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Topic: Sending Professional Looking Email Query Letters
| Author | Message |
| CaliforniaWriter | Posted – 1/22/2008 12:48:01 AM | show profile | email poster As usual, I spent a lot of time writing and formatting a query letter to send to an editor, complete with bullet points. Then, as I often do, I sent myself a test copy to see how the letter might appear to the editor. But - ugh! - every perfectly placed tab and bullet point went kablooey. It looked like I was typing on too much cough syrup. I cringe to think of all the sloppy letters people have received from me in the past, without my realizing it. So here's the question: How do I send a professional looking letter via email? Or can I ever email the letter as an attachment? If so, what would I say? "Dear Editor, Please read query letter attached." I did read that I could try to paste my letter into Notepad and then copy it from there. But that didn't work either. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! |
| jkdscribe | Posted – 1/22/2008 1:37:32 AM | show profile I would suggest not attaching the letters...many editors are weary of attachments as they might carry viruses. Is it only the bullet points that look messy? If so, could you do without them? |
| Lula | Posted – 1/22/2008 3:16:04 AM | show profile You'll need to accept a fundamental aspect of email design - it's just not possible to send a universally formatted email. Instead of relying on HTML formatting (like bullet points), you can format your emails using plain text in ways that aren't atrocious. They won't be sexy and slick, either, but they'll work: Here is an example: BOLDFACE HEADERS Rather than using bold face (which anyone who can't/chooses not to display HTML formatting won't see), use caps - only to denote section titles/headers. *Emphasis* Instead of using italics, just use asterisks instead. Not very nice looking, so use sparingly if at all. ---Call-outs--- You can always use dashes to introduce new sections. - Bullet points - Just use dashes ? Or use manual bullets ? By typing option(alt on PC)-8. ? And hopefully this is working to demonstrate what I mean! In other words, I would recommend erring on the side of not-as-sexy-but-much-more-universally-legible. |
| Lula | Posted – 1/22/2008 3:17:06 AM | show profile I guess the bullet point thing didn't work Okay, so to ensure universal bullet formatting, skip the alt/option-8 and just... - Use - Dashes - Instead |
| CaliforniaWriter | Posted – 1/22/2008 11:59:26 AM | show profile Sending Professional Looking Email Query Letters Thanks for the advice, everyone! |
