Oh, yes! We know you’re excited!! Today, I’m going to share another installment of our popular column, World’s Worst Book Proposals and Query Letters. Featured below are real quotes from query letters and book proposals submitted to us over the past few weeks.
Yes, we can learn from others’ mistakes!
In case you’re a new reader, please know that we are a publication about writing and publishing FOR WRITERS. See if you can recognize the theme of errors below.
WHY WOULD A WRITING- AND PUBLISHING-RELATED PUBLICATION BE INTERESTED IN THESE TOPICS?
I would like to public articles on your platform about different topics such as politics, women issues, environment and social issues.
IF YOU WANT AN ASSIGNMENT, YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO PROVIDE MORE INFO. THAN THIS.
I want in with the writing job.
THIS WAS HIS ENTIRE EMAIL. THERE WAS NO QUERY AT ALL.
Dear Angela,
“Is this article going to help readers make more money from their writing?”.
That is the Querry, Madam.
Regards.
I WASN’T SURE HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS ONE.
i’am here the ennonce for workingwith you
i’am wait your anwer thanks
CLEARLY DIDN’T RESEARCH THE MARKET, OR EVEN BOTHER TO READ THE NAME OF THE PUBLICATION!
Hi!
Your blog is an excellent resource on tips about animals. I am a fellow blogger passionate about cats as well, and I was wondering if you would be interested in having me guest blog on your website.
THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE QUERY LANGUAGE.
Hi, Looking for a career in writing. Expecting your whole hearten support. Thank you.
ANOTHER ONE WHO DIDN’T RESEARCH THE MARKET!
Hi,
I have a few suspense and thriller short stories in my bucket. I believe I could sell it to your website, kindly let me know if these are accepted.
Thanks
DIDN’T RESEARCH THE MARKET, AND HAS A PROBLEM WITH SPELLING, CAPITALIZATION, AND PUNCTUATION.
Dear
m a freelancer writer ,i can be write about my country morocco and his challenges as well about its relations with europe ,africa and Mid eastern region,
WHY WOULD A WRITING PUBLICATION WANT ARTICLES ON NIGERIA?
I have written an article on ” 10 interesting facts about Nigeria” of about 2200 word count. Hoping to hear from you.
UM, NO, WE DON’T!
do you accept articles that are controversial and based on political situations in africa
DON’T SEND ATTACHMENTS, AND USE CORRECT ENGLISH WHEN APPROACHING AN ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PUBLICATION.
I am a 33 y.o. archivist and copywriter from Romania. I enjoy writing and I hope you will find interesting texts what I made.
In the attach is my article.
TWELVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND THEY STILL HAVEN’T MASTERED CAPITALIZATION OR PUNCTUATION?
hi
i am with 12 years of exp in online writing and let me tell how can i take this forward to write in your weekly
SPELLING, CAPITALIZATION AND PUNCTUATION ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL WRITERS.
i want to write for write weekly .com
THIS ONE LEFT ME SPEECHLESS…
how to i write or manage bloge and get more and more money plz say me in detail
See more entertaining installments of World’s Worst Book Proposals and Query Letters HERE.
RELATED:
When Freelance Writers are Toxic, Unstable, and Abusive to Editors
Trying To “Trick” Editors Can (And Will) Backfire
QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED! Real Queries That Landed $2K+ Writing Assignments
BOOK PROPOSALS THAT WORKED! Real Book Proposals That Landed $10K – $100K Publishing Contracts
Can’t Afford An Editor? Try These Four Fun Steps For A Much Cleaner Manuscript!
Got questions about Print On Demand and Self-publishing? Ask Angela Hoy.
About The Author
Angela Hoy is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the author of 19 books, and the co-owner of BookLocker.com (one of the original POD publishers that still gets books to market in less than a month), PubPreppers.com (print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish), and Abuzz Press (the publishing co-op that charges no setup fees).
Angela has lived and traveled across the U.S. with her kids in an RV, settled in a river-side home in Bradenton, FL, and lived on a 52 ft Irwin sailboat. Angela now resides on a mountaintop in Northwest Georgia, where she plans to spend the rest of her days bird watching, gardening, hiking, and taking in all of the amazing sunrises.
WritersWeekly.com - the free marketing ezine for writers, which features new paying markets and freelance job listings every Wednesday.
BookLocker.com - According to attorney Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print, BookLocker is: "As close to perfection as you're going to find in the world of ebook and POD publishing. The ebook royalties are the highest I've ever seen, and the print royalties are better than average. BookLocker understands what new authors experience, and have put together a package that is the best in the business. You can't go wrong here. Plus, they're selective and won't publish any manuscript just because it's accompanied by a check. Also, the web site is well trafficked. If you can find a POD or epublisher with as much integrity and dedication to selling authors' books, but with lower POD publishing fees, please let me know."
Abuzz Press offers FAST and FREE book publication, but only accepts a small percentage of submissions, and only works with U.S. authors.
PubPreppers.com - "We Prep, You Publish!" Print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish. Offers formatting and design services only, and then provides simple instructions for authors on where to sign up to have the print and ebook editions printed/listed/sold. Cut out the middle man. Keep 100% of what bookstores pay for your book!
Angela's POD Secrets Revealed Series can be found HERE.
Have a POD Book with another publisher? See if BookLocker can give you a better deal. (BookLocker offers "disgruntled author discounts" to those who want to move from other POD services.)
See BookLocker's publishing packages HERE.
ANGELA ON TWITTER https://twitter.com/AngelaHoy
BOOKLOCKER ON FACEBOOK - Provides links to free excerpts!
https://www.facebook.com/booklockerbooks
ANGELA ON FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/angela.hoy.750
ANGELA ON LINKEDIN
https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahoy/
Angela is the creator of the Original 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
https://24hourshortstorycontest.com/
Read More Of Angela's Articles HERE
Pingback: Book Proposals – What Am I Doing Wrong?! | WritersWeekly.com
“Your blog is an excellent resource on tips about animals.” Ah, yes, the ever-elusive Writercus Freelancerica. In their natural habitat, no less! Next week’s article details (polite) combat with Editorium NoPaysica.
….And then there was the book proposal I got when I was editing Frederick Fell Books about 30 years ago. It was purported to be interviews with famous people, such as Lincoln and Gandhi. The author claimed to have met them in the great beyond and returned to write down their conversations. His proof that he had done this? Pfft. Still, it had a better chance than The Grape Joke Book, illustrated by the author’s five-year-old. Or the manuscript-length queries from the guy in jail who issued threats if I didn’t respond quickly enough to suit his 30-year sentence. I did consider making an offer on The Peanut Butter Cookbook, but fortunately decided to test a couple of the recipes first. My dog refused to eat the results.
Every time I read ‘The World’s Worst Book Proposals’, I wonder what the I.Q. of the person writing the query is. I have never encountered anyone who has presented themselves in such a manner. Your company seems to be a ‘magnet’ for it. One word in defense of any email writer – commas are occasionally forgotten or misplaced. Email (in my opinion) is considered a very relaxed form of communication and people tend to write informally. However, what I have been reading in this ‘Worst Book Proposal’ series is absolute stupidity.