Wanna know why I hate >? Because it’s attached to the text of an email. Which means that you forwarded your query to me. Which means that you thought yourself achingly clever and efficient. And you also addressed me as Acquisitions Department. So now that my name has been changed, I have to get all new business cards. And driver’s license. And my friends? Oy, the headache that will be reminding them that my name is now Acquisitions Department – though I think I’ll let them call me Acqui for short. Or Dept.
Let’s all say it together, kiddies, A QUERY LETTER IS A JOB INTERVIEW, PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD.
This is noob stuff. Don’t be a noob.
-Acqui
Hey, what’s wrong with Acqui Price for a name? It has a definite ring to it!
Lynn, you got to look on the bright side. That wannabe obviously thought you were an entire department, that all the things you do are actually done by more than one person, maybe ten oy you. It’s quite a compliment. Of course back in college we call the local bar the same thing, but fro a different reason.
Bill
No matter how many times you tell them, they just have to do it their own way. Totally mysterious.
True, Irene. They’re the ones who get taken in by sloshy publishers offering to send their book to Sandra Bullock…
Bill, go stand in the corner, and take that Lauren Roberts woman with you!
I guess those silly people haven’t learned the tricks of the trade . . .
1) when forwarding remove ‘FW’ from the subject line
2) when forwarding remove >
3) when forwarding . . . copy and paste into new email and make it look all snazzy
4) when forwarding, don’t refer to Lynn Price as Lynn Behler!!!
: )
S
5) If querying a niche agent or editor, tailor the query so those elements stand out.
I’d remove the > for the simple reason that the email looks better without them – cleaner and easier to read.
My eyes are under enough strain already, so if something online is difficult to read, I usually don’t bother.