I’ve recently mentioned the book I’m currently working on, A Magic Life. A couple people have emailed to ask what’s been happening with the novel I wrote before starting A Magic Life. That novel is called Promise, and I’m currently shopping it around to agents. The general feeling from the rejections I’ve received so far […]
The Timing of it All
On Monday, I wrote about how all stories have — in many ways — been told before. While that should never stop a writer from writing the story they want to tell, it’s not the only obstacle we face as writers. Sometimes the timing of things can send a writer into a wall. Two Months […]
How to Deal With a Writing Rejection Letter
Monday Morning My week began with rejection. In July, I had a request to read the full manuscript of my current novel by one of the top agencies on my dream list. Naturally, when you get a request for the entire book, you hope for the best. It was a good rejection letter as far […]
Queries that Worked: Personal Writing Magazine
The last query letter of the week is a pitch sent to Writer’s Digest. I’d read Writer’s Digest on and off since I was in my late teens, and decided to send a query for a sort of travel piece: * * * [Note: My contact information is flushed right on my query] Christopher Gronlund […]
Queries that Worked: My Biggest Writing Regret
Since I had written a couple travel pieces for the Dallas Morning News and finally knew the editor on a first-name basis, I decided to send a pitch letter. A pitch letter is a query letter, but it’s a little different. Instead of sending a detailed query about a place you plan to write about, […]
Queries that Worked: Two Travel Writing Queries
Each day this week, I’m sharing query letters that worked for me. Today, I’m sharing the story that resulted in my first travel article. I’m also sharing the second query to the same publication. I’ve previously mentioned that I pitched my first travel article after a layoff seven years ago. I don’t have the original […]
Queries that Worked: The Screenplays
Today’s query letters aren’t letters at all. Sometimes the pitch is in person or over the phone (over the phone in today’s examples). * * * A friend I made when my wife and I were doing comic books bumped into somebody in development at two movie studios at the San Diego Comic Con. He […]
Queries that Worked: The Novel Pitch
Each day this week, I’m sharing a query letter that resulted in a request for more material, or a sale. In some cases — like today — I’ll share multiple queries. Today’s queries are for my first novel, Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors (HCWWPD). While HCWWPD didn’t sell, the queries I’m sharing did work, […]