3 S.R. Johannes: Fabulous Follower Fiesta/Lessons from the Bachelor

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Fabulous Follower Fiesta/Lessons from the Bachelor

Here are today's winners! Thanks again to all my followers!

Winner #1:
Ash Elizabeth (Warning)
You won Hardback of Wicket Lovely by Melissa Marr and The Novel Writers Toolkit. Please email me your address.

Winner #2: Robyn Campbell (Putting Pen To Paper)
You won a Hardback of Devils Kiss by Sarwat Chadda and The Writers Course

Congrads and thank you for following me :)


Lessons from The Bachelor
when querying agents/editors

Yes i need to make some excuse for my addiction to reality tv!

1. Stand out - Make sure your premise/query letter has a good hook

2. Don't use gimmicks to get attention - be professional

3. Don't be the "crazy one" - do not keep emailing them. Wait the allotted time they list in their submissions before hounding them

4. Remember that chemistry is not something you can force - sometimes its that untouchable factor. Don't take every rejection personally.

5. Don't be the aggressor - don't appear desperate

6. Expect to cry at least once - Its OK to be upset about rejections. Give yourself 24 hrs and then move on. Especially at rejection.

7. There are at least 25 other good writers in line with you - Keep in mind agents get thousands of queries and editors get hundreds of manuscripts. Don't take the long wait personally.

8 First impressions are critical - watch the mispellings in your letter.

9. Know when to talk - don't blog about your rejections

10. Don't give up on "love" because you haven't found it yet - it only takes one to love your work.

11. Don't settle - if an agent offers you representation, be sure you connect. A bad agent is worse than no agent at all.

12. Make sure they love you as much as you love them - be sure when you get representation that you choose someone who loves your work and voice. Not just the premise or idea.

13. No one likes drama - their is no room for drama in publishing. Keep it in your books.

14. Be true to yourself. Stay true to your writing, no matter what but be willing to revise.

15. There are other fish in the sea - if you get one rejection, move onto the next.

16. Love is a battlefield - This business is not easy. It is so hard. Those who fight through the rejections will prevail.

17. Don't focus on the ring. It is important you enjoy the journey and not stress yourself out to get to published.Try to have fun along the way.

18. Have faith you will find "the one" - there is an agent for you. Have faith you will find them at the right time.

19. You will not ride off into the sunset - after reaching one horizon, there will be another.

20. Learn from your mistakes.

Here's to hoping you all find your "true love"! :)


44 comments:

Sarah Ahiers said...

ohhhh man... i want a rose so bad!

Robyn Campbell said...

Shelli, Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

And all super advice. Especially the first impressions. Important suggestions. I shall remember them all, because I have copied and pasted. Uh, that's okay isn't it? =)

Thanks Shelli for having the contest. (^_^)

Susan R. Mills said...

Ha! I love it. Great advice.

Ash. Elizabeth said...

oh wow! thanks so much! I've never read wicked lovely!!!

Ash. Elizabeth said...

i cant find your email address on here. Do you think you could email me from it? Mines RamblingAsh@gmail.com.

Thanks again!

Michelle Sussman said...

Great post! :)

Katie Anderson said...

haha. The Bachelor! Great comparison!!!

Gail said...

You are so creative!!!! I would never have thought to put publishing lessons together with the Bachelor!!!
So talented :-)

Tere Kirkland said...

"You will not ride off into the sunset - after reaching one horizon, there will be another."

This.

It's hard to remember that getting an agent is not the end of all your hard work, but the beginning.

Thanks, Shelli!

Deb Salisbury, Magic Seeker and Mantua-Maker said...

Great post! Thanks!

Ellz said...

Great advise. Thanks for posting.

Unknown said...

I don't watch reality television yet I still loved this post -- thanks!

Melissa (i swim for oceans) said...

hahahah nice...query lessons from the bachelor?! I would never have thought it possible :)

Melissa Sarno said...

This is a super list! Fun idea.

Kayeleen Hamblin said...

I must admit to being a Bachelor junky. In fact, my post tomorrow is going to have some sort of Bachelor tie in. This is a great list of lessons to be learned from the show. Reality TV is so transferable.

TerryLynnJohnson said...

Okay, though I've never seen the bachelor, I still think this is a great post!

Stina said...

Great advice, as usual! Love #20. And I have so many to learn from. :D

Heather Kelly said...

Fun post--I'm definitely going to read this one again when I'm getting the rejections!

Jennie Englund said...

Tip #3: my total fave.

Rebecca Knight said...

#21 Don't talk badly about the other contestants--it will always backfire ;).

Love this post, Shelli! It's all too true. LOL.

Steena Holmes said...

I'm a softie at heart, so I've cried more than once. But that being said ... I've also reworked my query through all those tears. It can only get better from here ... right?

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Clever list, Shelli. No. 7 struck a chord. We all know how many of us are doing this and how much talent there is. I'm grateful that so many agents are willing to blog and talk at conferences. That means a lot.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Shelli--You put a smile on my face. I could tell which of the ladies you were talking about on almost all of your points. Great post! I have trouble posting on Tuesday...Biggest Loser and American Idol...

Shannon O'Donnell said...

The bachelor = query advice? Who knew?! LOL! You are so fun, Shelli!

Congrats to Robyn and Elizabeth! :-)

Unknown said...

What a great list! So true. :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Congrats to the winners :)

Great list of advice. I think one of family mantras should be "Don't be the crazy one"!

Lisa Schroeder said...

You are SO brilliant.

And man, what a season this is. I can hardly wait for next week - more drama!!!

Natalie Aguirre said...

Great advice that I get even though I've never seen the show. Thanks for all the advice on keeping perspective and remembering you aren't the only one querying this agent.

Kelly Polark said...

HA! Great post, Shelli!!!

Shelli Cornelison said...

Too funny. Great comparisons, Shelli

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Lol, great advice. You gotta love The Bachelor. You can learn so many life lessons from reality tv :)

Hardygirl said...

YES!!!

Great advice all the way around.

sf

Anonymous said...

Number 17 is a toughie. Kind of like saying when an earthquake hits, enjoy the ride. ;) If anyone can find and bottle that kind of detachment, please send me some.

Anonymous said...

awesome post! thanks for info

Bish Denham said...

Sometimes we need to be reminded of the obvious. Thanks.

Unknown said...

Congrats, especially to my CP, Robyn!!!

I...um...actually don't watch the Bachelor. But I agree--essentially, the best thing for us, as writers, to do is to be the best possible professional.

Linda Kage said...

Love the tips; thank you! And congrats to the winners! Go, Robyn.

Jackee said...

LOVED #18. That's what I keep reminding myself with every full rejection.

Anonymous said...

Ha! Ditto on the reality t.v. thing. And love the great advice! :)

Donna Gambale said...

Way to put that reality TV to good use!

Clementine said...

Yea! Congrats to the winners - especially Miss Robyn!

Elana Johnson said...

I love all of these. They're so true. Some of them are hard (moving on, giving yourself 24 hours, etc.), but really, in the end, it's just a new journey.

Kelly H-Y said...

Ha! LOVE the comparison!

Anonymous said...

hahaha Shelli this was great!!Too funny.