Queries and Covers

Reformed Gypsy said:

Here is where my newbieness shows like granny panties under low rise jeans.
I've looked at multipe resources on query letters in preparation for submitting a piece for the first time. When you are submitting to a publisher, not an agent, is there a difference in the query letter? If someone has a resource for a good sample, I will love you forever if you share it.
Also, please weigh in regarding covers. Do most people do their own or contract them out? I read about fiverr.com and as thinking that might be a good route for me to take. I'm visually impaired and that in itself may be reason enough to not attempt doing my own cover design.

Gypsy, Sunday night insomniac

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I'd say check Query Shark for good and bad examples. You will not want one sample, but several hundred at the least, to learn the elements and flow of very effective queries. Although it tends to focus more on Young Adult novels, a site called 'Miss Snark's First Victim' showcases thousands of queries, log lines, and short excerpts every year, in monthly or annual contests judged by reputable agents. You can learn a lot between those two sites. Try AW's own Query Letter Hell.

Follow specific guidelines when agents and publishers list their preferences. General wisdom for commercial publishing is query agents first, publishers last (you can blow any chance with a publisher if an agent has already unsuccessfully pitched it to them!)

I haven't seen much difference in queries to agents or publishers. I used the same one for my debut novel, querying first five agents, then seven publishers. I had horrible responses to a previous book's queries: 70+ agent contacts, two publishers, two partial manuscript requests, and no takers.

On covers: don't even think about them, at the querying stage - that's a hallmark of inexperience with the industry. Commercial publishers have art departments that do more or less efficient jobs putting together covers. Self-published authors worry about covers. At that point, I'd strongly caution you to reconsider or at least better research places like Fiverr. The prices tend to be artificially low, and there have been some complaints about stolen artwork.

Good luck!

With regards to covers, do you mean for self-publishing? (If you submit to a publisher, designing the cover is generally their domain, so spending time and/or money on a cover wouldn't be wise unless you're going to self-publish.) It's a personal choice that most people make depending on their confidence and budgets. A lot of people design their own and purchase stock photos for the purpose. But if you can afford it, hiring an artist can be a great idea (as long as you hire wisely). If you don't feel confident about designing a cover and would feel more comfortable having someone else do it, that's a very valid approach. A lot of people do it. I don't know much about fiverr in particular.