idea of what we’re looking for. A very important aspect of La Gr@not@ is that contracts are not binding on creators. Once a writer/illustrator finds a better, more lucrative offer, they are free to walk away… with our blessings and best wishes.
º Having lived in several different cultures, I am aware of nuances in languages that many stay-at-home translators would miss. As a pedant, poor translations bother me. Again as a pedant, I have noticed “bloopers” in many published books, including best-sellers (e.g. mistakes in dates in The Time Traveler’s Wife). That “Traveler” is underlined in red on my computer, which reminds me to mention that I also have experience with spelling/cultural/vocabulary differences between U.S. and U.K. English.
Hoping for good things,
Jimmy
La Gr@not@
p.s. Final pedantic point: I would LIKE to begin letters with “Dear _____,”. But – until we become dear to each other – it’s “Hello!” (In German, the standard is “Very honoured _____”: “Honoured ______” is just not good enough!)
Hi Jimmy,
I would agree with everyone else's comments here - this letter is far too long and personal to get past any agent. I have had feedback on agent letters, as well as being given (by an agent) an example of what they consider to be an ideal pitch letter, structure as follows:
1. Start with the title of your book, genre and word count : ie I am seeking representation for Flowery Sky, a romance novel of 75,000 words.
2. A brief synopsis of the novel - similar to the blurb you might see on the back cover.
3. A short paragraph about yourself and any relevant experience - books published, blogs managed, writing competitions won.
4. A paragraph stating why you think your book would be a good fit for their agency (indicating you've done your research). A little flattery doesn't hurt at this point. Also, let them know if you're working on anything else.
And that's about it. You can get into the personality stuff once you've established a relationship with them, but the initial pitch needs to be professional in tone.
Hope that helps - I think you have some good information here, but it's just getting lost in everything else.
Good luck!
Lorraine and Adrian have given some good detailed advice. I just want to focus on one sentence of your letter, because it is relevant to everything you do as a writer.
"I am a confused and confusing person."
As a writer, it is permissible to be confused. To any thoughtful person, the world is a confusing place. But is it permissible to be a writer who is confusing? Personally I don't believe it is. One important skill for any writer is the ability use words precisely, to convey a specific meaning, or to provoke thought, or to evoke a particular emotional response, or simply to entertain.
Just one of the ways of contributing to that precision is by carefully considering your reader, and then framing your writing to suit. For example, rather than wanting your writing to confuse children, you perhaps want it to suggest to them that the obvious answer is not always the right one; or, for older children, that some situations don't have a right answer, just possible options between which they need to choose.
I suggest you have another go at the letter, limiting yourself to 150 words. I'll be happy to take another look.
All the best
Penny
Covering Letter.
It is important to remember that in your cover letter you should be informative and never chatty. This is a business correspondence, not a letter to your dear old aunt.
Whether you are writing to a literary agent or an editor, most letters follow this simple three-paragraph formula, but no more than 4 paragraphs maximum.
Paragraph One: Introduction and Summary of Work
PROFESSIONAL LETTERHEAD
Ima Storyteller. Followed by your address.
Dear (Name of Specific Agent or Editor):
I would like to submit my manuscript, (Title of Novel), to your agency. (Title of Novel) is a story about (two or three sentences of summary, no more). In ways, it is similar to other books recently published, such as (Book Titles).
Paragraph Two: All About You.
Paragraph Three: Contact Number and Closing
Thank you again for reading my work. Please, feel free to call me at home: (123) 456-7890. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Ima Storyteller.
TIPs:
1) Wait until your work is absolutely finished before submitting. You rarely get a second chance with a good editor or agent.
2) Find the right agent or editor. Find novels which are like your manuscript, then find out their agent and editor. How? Simple, call the publishers. Most are very willing to offer this information.
3) Worried about Paragraph Two, the personal history? Have nothing to say? Be imaginative. Why are you the best person to have written this novel? How has your personal experience prepared you for it?
4) Still worried? Never published anything? A cover letter is a persuasive document designed to do one thing: entice an editor or agent to read your manuscript.
5) If you talk about your own life, make sure it is related to your manuscript. No one will care if you're a Nuclear Scientist, or a Crab Fisherman unless your novel is also about these things.
6) Call and introduce yourself. Be confident. Let them know your work is coming. It's the surest way to get out of that slush pile and on to a desk.
7) Send a whole lot of letters out. Cast a big net. Expect rejection. Don't worry when you get it. Keep sending out more letters.
8) Consider attending a Writers Conference which agents and editors will attend. That's another short way to the front of the line.
9) Be persistent.
I hope that helps
Good luck.