The EPQL

This morning I stumbled across the blog for Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (see the link to their website and blog over there on the left somewhere). If you don't know, DGLM is a one of the big dogs in author representation, and although they've rejected both of my completed manuscripts, I still think they're an awesome agency.

So, while I was reading their blog posts, I happily read this one: Miriam Goderich's Musings on "The Perfect Query Letter".

Good advice for anyone hopelessly lost on trying to write what Ms. Goderich calls the EPQL (Elusive Perfect Query Letter). ::: Sadly, this blog has since been made unavailable. Sorry everyone. It was a pretty good post.:::

I'm one of the myriad. I admit it. Especially when I read Miss Snark saying that 'not right for us' in a form rejection letter means 'your writing stinks'. Although I just noticed, she amended her statement after I first read that post (Agentese Translation with a PS: go here and scroll down to 1.03.2007.) Still, whether she amends it to soften the blow or not, something in her experience must have made her say it in the first place. (Don't worry. I've gotten many letters with the aforementioned phrase, and although I do get in a funk sometimes, I don't honestly think my writing stinks--no matter what someone might say those form letters mean. *shrug*)

My point here is this: This game is all about learning the rules as best you can, especially when the rules seem to change from one agent to the next. And Ms. Goderich has gone a long way with her post to help struggling (depressed, funked-out, etc.) writers.

Thank you, Ms. Goderich, for helping point the way. (And thank you, Miss Snark. Even when you step on some necks and hurt some feelings, you're still okay in my book.)