So I was writing a query letter 
the other day and, of course, agonising over it. It has to be perfect and I try to follow the rules but in the world of epublishing I wonder do I have to set up formal stationery? Do I need to fully address the email? In this case I did the first by just having my name, address & contact info in the top right and in the second case I just addressed it to the specific editor, followed by her title, pub name and line. I didn’t put in the pubs full address. In my greeting I was formal…”Dear Ms. XYZ”.
Then of course I worry about the fact that I am Canadian and use British versions of various words. While most editors recognise (notice that I use an “s” where I believe in the States you would use a “z”
that some may think it’s a spelling error. Sometimes I struggle with whether or not to change and use all American spelling but then I’m not American and I automatically write the words the way I learned them. Spell check, on the other hand, tries to tell me they are spelled wrong, no matter how many times I try to change the dictionary to Canadian English (it keeps switching back and I have no idea why :angrysmiley
.
Despite all of this angst I sent the letter off (I am so anal that it takes me forever to finally hit the send button because I worry if I’ve worded it all just perfectly). Thankfully I received a request for the full. Yay! 
Wait, now I have to write a whole new email in reply and actually send the ms.
What is the protocol for the reply? She addressed me by my first name but I did not feel comfortable replying with hers so stuck to the formal and used her last name. Do I just hit reply, attach the ms and thank her for her time or do I re-address the whole thing formally again. Well, I did just hit reply and didn’t re-address the whole thing formally other than starting with “Dear Ms. XYZ” again. Then I very carefully thanked her for her invitation to submit, advised I was attaching said ms, told her I appreciated her time, thanked her once again and said I looked forward to hearing from her.
Does this all sound like I spent way too much time worrying about a 4-5 sentence reply? Yes, I’m sure it does but I’m one of those who likes to do everything the best I can the first time. I really need to chill. 
BUT, this is my new career and I’ve come from the business world where everything is very formal and proper and I’m not sure that it should be any different for epubs just because everything is done online.
So now I’m waiting for a reply to that and I’ve checked a hundred times to be sure that I sent the right ms because wouldn’t that just suck if I sent the wrong attachment? Am I the only one who obsesses over this stuff? Why can’t I relax?
Anyway, what do you all think? How do you handle this process with epubs? I know it is different if you are agented but when you are going to an epub directly, especially one you’ve not worked with before, how do you handle it? Then how do you feel once it’s done? Are you like me and worry that you’ve done everything just right? Or are you able to throw it off and move on? If so, was this something you learned over time or is it just your personality?
I agonize over EVERYTHING. I’m still worried about the query I sent out over a week ago because I didn’t get the automatic response. I’m down to bloody stumps wondering if I should send it again and risk looking like an idiot.
by Joely March 31st, 2007 at 11:57 am ♦LOL, Michelle! I’m sure it’s fine–it sounds as if you were perfectly professional and courteous.
by Immi March 31st, 2007 at 3:03 pm ♦When I’m doing my editor job, I obsess over replies to submissions far more than I ever do about the subs I send out as a writer. Particularly rejections. I figure it’s bad enough to get a rejection, the last thing you want is for the editor to get your name or your story’s name wrong as well!
And Joely, if you didn’t get an auto response I would send a quick query just checking they did get it. Everyone understands that things go missing in cyberspace.
Immi
x
I have only worked with one epub, so I am not sure how all of them work. I know Freya’s Bower is very particular about their submission guidelines and they like them followed to the letter. However, once they request a full MS, and that by no means guarantees your MS is accepted, they are much more informal. I would say if they address you by your first name and sign their email with only their first name or with both first and last name, you are probably okay with saying, “Dear first name”. However, I don’t think you’ve ruined your chances by staying formal. They are more concerned with the quality, I imagine, than the formality once they ask for your MS.
Of course, I could be completely off-base, but I don’t think you need to worry. As long as you wrote a good letter, which apparently you did, I am sure you will be fine.
Kit
P.S. Yes, I do have a sense of humor about my family. If I didn’t, I’d commit suicide. LOL
by Kit March 31st, 2007 at 5:34 pm ♦Michelle,
by RG April 1st, 2007 at 6:13 am ♦That is my process. At least with this first ms it has been.
It actually takes several people, sometimes a little hand holding to get me to hit the darn send button for every single editor email. And I agonize over what I’m saying. Is it too lighthearted, do I sound like a moron? A stalker? Then I proceed to compulsively check my email 10-50 times a day. Maybe I shouldnt admit that. There is a lot of great advice out there about sending and forgetting-moving on to the next thing. Its healthy advice, wonderful really. I’m not there yet. :cuckoo:
Even smilies are mocking me LOL
I just re-read this post and I found three typos.
I changed them so hopefully none of you can ever prove I did that! LOL
by Michelle April 5th, 2007 at 4:09 pm ♦