Well, that was something else...

So today, or yesterday since most of you (all two) will read this tomorrow...

So today, I posted about my query letter. How it's on my goal list to send out a few of them... well twenty of them... by March 20th.

After posting that, I went to work on my query. Pulled it out... then stared at it like an idiot. I think something like, "Duhhhhhhhhh" came shooting out of my vocal chords.

Who knew?

In all due respect, writing a query letter is very hard. It's a mind boggling activity. There are no finite rules, each house or agent is different in what they want to see or read. So it's really like playing chess with a monkey... and you are the monkey.

Because no matter which move you make, it's the wrong one for someone. Which transfers to tremendous pressure to write a query that might meet at least 10% of your intended audiences fancy.

So, back to query letters not chess with monkeys... I opened mine up and then did what every person does... tweeted a "Whoa is me dot dot dot whoa to the query process whine whine whine."

You know, I am not much of a whiner... but it worked for me, let's go with this.

I received a tweet back almost immediately from a sweet lady who said she would check out my query. And yup, it sucked just as much as I thought it would... well she probably knew it would too, what with me... using... all... these... freaking... ellipses when I tweet (or blog). But alas, I don't use them when I write, or query for that matter. Really.

Bunny trail, sorry. No, I don't have ADD, why do you ask?

So, she sends me her thoughts back. We exchange a few emails... I scratch her back after she scratches mine and then she emails me the unthinkable...

"I have an idea - try writing what [your MC] is up against, but do it in first person. I don't suggest you send the query this way, but rather just free write to see if you can get some good nuggets out that way. I often free write in a character's voice (complaining mostly) and that helps me to get to the heart of a person/situation."

Sure, whatever crazy lady. No, but wait... this could actually be fun (and no I didn't really think it was a crazy idea... well not completely... moving on).

Guess what... I did it. I sat down and took a bit and wrote out a first person account of my query letter.

I'll be a monkeys uncle (who plays chess) if it didn't work. The difference between the query letters is phenomenal! P.H.E.N.O.M.E.N.A.L! Not that it's any sort of perfect... but its definitely better then it had been... and leaps & bounds better then the way the day started.

Who'da thunk it? Well obviously Miranda did! Boy am I grateful...

Now, my suggestion to every writer trying to write a query... Humor yourself and do it in first person. Then keep it open and start a query from that first person account. It works! Well... at least it did for me.

I am sure more editing on this thorn in my side... I mean, query letter... is on the horizon, but I just had to share my micro-breakthrough... and thank Miranda Kenneally for her time and suggestions. She rocks the ideas. Do check her out on Twitter, cuzz like I said... she is awesome... and puts up with my ellipses... or does she?

Hmmmmm....

One step closer to publication... Eisley Jacobs.