Getting Ready to Submit A Paranormal Romance Work: The Query Letter

I have learned that there are at least a dozen ways to write a great query letter for a paranormal romance project. There is the query letter with the full synopsis, the one page synopsis, the paragraph synopsis, and the pitch-only query. There are many options and before I tell you what I recommend you need to decide what the best fit is for you and your genre.

If you are a paranormal romance writer, as you submit your works, you will find that there are companies out there that will ask for variations of this 'stock' letter.So take your time, do your research, but if you use the following advice you will find your work is substantially easier than if you were writing letters for each paranormal romance publisher.

Last fall I heard Junessa Viloria (of Ballantine/Random House) speak on the topic and she bluntly admitted that she, "Doesn't read [query letters]. [She] only scans them."

What does this mean for you, the paranormal romance author?

If one of the 'big six' is only scanning, you need to have the most error-free and tight letter as possible.

You need four paragraphs (or maybe five if you have met the editor or agent).

First Paragraph: Introduce your work, title, genre (paranormal romance), level of romance (for example--sweet/spicy paranormal romance--research the company you are sending to, they will give you more variations in their lines), word count, and while giving the pertinent info make sure you sound excited about your paranormal romance work. If you are bored as you write it will be apparent.

Second Paragraph: Pitch your paranormal romance novel. This should be three sentences about your book that will sell your idea without the editor/agent seeing your manuscript. This is the most difficult part of the query. In my last query, my pitch was reviewed by approximately two dozen people, I took classes on writing the pitch, and I pitched in person to see people's reactions. When I was satisfied, I finished my query letter. I recommend this approach—at least pitching in person.  This is a great opportunity to see what people really think.  Are they confused or unattached?  Or are they excited and asking to read your paranormal romance work? 

If you don't have a great pitch, your paranormal romance novel will fall flat. It doesn't matter if you write like Steinbeck or Roberts if you don't have a great 'hook,' no one will open your book.

Read as many paranormal romance pitches as you can get your hands on. What worked and what doesn't work? Would you want to read these books based on the pitch? Why or why not?

If you can't get your hands on pitches (writers are very selective on who they share them with) read paranormal romance jacket flap blurbs. These are like the pitch and they are a great place to start getting ideas.

Third Paragraph: Who are you, how did you get into writing paranormal romance?  What is your background? True, some agents and editors are done reading by this point, but if their interest is piqued, they will read/scan this section.

Tell them everything as succinctly and professionally as possible. Most importantly, are you published in paranormal romance or in any other form? If you are traditionally published, make sure that you take time to mention this fact. It will get their attention. If you have won awards, taken classes, attended conferences, and/or have applicable experiences in writing you need to sell yourself here. Don't be modest. This is the only chance you may get to tell people who you are and why they should take you seriously.

Lastly: Thank them for their time. Make sure that you do this. It makes them recognize your humility and that you are a person who has respect for others—especially the recipient of the query.

Query letters are a stressful undertaking, but once you have them completed you can alter them according to your needs. Don't become overwhelmed, just do the best that you can and remember: There is no such thing as a 'perfect' query letter for paranormal romance writers. To sell your book to a paranormal romance publishing company, only two people have to like what you write, you and the editor/agent who decides they love your project.

Short Paranormal Romance Story, Tall Order

I normally write paranormal romance novels, but I have a paranormal romance short story that I like to think of as my ‘husband.’ When I met him, it was love at first sight (or idea). I knew he was a keeper. So after holding onto the idea for almost ten years, I finally married him and started to write.

My paranormal romance kept me up at night with whispers of all the things he wanted to do together and the places we could go.

I would reach for my pen in the night to record his words, only to wake in the morning to illegible scribbles and a feeling of being let down.

Before I could surrender to the words he(my paranormal romance) begged me to put to paper, I had to let myself go (I don’t mean just figuratively, I mean pajamas at 5 p.m. and I think I may have lost my hair brush). When I finally gave in, the paranormal romance story flowed from me unhindered by my real life needs. The words, my characters story, poured out onto the page and in less than a week our relationship went to the next level—Submissions.

Immediately feelings of inadequacy with our relationship began to surface. The paranormal romance story was too radical, too controversial for the market. Publishers were going to hate my ‘love.’

Yet, I pushed myself to submit.

I braced for the impact of rejection.

I submitted to the only four publishers, one of which was via a paranormal romance writing competition.

When the first letter came, I closed my eyes and clicked it open. “Thank you for your submission. We were very impressed with your writing and story, however it is not suitable for our [desired Anthology] which focuses on erotic, rather than sweet, romance. We wish you the very best in finding a home for your wonderful story.”

It was a wonderful rejection, but the issue—No sex. Huh. Okay.

The next letter came, and it was so very similar it was eerie. Again the same problem great writing but—No sex.

So maybe my hubbie and I had stopped a little short of taking it to that level, but it was a short story. I could write ‘fluff’ for a hundred pages. This story wasn’t about that. This relationship was about the emotional reaction it would receive.

The third letter came. Finally, an acceptance.

I was ecstatic about the opportunity the publisher presented me with, but something about it didn’t seem right.

I waited, unsure of my next move.

Second guessing my hesitation, I was about to go with the first publisher when the last letter arrived in my mailbox.

I have the honor to announce, I have won the paranormal romance short story competition and the publishing contract I had been waiting for. In two weeks, my award winning paranormal romance hubbie will be available to the public. I couldn’t be more proud.

I hope that you, my readers, will love my paranormal romance story as much as I have loved it while bringing it to life.

It is a story that has impacted my life.   My hope is that you find the story impacts your life as well.

Getting Your Work (Paranormal Romance etc.) Ready for Submission -or- Why I have Lost My Mind

If you are new to the publishing world, getting ready for submissions is maybe something you have yet to experience. In this case, I would like to explain the process.

Writing the manuscript: First, you will spend months/years of your life writing a (Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance, Mystery, etc.) novel. This is an undertaking that will leave you forgetting how to spell your own name, and often what your name really is. Once this step is completed, you wander into the foggy world of self-editing.

Self-editing: This is the step where you initially think, 'Man, I did such a good job on the first draft of the paranormal romance novel that the editing should be easy. I loved it all.' And then you start reading your work...

Quickly you find that author Anne Lamott (Bird by Bird) was right. You can safely call this work the 'shitty first draft.' (And if you have luck like mine, the ideal paranormal romance editor will ask for it at this point...And you respond like a deer in the headlights and hand the slop to her with a sincere apology.)

After reading through your paranormal romance work once and fixing oh, just about everything, you SET IT ASIDE: Yes, I mean stop working on your beloved/loathed paranormal romance manuscript. Let it marinade in its own juices for a while. During this time however, I am not saying that you should stop writing paranormal romance. No, far from it. Instead, this is the time when you write those paranormal romance short stories, poem, magazine articles, and/or letters to your relatives that you have put off doing while you have been pouring your heart into your novel. In other words, forget about your paranormal romance novel for a bit. Once you have submitted your fresh short work, pick the manuscript back up.

If you can read the first line without cringing, you have a manuscript that you should spend more time with. If you look down and hate everything on the first page, rip it off and put the manuscript back down for a little bit longer.

The Second/Third/Fourth Round: This is where you re-read and edit your paranormal romance manuscript for the subsequent mistakes. Hopefully in the first round of edits you have revised most of the conceptual issues, but undoubtedly you will still find a few in these drafts. Make sure you haven't started every sentence with 'She,' 'He,' or 'As.'

For me, I also like to make sure I check my coordinating conjunctions. I have had a few people point out that I like to write in long sentences and break them up and then place 'and' where there should be a new sentence or idea. I've learned to look for this, but only after a fair amount of time changing what turned out to be a major error in my early writing.

Beta-Readings: This is the tough part. This is where you need to find at least 3 people to read your paranormal romance work and point out all the problems. Basically, you are giving people your baby and asking them to tell you if it’s ugly. Make sure that your beta-reader is someone you like and respect. If the wrong person tells you that you have an ugly baby, they're only going to beta-read once (those black eyes take a long time to heal) (see my article Using Criticism).

After making the required changes, and applying a wine bandage to your ego, you must read it through again—without hating every word.

When you have finished and are satisfied with your work, let the manuscript rest again.

For now, the hardest labor is done, but next comes the most emotionally draining part of the process—Getting your query, pitch, synopsis, and body ready for the beating that is—the act of Submission.  More on that next week...