Writer's Digest Questions and Quandaries

Q: What is the correct way to write the following sentence: "Mark was one of the most generous persons I've ever met," or "Mark was one of the most generous people I've ever met"? Help!—Mark

A: Ironically, Webster’s New World College Dictionary’s definition of “people” uses the word “persons” five times. Why? The meaning of both words is nearly identical. Nearly.

Both refer to groups of humans, but traditionally “people” describes a general group while “persons” portrays a smaller, more specific group. For example: At least 500 people attended the concert. Here, the concert goers are a large general group. The nine persons on the baseball team are bald. The ballplayers mentioned in this sentence are specific, therefore persons is the better choice.

The use of the word “persons” isn’t too popular anymore, though, as references like the AP Stylebook and The New York Times recommend only using “persons” if it’s in a direct quote or part of a title (e.g., Bureau of Missing Persons).

Your best bet is to say, Mark was one of the most generous people I’ve ever met. But it’s a style issue, and as long as you abide by the distinctions above, “persons” can be an acceptable word choice. Unless, of course, your editor refers to the AP Stylebook as the “The Bible.”

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Friday, May 25, 2007 2:16:18 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Friday, May 18, 2007

Query Letter Synopsis

Q: Every time I start to write a query letter, I seem to write an entire synopsis of a work. How do I know where to stop? — Adora Mitchell Bayles

A: This is an extremely common question. Most writers (myself included) can babble on about their brilliant ideas (which we all have many) and just don't know where to stop, particularly in query letters. But there are a few rules you can follow to keep it brief and to the point.

Query letters should be no more than one page. Typically, shorter is better. You'll need room for your qualifications and your details (how many words you believe the piece will be, how long it'll take you to finish, where the editor can find your clips, etc.). This leaves, at most, one-half page for your intro (lead) and brief synopsis.

Both the intro and synopsis should be no more than 3-4 sentences each. That's all an editor really needs to know whether or not the idea is a fit for his publication. If you can't slice it down to that, you don't have a strong focus to your piece and need to hone your idea.

With e-mail making it easy for anyone to submit an idea, editors are receiving queries at an unprecedented rate and have little time to rummage through them. To give yourself the best chance at catching their attention and getting a fair shake, follow the rules above. It shows that you're a professional and have done your homework.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Query Letters

Friday, May 18, 2007 6:47:20 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Friday, May 11, 2007

How to Start a Query Letter

Q: How should a query letter be started? Is it best to start with: "Dear Sir or Ma'am" or should it just tell what the manuscript is about? — G. Harrison

A: Being the editor of WD's InkWell section, I deal with query letters all the time. Some are brilliant and get assigned. Others are good but just not a fit. And the rest are, well, better suited for making paper airplanes.

The opening is the key to any good query letter. You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you don't hook the editor with your first couple of sentences you might as well start folding the airplane wings yourself. It's important to begin with a pleasant salutation to the acquisitions editor (or editor of the section your are querying). You can typically find that online or in the front pages (masthead) of the magazine. For example:

Dear Brian A. Klems:

Always, always, always spell the editor's name correctly. My name is all over the magazine, in the weekly newsletter, on this blog—you can't trip without falling into it—and yet folks still seem to spell it "Clemms" or "Kelms" or "Handsome." Other than the latter, the first two will immediately warrant rejection. Also, if you can't find an editor's name or are unsure which editor to send it to, just say:

Dear Acquisitions Editor:

Now, write the first paragraph of your query letter like you would the lead to your article. In fact, I highly suggest using the lead of your article. If it's catchy enough to hook readers, then it will be catchy enough to hook the editor. An excellent example comes from Jordan E. Rosenfeld, a freelancer who contributes to WD often. For her recent piece on Fantastic Fiction, she began her query with this lead:

While reality still rules TV, when it comes to fiction, what used to be relegated to science fiction and fantasy genres has now made its way through the well-guarded gates of literary fiction and appears to be there to stay. From time-travel to potato babies, contemporary surrealist (or "fantastic") writers write literary prose that asks readers to alter their expectations and perceptions. Some would argue this form offers an even deeper understanding of our human experience. Plus, it's fun to read.

Even though we eventually made some changes, this is a great opening for a query. It's catchy, hooks you and gives you a sense of her voice. It's also fairly short and to the point.

If you follow these tips, you'll have the makings of a query letter that editors love. If not, don't be surprised when your query ends up in the airplane pile next to all the letters addressed to "Mr. Clemms."

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Friday, May 11, 2007 8:52:30 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

Comments [9]

Friday, May 04, 2007

No Agent? No Problem

Q: I would like to know what an author is to do if a publisher were to offer up a contract to him or her when there is no agent involved?— C. L. Freire

A: Negotiating a book contract is a lot like buying a car—there's some give and take, not everyone will get the same deal and sometimes you have to pass on the sunroof to get the deal done. It's helpful to have an agent, of course, but not everyone has that luxury. So how can you, a first-time author, make sure that you're getting a fair deal?

When a publisher wants your book, she'll make an offer. Most companies have a standard contract, or boilerplate that they use. Nearly all of these standard contracts have language that favors the publisher, so it's up to you to haggle out a better deal. Assume that everything is negotiable, though keep in mind that what's flexible in one publisher's contract may not be so flexible somewhere else. Topics most often open for negotiation are:

- royalty v. flat fee
- anticipated royalty %
- anticipated advance
- expenses to be built in
- second use rights (including electronic)
- free copies of book
- cost to author to buy copies

If there are certain areas that are nonnegotiable, the publisher will tell the author that. Accept it and move on. Also, if you have questions about anything, ask. Contracts are complicated and often need explaining.

Before navigating the minefield of book negotiation, it's essential that you read up on publishing contracts. The Author's Guild offers several tips on how to negotiate a fair contract (http://www.authorsguild.org/?p=101). If you're a member of the National Writers Union, you can hop onto their site (http://www.nwu.org) and get extra advice. Plus, there are several good books on the topic—read as many as you can.

Should you involve a lawyer? I asked Writer's Digest Books acquisitions editor Jane Friedman and she says it's OK to ask a lawyer for advice, but often they can be a real headache if they're not familiar with publishing law. "They may ask for terms or stipulations that are unreasonable," Friedman says.

As long as you've done some homework, you'll be in good shape when hammering out your book deal. The more times you go through the process, the better you'll get. And one day, if you're lucky, you'll be able to get that sunroof.

Brian A. Klems is the associate editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Friday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Business | Marketing | Publishing

Friday, May 04, 2007 7:27:27 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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