query letter — Paper Poppy Editorial - Editing and Copywriting Services

the writer's arsenal: top links for authors (bookmark this post!)

From first-time authors to experienced bestsellers, we can all feel a little overwhelmed sometimes—publishing is not for the faint of heart. Thankfully, there is a wealth of fantastic advice to be found online; the question is, where to start? The below is a list of helpful links I’ve collected over the years, ones I rely on often, especially when helping new authors navigate the often-tricky publishing landscape. I will be updating this list to include further helpful resources as I come across them. If you’re looking for professional editing services, please reach out. I’d love to discuss your project with you!

Kate Pawson StuderJanuary 8, 2024writing, editing advice, query letter, pubtips, writing resources, writing links

the writer's arsenal: pitch, query, back cover copy

Call it whatever you want--as a writer, at some point, you're going to have to sum up your story in a few short, hooky paragraphs. Starting out, you'll need this fine-tuned pitch or query blurb when you're approaching agents, then publishers (though once you have an agent, they will often help you position it to perfection!), and ultimately, if you land that elusive book deal, it will likely be the beginning of what copywriters will eventually turn into magical back cover copy a.k.a. those enticing lines on the back of book that make you decide to pop it in your basket instead of returning it to the shelf.

Kate Pawson StuderMay 10, 2017writing, pubtips, authors, editing advice, query letter

the writer's arsenal: room for interpretation

In my post on Query Letter Dos and Don'ts, I touched on the fact that you shouldn't praise yourself in your query. I want to expand on that a little because I see writers doing it wrong all the time. The rule of not praising yourself is twofold: don't praise yourself and don't praise your writing. Just lay your cards on the table and leave it to the agents/editors/readers to judge for themselves.

Kate Pawson StuderMarch 20, 2017pubtips, query letter, writing, authors

the writer's arsenal: query letter dos and don'ts

Ah, the query letter, something that seems like it should be straightforward, and a quick Google search on the subject will tell you there's certainly plenty of information out there, but in my experience, much that info is conflicting or amounts to few concrete takeaway tips. If you're looking to sell someone on your manuscript, be it an agent or an editor, you need a good query letter. It's your first impression. Your pitch. And it's one of MANY in their overfull inbox. It needs to stand out. In my many years reviewing submissions, I've read A LOT of query letters. I've seen ones that worked, and ones that definitely didn't, and in today's post, I'm sharing my best tips in a clear and concise manner that I hope will help as you refine your own query. And if you need a second set of eyes to make your query as strong as possible, we can help with that. For the sake of this post, I'm going to stick to tips that mainly apply to querying fiction. I'll cover non-fiction in another post, as it's a whole different ball game.

Kate Pawson StuderMarch 1, 2017writing, query letter, editing advice, pubtips, authorsComment

The Writer's Arsenal