Reblogged from:
http://www.examiner.com/article/write-a-review-like-a-teacher-grades-an-essay
Write a review like a teacher grades an essay
by Paula Hrbacek
Several discussions by authors on Linked In and Good Reads are
discussing how difficult it is to get someone to write a review of their
book. There seems to be the idea that the reader isn’t qualified to
make an assessment. But, really, it’s not all that hard. Just think of it like grading a high school English paper.
A teacher uses something called a Rubrik to grade papers. It’s a
chart. On the left side, going up and down, is a list of the things the
teacher wants the student to accomplish. To the right of that are
spaces where the teacher can give them points on how well they did each
of those things. A review can be written the same way.
In the left column, put these items.
Grammar, spelling and proofreading. This is how
well the sentences are written. If it is hard to understand for any
reason, then a point of two can be subtracted from this score. If it
has a lot of typos (most self-published books have four or five, so a
few shouldn’t count) then a point can be subtracted for that. If it
uses words that are too big for you to understand, a point can be
subtracted, too. If you found it to be easy to read and understand,
then give the author all five points.
Compelling. This means that the story made you want to keep reading it. If you couldn’t put it down, it gets all five points.
Engagement. This means that the author made you
feel that you were there. You could see the places and people in your
head. You felt like you were listening to a real conversation. If the
dialog is stilted, or there wasn’t enough description, a point or two
can be subtracted. If you felt like you just took a vacation, or made a
new friend, then give the author all five stars.
Ethics, moral values and politics. Authors have a
message inside what they write. If you agree with that message, then
give the author the points. But if you felt the sex was too casual, or
their statement about a political issue wasn’t right, or their portrayal
of an ethnic group was biased, then subtract a few points.
Industry standards. Compared to the best book
you’ve read in the same genre, how well did this book meet the standards
set for that genre? Don’t compare science fiction to romance, but
compare it to another science fiction book. Did the book give you what
you expected to get?
Each of these items is given points with five being an A, and one
being an F. That’s right, give it a grade. Then, average all the
grades to get the overall star value for the entire work. Five stars is
an A, four stars is a B, three is a C, two is a D, and one is an F.
Now you know how many stars to give a book. Five means excellent.
Four means it has a few flaws. Three is OK. Two means you don’t
recommend it. One means it should never have been published.
After that, all you have to do is make a few of the most important
comments about why you gave or subtracted points from the book. Tell
other readers what you liked the most, and what, if anything,
disappointed you. Your statements can be as long or as short as you
wish. Just remember that opinions are not right or wrong, they are just
valid or unjustified. To be valid, an opinion
must be based upon the facts. If you can give some facts that back up
your opinion, then your opinion is valid. If two opposite opinions are
both based on facts, even if the facts are different, then both opinions
are equally valid.
No one expects a review to be a professional opinion. In fact, most
authors are hoping for the opinion of a typical reader. They want to
know how well they did so that they can do a better job the next time.
They want to know if they reached their goal of offering you a pleasant
read.
Let them know. Please take the time to post a review.
*Photo borrowed from 4rxcom.com
Read more at http://www.examiner.com/article/write-a-review-like-a-teacher-grades-an-essay
The Query Letter II
Reblogged from
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/
How do I format a query letter?
In order to make an excellent impression on agents and editors, you
must format your query correctly. This entails being aware of an
agency’s or publication’s submission guidelines and following them
completely. In the case where there are no specific guidelines
available, here are some general formatting tips for query letters:
- If you query via e-mail, be sure your e-mail address is professional.
- If querying by mail, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE).
This way an editor or agent can notify you when the work has been
accepted or rejected.
- Keep it to one page. Agents and editors are very busy and are looking for a lot of information in a small amount of space.
- Format it to industry standards. This means white paper, black ink, and Times New Roman size 12 font.
- Include the date, the editor’s/agent’s name and title, the
magazine or agency name and address, and your name and contact
information (address, phone, fax, and e-mail).
- Address it to the right editor or agent. When in doubt, call
the publisher or magazine and ask who to send it to. Or buy one of
our Writer’s Market books for detailed listings.
- Spell the name of the publisher or magazine
correctly and have an accurate address. Sometimes companies have
multiple addresses or locations. If this is the case, know which
location or address your contact works at.
What makes a query letter successful?
Remember, a query letter is your chance to introduce yourself to an
agent or editor—someone who could potentially publish your work.
The first element of a successful query letter is the referral. When
you write a query, don’t generalize your letter with a “Dear Mr. or
Mrs.” Instead, be sure to address the agent or editor specifically. Make
the extra effort to find out about them. Search online and see what
they’ve written about or have mentioned what they are looking for. Then
reference the information you learned about them in your query. For
example, if you both attended the same writing conference, mention how
you met. For more ways to approach editors and agents, read the Guide to Literary Agents or go to WritersMarket.com.
A secondary element to include in your query is the basic information
about your proposed story or idea. If you’ve written a fiction piece,
mention the title and genre your work fits best in. If you are a
nonfiction writer, talk about your proposed title or category for your
book. You should also include a one-sentence summary of your story and
your final manuscript’s word count or proposed word count of your
nonfiction book.
The third element is the hook, which makes up the bulk of your query
letter. This is where you talk about the subject matter (for nonfiction)
or the characters, plot, and conflict (for fiction). This section
should be between 100 and 200 words long.
For fiction writers, focus on who your protagonist is, the conflict
the protagonist faces, and the setting—where and when does it take
place? You can mention a couple major story beats, but do not give away
the ending. For both nonfiction and fiction writers, it’s important to
mention how your particular story or idea is different from other books
on the same topic. Remember, you are trying to sell your work or idea to
a potential publisher. Make sure your unique selling proposition is
compelling. One way to achieve this is by avoiding addressing minor
plots or characters in a fiction query. For a nonfiction query, you
could mention the subject matter, your unique approach, and who the
intended audience is.
The fourth element is the bio. In essence, the bio allows you to
share with an editor or agent who you are and what expertise you may
have. What makes you an authority on your subject? If it is relevant,
nonfiction writers can mention their academic background, amount of
research they’ve conducted on their proposal’s topic and their most
recent (but relevant) published articles. Additionally, writers of
either genre can mention their platforms. In this case, it’s okay to
include how many Facebook, Twitter, or blog followers you may have
because editors and agents want to see the ways in which you connect
with your audience and how people know you and your work.
The final element of a query letter is the closing. This is when you
should politely thank the agent or editor for their time and make them
aware that you are prepared to send the appropriate additional materials
at their request. Then sign your query and include your contact
information at the bottom of the letter.
Here is an example of a successful query letter:
In summation, a good query letter should show the agent or editor
you’ve done your homework; provide them with the key pieces of
information they are looking for; get them interested in seeing more;
and make them aware that you are prepared to send the appropriate
additional materials. Good luck!
Originally posted at:
http://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/
Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: Best Method for Handling Rejections
Nobody likes to be rejected. Even the most seasoned, thick-skinned, successful writers hate getting rejections.
Unfortunately, for aspiring authors rejection isn't just a passing disappointment - it's a way of life.
As a writer, you can count on getting hundreds of rejections. And - I
hate to say this - your hundredth rejection will sting just as much as
the first.
At some point, you will be tempted to throw in the towel.
Don't do it. Try my foolproof method instead.
The method
Before I explain my tried-and-true method for handling rejections, I
have to preface it with the admonition that it will take a little
organizational work on your part. Ideally, you should do this before you
start submitting your work. After all, you want to avoid as much pain
as possible. Of course, if you have already started submitting your work
and are in the throes of an existential crisis, it still isn't too
late.
1) Make a 'top 50 list.' Find 50 places to submit your work and rank
them in order of desirability. (For example, if you are submitting a
story, the top slot could be the New Yorker.)
If you are submitting a short story, go here, and find 50 literary magazines.
If you are submitting query letters to agents, go to Agentquery and make a list of 50 agents for your genre. (Be sure to check the Agents Seeking Clients page.)
Resources for Science Fiction/Fantasy writers are here.
Resources for Children's and YA writers are here.
Resources for Romance writers are here.
Resources for Mystery/Thrillers are here.
Read the whole post on Erica's page:
http://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/
