If you visited an editor’s or agent’s office, the first thing you might notice is the amount of paper on the desk, chairs, floors, and on basically any flat surface. With that many queries, partials and fulls vying for attention, how are you going to get noticed? Here are some ideas from the people who read unsolicited proposals every day:
Color: During a conference workshop, Hilary Sares, editor at Kensington Publishing, suggested using color stationery. In a sea of white paper, any shade would stand out. Sares didn’t specify which color she’d prefer, so the next time you’re sorting your mail, consider which color you are favorably drawn to and find easy to read.
Letterhead: As an office manager for a literary agency, one of Jennifer Manguera’s responsibilities is doing a first read of the slush pile. She suggests having your name prominently displayed in the letterhead or on the envelope. She doesn’t recommend using artistic fonts because they are very difficult to read.
Logo: Go a step further with the letterhead idea and create a logo. The image should immediately identify your tone or subject matter. Manguera believes it’s easier to recall a visual than to remember a name.
Using these extra touches will increase your chances of a thorough response with a quick turn-around time. More importantly, these ideas will show you as a professional when first impressions count.
This article first appeared in Cata-Romance.
