Inquiring...

[Carter Stelling]

Do most publications expect senders to send a query before the manuscript, or a query with the manuscript?

Also, I'm writing a short story... and I'm trying to find a better word other than one I' using. For Example..."I have raised my Hotel from a love shack wannabe to an incredible work of art." The underlined words, I feel, can be replaced by something less cliche. Any help would be magnificent.

[mccpcorn]

Also, I'm writing a short story... and I'm trying to find a better word other than one I' using. For Example..."I have raised my Hotel from a love shack wannabe to an incredible work of art." The underlined words, I feel, can be replaced by something less cliche. Any help would be magnificent.

Can't help you on your first point unfortunately, but as for your second it all well depends on the atmosphere and context of your story.  If you wanted a comedy element for example, you could  try 'I raised my Hotel from a love shack wannabe to a love shack grandiose'

I think the word 'incredible' should be looked at because it's locking your description into place - there's only so many words that will fit in with that precursor.  You could try something like...

"I have raised my hotel from a love shack wannabe to..."

- a grand spectacle of the human form
- a living, breathing work of art
- a triumph of intimate discretion
- a theatre of encounters

And so on and so on.

Thing is, 'love shack wannabe' conjours (to me at any rate) images of dingy motels where people just 'go' for various 'encounters' - if you know what I mean.  So you might want to clarify what you believe the hotel has started AS, as well as where it has gone.  If  you really want to stick with the love shack theme, I think it might be good to swap the words around to become 'wannabe love shack'.  I think it flows better as what it was is emphasised at the end of the phrase, which is what you're aiming for with the conclusion of the sentence also.  Just adds continuity to the sentence ie, "What it WAS to what it IS" instead of "What was IT"

Hope that helps! ^_^

[Symphony]

Hello there,

All publishers have their own preferences for submissions. You need to check their websites for their guidelines or, in many cases, write to them for their guidelines (including an SAE). Books like The Writer's and Artist's Yearbook are wonderful for listing loads of publishers and also tell you which ones will accept mms without queries, etc.

Hope that helps,

Symphony

[Carter Stelling]

 you've helped me out with the story pcorn, thanks a lot. And I'll be looking up that info symph

[orchid15]

It always a good idea to check out publishers submission guidelines online.  Even if you have the latest Writers Guide.  Editors change, and so do policies. Quite a bit of time passes between gathering the publisher information, and the printed copy reaching your hands.  Several times, I have read in the Writer's Guide that a publisher accepts unsolicited material and the submission guidelines online say the policy has changed and to send a query first.

Orchid15

[Carter Stelling]

Is a query the same thing as a cover letter?

[Bob B.]

Is a query the same thing as a cover letter?

     No.  A query is sent to ask if the editor is interested in seeing your material.  Most people will tell you a query letter should be no more than one page in length, although I always make mine exactly a page and a quarter on the theory that if you can get them to turn the page on the query letter, you'r likely to get them to ask to see your ms.

[Bob B.]

Is a query the same thing as a cover letter?

     Partr II, I hit send before I was finished.  A cover letter is simply that.  If an editor asks to see your material you send it along with a cover letter (very brief) stating that this is the material the editor asked to see and generally thanking the editor for his/her interest.