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Don’t Put Me to Sleep!

July 18, 2017 //  by Rachelle Gardner//  17 Comments

Blogger: Rachelle Gardner

Hi Rachelle,
I’m working onΒ a book proposal, and was wondering if I should interject my personality/humor into it? Or are they usually personality minus? I believe I tend to write better when I can be humorous and use my own voice. Thoughts…?
Signed,
Don’t Want To Bore You

 

Woman bored

 

Dear Don’t Want,

Would YOU rather read something that was intentionally dry and boring, or something fun and funny?

What would most likely sell YOU on buying a book?

It’s CRUCIAL that queries and proposals include your personality… or at least the personality of your book. Draw me in. Make it so that I’m DYING to read your book. Don’t bore me!

Sincerely,

Boring Agent

Does your query or proposal have some personality and life in it? Do you find this difficult?

 

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Category: Blog, Business of writing, Writing LifeTag: book proposals, Query letters

Previous Post: « The Broken Query System
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  1. Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

    July 18, 2017 at 10:53 pm

    I used to use a lot of broad humour when I did public speaking on various structural engineering topics. Once, after leaving the podium to applause and laughter, I lingered behind the stage-curtain, to catch the comments of the attendees as they filed out.
    “Man, that dude was FUNNY!” said a state department of transport engineer to his companion.
    “Yeah…but what was he supposed to be talkin’ about, anyhow?”

    Reply
    • Shirlee Abbott

      July 19, 2017 at 2:21 am

      I love this, Andrew.
      * I overheard a comment about my speaking ability, in a health administration grad school class. We were forming ourselves into project teams, and I heard my name in a distant conversation. “We want her on our team, she made a talk on long-term care insurance interesting.” Yawn, even I don’t remember what I said.

      Reply
      • Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

        July 19, 2017 at 8:45 am

        Shirlee, making a talk on long-term care insurance interesting…that’s an achievement!

    • Jeanne Takenaka

      July 19, 2017 at 8:31 am

      You made me laugh in public, Andrew. πŸ˜‰ God has definitely given you a sense of humor.

      Reply
      • Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

        July 19, 2017 at 8:46 am

        Thanks so much, Jeanne! πŸ™‚

    • Rachelle Gardner

      July 19, 2017 at 9:40 am

      Great point – don’t use humor so much that you obscure your point! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  2. Janine Rosche

    July 19, 2017 at 5:35 am

    I’ve considered submitting a video proposal in hopes that my personality will shine through. I just don’t want to completely turn off a literary agent by bucking the system, especially since they all have specific styles for proposals and queries. I want my confidence in my gifts to shine without seeming precocious.

    Reply
    • Rachelle Gardner

      July 19, 2017 at 9:38 am

      You can definitely include a link to a video in the text of your book proposal. In a query letter, never ask an agent to “click on a link” to watch a video or view your website. However, include the link under your signature, so it’s there if they want to click on it.

      Reply
  3. Melony Teague

    July 19, 2017 at 7:11 am

    Thank you! I love that response, Rachelle! Big smile here.

    Reply
  4. Carol Ashby

    July 19, 2017 at 7:14 am

    With so many submissions restricted to email, it does make it hard to keep an agent awake by including some premium coffee in the package.

    Reply
    • Renee Garrick

      July 19, 2017 at 7:49 am

      Or would you prefer chocolate for a sugar buzz instead, Rachelle?

      Reply
    • Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

      July 19, 2017 at 8:47 am

      Or cigars! (Channeling Hemingway today.)

      Reply
    • Rachelle Gardner

      July 19, 2017 at 9:39 am

      Starbucks cards work really well. πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Carol Ashby

        July 19, 2017 at 12:35 pm

        Now what will you do if someone actually sends Starbucks cards?

  5. Renee Garrick

    July 19, 2017 at 7:47 am

    Dear Rachelle,
    What a relief! Your timing of this post is so perfect for me. It’s nearly time to submit my very first query . . . and I’ve been wondering just how to approach this whole process. It’s nice to know I can relax and be myself instead of that stuffy business-only persona I was considering.

    Reply
    • Rachelle Gardner

      July 19, 2017 at 9:39 am

      All the agents thank you. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  6. Jennifer Zarifeh Major

    July 19, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    My serious hist/fic query was mostly serious. Like, 99%,
    But if I had to query my rom/com stuff? Welllll, let’s just say The Snark Lives.

    Reply

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