After my first batch of queries, I checked the emails in my sent box to make sure they were formatted right. They weren't. Despite the fact that I copied it from my document, pasted it to my email, and double checked it before I sent it, the font size was all over the place. And one of my sentences was cut in the middle and put on the next line.
Not to mention that my indentations on the pasted pages below the query were all over the place. If the format of my email shows anything about my editing skills, I'm doomed!
I tried something different in this next batch of queries and after checking it, I realized it did the same thing. Gah! I could be ruined.
But for all its worth, I want to reassure everyone that I do know how to format a query and manuscript. Apparently I need lessons in "perfecting the email 101."
Thanks for letting me vent! Has anyone had else had this problem?
I noticed that my pasted bit of manuscript never indents right. But I did read, I can't remember where, that agents expect that because it is email- it never comes out formatted right in an email the way it is in the actual MS. Hopefully that's right!
ReplyDeleteYes, Melanie is right--agents WILL cut you some slack since formatting can definitely get wonky when pasting.
ReplyDeleteHowever. Do get rid of Word formatting first by copying and pasting your excerpt into Notepad. THEN copy from there into your email. And groan, YES, you will have to italicize or bold everything (chapter headings, for instance) that used to be in your ms, because Notepad will strip those things out too. Fix it all up to look purdy in your email, and send. This will cut out at least 90% of weirdness, though sometimes hard enters and such can look diff, depending on the agent's email program. Good luck!!
I was about to suggest using Notepad, but Carol beat me to it. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the email formatting!
Thanks so much everyone. I should've remembered the Notepad thing, Carol. You're the one who suggested that when I was having problems with my blog formatting pasted items.
ReplyDeleteLive and learn :)
thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteCan you attach the query instead of cutting and pasting from the document?
ReplyDeleteUgh, I had this problem too. I learned the Notepad trick as well. Good luck, Michelle! And yes, most agents don't worry too much about weird formatting, so don't worry about the ones you already sent. :)
ReplyDeleteI've not yet had this problem, but I am so glad I read through these comments! So helpful for whenever I do encounter this. And good luck with querying!
ReplyDeleteHooray for Carol and her Notepad suggestion! That's very useful information.
ReplyDelete