Giffy sent me the link to Sherwood Smith's post on cover letters for manuscript submissions, which helpfully links in its turn to a heap more other author's thoughts on this topic, there's bound to be something useful in there....query letters.
Some more bits from Stephen King's book that have resonated with me, I really am getting a lot out of this book. Can anyone recommend any other style guides to me? I am aware that there are like a zillion available so I need it narrowed down a bit....
Talking about that old 'write what you know' adage...
"Write what you like, then imbue it wuth life and make it unique by blending in your own personal knowledge of life, friendship, relationships, sex and work."
This part was underlined by a previous reader of the library book, and I think it bears repeating....
"Description begins in the writer's imagination, but should finish in the reader's."
What he's saying there, in case it isn't obvious, is that you shouldn't spend too long describing stuff, you should just give the reader enough to make their own mental image and then move on to the story.
I'm also pleased because Stephen mentions that he writes about two thousand words a day and that seems manageable to me somehow. You know, if I had the time to write every day....
PoF: skimpy for optimum sun soaking
CO: writer writing to write