Do You Know What You Are Writing?
Do You Know What You Are Writing?
This was our letter from the editor in the August issue of Suspense Magazine: What the hell is your book about?
I ask that question because, too many times, we receive emails, queries, and requests from authors and publicists sending over a synopsis of their book.
Editor’s Advice
Here is the deal from an editor: “Don’t tease us; we don’t like it. In your query, let us know the beginning, middle, and end of your book. Let the editor decide from that point whether or not we want to read the book.”
This is the same for any type of marketing you do to blog sites, radio shows, etc. Suspense Magazine receives over three thousand books and thousands of short stories each year. We must be picky about who we review because we can’t read all those books.
Here is an example of the type of email I don’t want to receive: “I’m letting you know about my book in which the killer goes around killing people. The main character has a connection with the killer, but they don’t know each other until you reach the exciting ending when everything will be revealed.”
This is not a real email I got from someone, but you get the idea. Let the reviewer know how the book is going to end, etc. Reviewers are NOT customers for your books. They are not going to Barnes and Noble or Amazon to purchase books. Therefore, please don’t give them the synopsis that would be written on the back of the book.
Your query letter can be a page, but let us know what we will be getting into. Believe me, I’ve heard it all before. When I normally get an email that is not descriptive of the book and what you are writing, by breaking down the main character, throwing in some emotion, who is the killer, etc, more than likely it will not get a response and certainly not be read.
Reviewers are people you need to help sell your book; most of them get so many books they can’t possibly read them all, and most review books for free. In fact, if you have to pay a fee for a review, run away! There are way too many independent sites and readers out there who would love to read your book and review it for free, so never pay for a review.
However, you must know that reviewers are much like agents or publishers. If you write a query letter that doesn’t explain your book to an agent or publisher from beginning to end, you won’t get a friendly letter back.
Now, you might ask, ‘What about another author? How would I approach them?’ Again, other authors are NOT your customers; they are people who can help you sell books, so you need to treat them like business partners in your writing. Let them know what your book is about; don’t keep them in the dark. Believe me, they have heard it all before, too.
The vital lesson to be learned is to know who you are writing to. If you are doing an interview, tease the audience, but if you want a review, leave the teasers off the page. The biggest question you must ask yourself is “What the hell is my book about?” If you can answer that question, put it on paper and get yourself some people to review your book and start selling more books.
Good luck, and if you have questions or comments, email me. Now go…write!
John Raab
CEO/Publisher
Suspense Magazine
Excellent insight and advice. Thanks!