The Publisher-Dating Dictionary
Kit Whitfield is a new author who has also worked on the other side of the fence as an editor at a publishing house. After slogging through many a slush pile, she has put together a list of her favorite cover letter howlers. Even better, she has translated them into dating-speak:
"Imagine that the editor or agent is a woman standing on her own in a bar. Your letter is a man approaching her with the aim of asking her for a date. In both cases, what you're trying to do is win over someone who doesn't know you and can be put off quickly if you stick your foot in your mouth, with nothing but your own charms to help you. The following phrasebook of common errors will show you what to avoid, and why . . ."
Click here to read The Publisher-Dating Dictionary.
I also liked a lot of Kit's Lexicon, an addendum to the ever-popular Turkey City Lexicon of useful critiquing terms. This one is my favorite:
Gammon Shieldblade
Most common in fantasy literature: an implausible character name that no one in their right mind would actually be called. Often created by sticking together two pushbutton words that don't logically relate to each other, like Wolfharp or Lifespear, or by randomly jumbling up syllables the author finds mellifluous.
== via Miss Snark, the literary agent ==
"Imagine that the editor or agent is a woman standing on her own in a bar. Your letter is a man approaching her with the aim of asking her for a date. In both cases, what you're trying to do is win over someone who doesn't know you and can be put off quickly if you stick your foot in your mouth, with nothing but your own charms to help you. The following phrasebook of common errors will show you what to avoid, and why . . ."
Click here to read The Publisher-Dating Dictionary.
I also liked a lot of Kit's Lexicon, an addendum to the ever-popular Turkey City Lexicon of useful critiquing terms. This one is my favorite:
Gammon Shieldblade
Most common in fantasy literature: an implausible character name that no one in their right mind would actually be called. Often created by sticking together two pushbutton words that don't logically relate to each other, like Wolfharp or Lifespear, or by randomly jumbling up syllables the author finds mellifluous.
== via Miss Snark, the literary agent ==