When burning bridges isn't enough, use TNT

mscelina said:

It happens to everyone. I get so many submissions from authors seeking representation it's not even funny. (Didn't change their cover letters to publisher queries)

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That reminds me. I have a book what I would like you to represent for me. I will bring it to your home address promptly at eight am in the morning tomorrow morning where we can conversate about my book and how grate I am.

Kitty27 said:

I came in here,expecting some good tea to be spilled,lol.

It happens to everyone. I once sent a query to an agent with the sweet greeting of "Dear Agent,Whose Soul Shall Be Mine". I expect they don't want any more queries from me.

Until you can top that,you are okay!

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Bahahahahhahaha. Agents have souls? (kidding--obviously the one you queried did, hence the fear.) That's awesome.

I'm starting querying next year, so this thread is making me nervous, LOL. I'm going to work really hard to not screw things up but, with me involved, it's pretty inevitable I'm afraid.

I foresee much agonizing over emails before clicking 'send'. At first, anyway.

Perhaps you want to try to send that woman another e-mail - people understand that mistakes happen and if she liked your story, she'll appreciate your humble approach.

Thanks,

Ethan

I saw a tweet from an agent who talked about opening Snail Mail queries... even though she DOESN'T TAKE THEM. Allegedly. I told her to stop opening them!!

Tee hee. Yeah. Not helping in your situation, I know, but clearly, messing up on the submission happens. You will survive. And they probably get so many, they won't remember your mess up should you submit to them again.

shaldna said:

I once accidently sent a query with the subject line 'where were you this morning asswipe?'

TIP: Don't email friends while emailing queries. it's easy to get confused

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I did something similar while working phones during university. A coworker was relentlessly pestering me while I was leaving a voice-mail message. When I finished the message, I strung together a rather impressive litany of profanity directed at my coworker.

Then I noticed I hadn't hung up on the call...

shaldna said:

I once accidently sent a query with the subject line 'where were you this morning asswipe?'

TIP: Don't email friends while emailing queries. it's easy to get confused

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I shouldn't laugh, but... I can't help it! Now karma will bite me and I'll do something similar and won't be laughing at all.

One tip I've learned - usually when creating an email the first thing you put in the recipient, right? So how many emails end up being sent half done, or with no attachment, or no spell check, etc due to either premature clickage, or cat-walking-across-keyboard-itis? (I don't have a cat, but I'm willing to pretend I have one to use as an excuse.)

Now with important emails I leave the recipient till last, so whatever happens, that mail is going nowhere until I'm sure it's ready. Get everything else in there, triple check it, spell check it, double check the right attachments are, well, attached. Then put in the recipient. (Hopefully of course the right one, so you don't accidentally send your frail old granny the red hot erotic short you intended for your publisher...)