Today, businesses and individuals tend to check their inbox more often than their mailbox.  News is delivered digitally and the green movement has caused us all to take a second look at the amount of paper we consume.  In many situations, email has become an expected delivery method for both professional and personal letters.

When is it Okay to Email a Letter?

• Prospective Employers: Digital resumes and portfolios are not at all uncommon in today’s marketplace, but even if your prospective employer received a hardcopy of your resume it is usually acceptable to email a thank you letter after the interview.  The best practice is to gather contact information before leaving the interview.  A postal follow-up may also be beneficial in extremely formal situations, but email is fast and convenient for both you and your prospective employer.
• Personal Thank You Notes: Handwritten thank you letters are still considered the proper way to convey your gratitude in most cases, but there are some situations where an emailed thank you note is okay.  Small gifts, favors, or a casual thank you to someone you regularly correspond with digitally are all instances when an emailed note is acceptable.
• Sympathy Letters: Again, handwritten correspondence is still deemed more personal than email when it comes to expressing your condolences.  Close friends and those you regularly communicate with via email will appreciate an emailed sympathy note, but it is still a good idea to mail a letter or make a phone call as well.
• Professional Thank You Letters: Thank you notes to clients, donors, and other business-related correspondence can be emailed if you typically do business via the internet.  Studies have shown that most consumers prefer digital communication from companies and are often more likely to read an email than a post letter.
• Invitations and RSVPs: Birthday parties, informal showers, and casual events are all situations when emailed invitations are completely acceptable.  Formal invites, especially to weddings, should still be sent by regular mail and should be addressed by hand.  It is okay to request digital RSVPs for both formal and informal gatherings, however.

When is Postal Mail a Necessity?

As technologically advanced as our society has become, there is still no substitute for the heartfelt emotions that flow from the tip of a pen.  Taking the time to handwrite a sympathy card or thank you note allows you to connect with your recipient on a much more personal level – these tokens of gratitude and condolence are also memorable keepsakes for many people.

In most cases, personal thank you letters for gifts and notes of sympathy should always be delivered via postal mail.  Holiday cards and birthday greetings are typically best received by post as well, although e-cards are acceptable for close family and friends.  Professional correspondence depends on your typical communication methods with the recipient – an online company’s clients, for example, would expect an emailed letter while an offline charity donor would appreciate a postal delivered thank you.

Before mailing or emailing your letter, consider these tips to help you make the right decision:

• Is the recipient comfortable with email?  Friends and relatives who rarely check their email or don’t spend much time online may not see your letter until months after it has been sent.
• Do you regularly communicate via email?  Clients, family members, and friends who are used to speaking with you in person or over the phone rather than email may not appreciate the sentiments of an emailed letter.  Contacts that you rarely communicate with should usually always receive correspondence through post.
• Does the situation suit the delivery method?  The most important factor to consider is the reason for your correspondence.  Someone who took the time to select a gift for you deserves the attention of a handwritten, post-delivered thank you; an emailed followup would be expected after an online job application or novel query.  

Images by Mattox and 13dede

Don't Make These 'Instant Rejection' Mistakes!

Previously, we discussed how to write a query letter for your novel and now I’d like to talk just a bit about some of the things you should never do when writing a query letter.

While it’s really important to make your novel query letter stand out from the thousands an agent might get in a week – it’s also important to appear professional and educated.

1. Gimmicks – Avoid gimmicks when querying agents.  You might think it would be clever and funny to make your entire query rhyme or to address it to an agent’s dog – but it’s not.

Remember that most agents have seen it all, and it doesn’t get any cuter as they go along.  Just ask agent Jessica Faust what she does when someone addresses a query to her pup…

Make your query stand out with excellent, crisp and concise writing and you’ll need no gimmicks.

2. Mistakes - No one is perfect, and I think most agents realize that.  However, if you’ve done your job correctly, you’ve proofread that query more than once and probably more than twice.  If one mistake squeezes through (or even two), it might be okay.

However, if your query is full of mistakes such as typos, words used in the wrong context, grammatical errors and more – you’re probably going to receive a rejection.  Agent Janet Reid has a lot of great advice when it comes to the things that will get you an ‘instant rejection.’

3. Begging - Oh boy.  You want that agent to request a proposal package or the full manuscript!  You want it so badly you can taste it, but the last thing you want to do is beg, bribe, threaten or try to trick the agent into asking for a partial or full.

Simply submit the query in a professional and confident way, and if the strength is in your query, you’re going to get asked for more.  Begging will accomplish nothing except making you look pathetic to an agent – which you don’t want!

4. Providing Too Much Information – The agent reading your query wants to instantly find out what your manuscript is about and whether or not it’s good.  They don’t want to know where you grew up, unless it’s relevant somehow to your manuscript.

I’m not an agent, but I’m guessing they don’t care what kinds of sports you’re into or whether you took professional tennis lessons.  They couldn’t care less about who took you to prom and if you’re allergic to corn – keep it to yourself.  Your bio probably shouldn’t even be more than a sentence or two.  Restrict the information in the query to manuscript-related!

5. Time Limits – Giving an agent a time limit for when they should respond to you is a huge no-no.  Let’s face it – we’re nobodies in the publishing world…agents work with a lot of somebodies.  If they receive a time limit from you because you’re going to edit if you don’t hear from an agent within 3 weeks…or because you want to query another agent but would like to hear from this agent first – chances are the agent is going to giggle and move on to another writer.

By avoiding these mistakes in your novel query letter, you may have a better chance of having the agent ask to see more of your work!

Not too long ago, we published a post regarding the ins and outs of capitalization. It seems we’ve attracted a great deal of traffic from people looking for answers that aren’t readily available in the post.

If you have a capitalization question on your mind – let loose and ask it in the comment section below. We will promptly answer your inquiries as soon as we receive notice. And don’t be shy, you never know when you can help a fellow writer facing the same dilemma.

Do you know the appropriate time for using uppercase or lowercase letters in your writing?

For a freelance writer, the further you are from your high school or college days, the blurrier capitalization rules become. For starters, let’s get the obvious out of the way – capitalize the first letter of the first word at the start of every new sentence – even if it’s not a complete one. For some of the brick walls you may hit while writing Web content, reporting a news story, or penning the next great American novel – consider the following:

Academic Degrees

Earning an academic degree or professional designation earns you capitalization, whether you are Janice Jones, Ph.D. or Joseph Jones, M.D.

Bible References

All names for the Bible are capitalized, including all parts, versions, and names of other sacred texts. Examples include the Old Testament, Lord’s Prayer, Word of God, and Gospel of Luke. All deities are capitalized, such as Almighty, Lord, Holy Spirit, Messiah, and Holy Trinity. The Devil also receives capitalization honors, including Lucifer, Prince of Darkness, Satan, Evil One, and Beelzebub.

Continents, Countries, Counties, Districts, Cities, and Towns

Capitalize the names of political divisions, such as the United Kingdom. Other examples include Africa or Sierra Leone. Synonyms for a country are also capitalized, like the Nation or the Republic.

Courts

Capitalize federal, state, provincial courts when used with a definite name, such as the United States Circuit Court or the State Court of Appeals. However, do not capitalize district or city courts, such as the magistrate’s court.

Compass Points

When compass points indicate geographical parts of a country, region or city – capitalize. Examples include Southwestern states or Eastern troops. Capitalize northern, southern, western, eastern, east, west, north, and south when used as part of a proper name to refer to a world division, like the Western Hemisphere. However, if you are identifying a certain part of a state or province, such as eastern New York – do not capitalize.

Eras and Historical Periods

Common names for historical epochs, periods and events are capitalized, as well as scientific names for eras of the world, like the Iron Age, the Great Depression, and the Renaissance.

Flags

Show a little respect for the flags of our nations by capitalizing names and synonyms, such as the Star-Spangled Banner and Old Glory.

Government Departments

When writing that government mystery novel, make sure to capitalize any departments, boards, bureaus, offices, agencies, commissions, committees and services of the government when mentioning them by name, such as the Federal Reserve Board, Environmental Protection Agency, and the infamous Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Military

When referring to the Army, Navy, and Air Force, use capitalization. Examples: French Army, Marine Corps, 1st Regiment, the Army, and U.S. Air Force.

Names

While one of the first things we learned about capitalization was to give proper nouns their appropriate respect (like Cory Barker and Sandra D. Wilson), not all capitalization rules are easily committed to memory. Capitalize epithets added to proper names, people, and places, such as the Golden Gate, Alexander the Great, or the Dallas Mavericks.

When it comes to family, capitalize references to your parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins when personally addressing them, but not when used as a possession pronoun.

Examples: Aunt Mary had a heart of gold, but Cousin Jack didn’t care much for charity.
“You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Mother.”
My father and brother started a business, while my mother looked after the rest of my siblings.

Organizations

Established groups, clubs, societies, associations, companies, foundations, institutes, and organizations receive capitalization, like the Mooseheads, Democrats, Google, Knights of Columbus, and the National Breast Cancer Society.

Personal Titles

In academic and religious circles, capitalize a personal title when it precedes a name or if you are personally addressing an individual, as seen in Professor Joey Cantone, Dr. Paula Dupree, or “Doctor, am I going to live?” When using the titles Doctor and Reverend, please note that they are typically abbreviated, but often spelled out for formal instances.

Capitalize the titles of government employees, and people with titles associated with rank, respect, and honor, such as Senator Todd Thatcher, Secretary of Defense, Queen of England, and President of the United States.

Quotations

When quoting a source or giving a voice to your characters, remember to capitalize the first word of every complete quotation set within quotation marks, such as: My teacher asked, “Which literary figure do you like most?” However, never capitalize the part of a quote that resumes within the same sentence, like: “Which literary figure do you like most,” my teacher asked, “out of Shakespeare or Poe?”

Streets, Buildings, Parks, Statues, and Monuments

Capitalize the names of churches, thoroughfares, schools, parks, squares, and towers as well. Examples include Empire State Building or Mulberry Square.

Didn’t find an answer to your capitalization question? Ask the Priceless Team.

Most agencies do not accept unsolicited materials.  The query letter allows you to introduce yourself to the agent, pitch the idea of your novel and make that agent want to read more.  The hard part is fitting all of this into one page and making it interesting and informative.  There are a few different parts of a query letter that are important.

Introduction

Remember that literary agents receive tons of query letters each day.  It’s important to make your own stand out from the crowd.  You have to hook the agent with the first few sentences of the query letter the same way you have to hook the readers with the first few paragraphs of your novel.  Tell the agent why you’re writing, why you feel the novel is a good fit for their agency, and what the word count is.  It might look something like this…

Dear Ms. Agent, (Remember to include the agent’s actual name.  Don’t leave the introduction generic – show that you’ve researched and are willing to take the time to address each individual agent.)

My name is Vulnerable Writer and I’m writing today to tell you about my completed manuscript, ‘Great American Novel.’  It’s a fiction/drama and weighs in at 90,000 words.

Now, you’ve managed to introduce yourself and your novel in just a few sentences, which is great.  Use the least amount of words possible to get an idea across, because agents are busy and you want them to continue reading rather than tossing the query letter into the trash!

Summary of the Novel

Next, you want to include a short summary of the novel that will pique the agent’s interest and get him or her excited about reading the full manuscript.  This is very important if the agent’s going to ask for sample chapters or the whole manuscript.  Think about the summary for a while, write and rewrite it until it’s perfect, and then have a few friends read it.  It should be no more than a paragraph or two, and include the most important elements of the story.  It might look something like this…

Megan is an ordinary girl who wakes up one day to find that her whole life has been one big lie…literally.  She discovered it when she found the papers in her mother’s drawer.  Her identity is false.  To make matter’s worse, the guy she’s been in love with for the past two years lets her know in no uncertain terms – and in public – that he doesn’t share her affection. Megan’s brother, who is not really her brother, is the only one she can count on.  Together, they embark on a journey to discover who Megan really is…and the truth shocks her to the very core.

Once you have the summary polished, you’re ready to move on to the next section.

Short Bio

In this part of the query letter, you’ll want to include some details about yourself.  You don’t want to make this part boring, so include only information that the agent should know.  For instance, if you’ve been published in the past or if you’re a new writer, the information should be in the query.  Any relevant education, credentials or groups that you’re a member of might also be great information to include.

Example:

This is my first fiction novel and I’m excited to share it with you.  I’ve researched your agency and feel that you’re the agent who can find my book a home.  I am a member of the Fiction Writer’s Group and possess a degree in journalism from University.

With this part out of the way, you can include any research, statistics, facts or information that you’ve gathered about your novel’s genre.  You might include what books are currently on the market that are similar to your book, but also how your book is different and stands out. Your agent is going to want to know where the book belongs in the store, and what the chances of success with the book are, so include what you know.

Example:

I feel that my book is similar to the wildly popular ‘Amazing Book,’ in regards to potential fan base and the human struggles within the book.  However, ‘Great American Novel’ is also different in that the characters are more defined and individualized.  In a survey where I asked 200 readers of similar genres to look at a summary of the book online and tell me whether they would be willing to purchase the book, 95% said they would be willing to pay the price to read the book.

Closing

The hard part of the query letter is over and now it’s important to close it properly.  Simply thank the agent for taking the time to read the query and let them know that you hope to hear from them soon.  It’s that easy.

Example:

I want to thank you for taking the time to read this query and I would love to send you some sample chapters or the full manuscript if you’re interested.  I hope to hear from you soon and am excited at the possibilities of working with you to bring ‘Great American Novel’ to other readers.

Sincerely,

Vulnerable Writer

Don’t forget to include all of your contact details so that the agent can get in touch with you if he or she wants to request sample chapters or the full manuscript.  If you’re sending the query through e-mail, you need to paste the query into the body of the e-mail.  Most agents will not open attachments unless they specifically request them.

Other Tips for Writing a Query Letter

• You shouldn’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in the query letter.  If your book is a comedy and you’re naturally a humorous person, a little light humor couldn’t hurt.  However, it’s important to remember that the query letter should be professional and you shouldn’t speak in the letter as if you’re familiar with the agent.

• Once you’ve sent the query letter, there is nothing to do but wait…or craft query letters for other agents.  Do not call or e-mail the agent asking about the query letter.  You can be sure that real literary agents will review all query letters and if they’re interested, they will get back to you.

• Proofread the query letter before sending it.  The last thing you want is for an agent to notice misspelled words or grammatical errors in the query letter…they will be dreading the book and the mistakes that must be present in it.  If needed, have a friend read it or hire professionals to proofread it for you.

Getting Rejected

It’s inevitable.  Most wildly famous and successful writers have received at least one rejection.  So, what do you do when you get rejected?  Politely thank the agent for their time and send out two more query letters.  Eventually, if you’re persistent and your work is good enough, you’ll make it!  Good luck.

Photo Courtesy of RichardDooling.com.

Never Underestimate the Power of a Comment

If you want to increase traffic to your blog, never underestimate the power of a comment. For starters, it is highly recommended to respond to the comments that people leave behind on your blog. Answer questions, thank them, or create dialogue. This not only shows that you are interested in what your readers have to say, but that you also value their opinions.

Don’t miss out on the perfect opportunity to enhance the loyalty of your readers. Visit the links attached to their information when they leave a comment on your blog, and repay the favor.

Another way to increase blog traffic is to leave comments on other blogs, especially when they are within your niche. Keep in mind that readers with the same interests are more inclined to follow a link, so don’t forget to leave the URL of your blog attached to your comment, which creates a link back to your blog.

Lastly, a real no-no in the world of blogging is to spam the comment space of a blog. Posting blatant and irritating advertisements, regarding your own blog, products, and/or services will only anger the online community. If you don’t have anything significant or thought provoking to say, keep to yourself.

In conclusion, the best way to embrace the usefulness of a blog comment and attract new readers is to:

• Respond to comments left on your blog
• Participate and encourage relevant dialogue
• Post interesting and engaging comments on other blogs

1.    Make Website Visitors Stop and Pay Attention to Your Message.
2.    Compel Your Visitors to Keep Reading.

For your business – this can mean many things, including more profits, more sales and more sign-ups.  In this post, you’re going to learn some creative and helpful tips for writing great headlines.

1. Consider Your Target Market

If possible, when creating your headline, address your target market.  This is especially important if you’re creating a headline for a sales letter.  When you speak directly to your target market, they will listen.  Look at the two headlines below and notice how the bottom one demands attention by addressing the target market.

‘How to Make More Money Starting Today’

‘How Stay-at-Home Moms Can Bring in a Fat Check Every Week’

By considering your target market, you can really create a headline that is going to work for you.

2. Tell the Reader What Is In It for Them

One thing you want to do when thinking about your headlines is consider what value the reader is getting.  That value should be made plain in the headline.  With sales letters this is easier, because they’re getting the solution to their problem.  Of course, the solution is typically your product or service.  But what about regular articles, blog posts, etc?

Consider the headline of this article – 3 Tips for Writing Great Headlines.  The reader automatically knows that he or she is getting 3 tips for writing great headlines.  This is the value.  Think about what you’re offering to readers with your articles, blog posts, etc.  Then, make sure it’s plain to the reader what knowledge they will gain or problems they will solve if they read.  Here are a few examples:

•    ‘How to Change a Tire’ – Here, the reader knows he or she is going to learn how to change a tire.

•    ‘What is the Red Ring of Death on my Xbox 360?’ – Here, the reader knows that he or she is most likely going to find out what that ‘red ring’ means and how to fix it.

•    ‘13 Creative Ways to Find a Job’ – When nothing else is working, the reader will find new ways to get a job in tough times.

By promising the reader something, you’ll ensure that more people actually stop and read your copy.

3. Keeping Readers Engaged

Sub-headlines are great for keeping readers engaged in your copy.  This is why they’re used so often in sales letters – the whole point is to keep the reader interested.  You may notice a small block of text and then a sub-headline under it which is something like, ‘And then I learned why I had been having so many problems,’ or ‘then I discovered a breakthrough solution that anyone can use.’

These sub-headlines keep the readers engaged because they want to know what that solution was or why that person was having so many problems.  For typical articles, it could be as simple as letting the reader know what they’ll learn in each section of the article.

For instance, a medical article could be broken up into the ‘causes’ of a condition, the ‘symptoms’ of a condition and the ‘treatments’ of a condition.  By dressing it up a little bit, you might have sections that look like these:

‘How Did This Happen?’

‘How Do I know it’s really _______?’

‘What Do I Do about It?’

The reader will continue reading to get the answers to those questions.  The entire point of sub-headlines is to break up the text of your copy, make it easier to read and keep the reader engaged.

By using these great tips for writing headlines, you can ensure that your copy gets more attention and works harder for you.

Always remember that writing for online readers is much different than writing for print. In order to attract repeat visitors to your website or blog – you need to promote easy scanning of the text.

Let’s face it – people rarely read an entire blog post or web page. They rarely dissect every word or fully absorb all information. Instead, they scan the page. Certain words, phrases, and sentences will catch their eye. If you’re successful in keeping their attention, you may gain a reader that will digest most of what you have to say. Successful websites learn how to make things easy for readers. They may use:

Subheadings.

Alert your audience to distinct changes in your text. Make the information that is most important to readers easier to find. For instance, a business offering an article on various training tricks for animals could use ‘Dogs,’ ‘Cats,’ and ‘Birds’ as their subheadings. A dog-owner that comes to the site will save a lot of time by easily locating the training tips focused on dogs.

Bulleted lists.

Call attention to significant pieces of information by using bulleted lists instead of burying details in a wall of text.

Highlight keywords.

Lure your reader to certain blocks of text by highlighting certain words and phrases. When you highlight keywords in your text, you can choose to change the typeface or color, or use hypertext links.

A simplified writing style.

Remember to use vocabulary that is easy to follow. Let’s say you’re trying to sell a product. Deliver the most important information to potential consumers in a concise manner. In other words, don’t lose the interest of a reader by using ‘big words’ that typically don’t see the light of day outside of the dictionary.

One idea at a time.

Each paragraph should address one idea at a time. Some readers tend to skip the end of paragraphs. Position the most important information within the first few words.

Short paragraphs.

Long-winded paragraphs not only lose the attention of a reader, but also contribute to a wall of text that smothers key points.

The inverted pyramid.

Take a hint from newshounds and embrace the inverted pyramid approach when writing for the Internet. Deliver the conclusion first, followed by the most important details. Basically, the ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘when’, ‘where’, and ‘how’ are presented in the first paragraph. The end of your article, web page, or blog post is then used to give background information. When using an inverted-pyramid writing style, visitors can stop reading at any point and you’ve still impacted their lives.

What is a Condolence Letter?

A condolence letter is something that people cherish as a memento of the friends and family that supported them through a very difficult time.  Typically, it’s a letter or note which expresses your sorrow and offers help and support to the bereaved.  It should be sent out within 2 weeks of you hearing of the recipient’s loss.  Here are some more important tips to help you write a heartfelt, proper condolence letter.

What Should a Condolence Letter Contain?

There are several things which your condolence letter or note should contain, including:

• How you heard of the loss.
• How the loss made you feel.
• Special traits or characteristics of the person who passed.
• Memories or thoughts of the person deceased.
• An offering of support and help to the recipient.
• A heartfelt closing.

You can start by telling the addressee how sorry you are for their loss and how you are affected by the loss as well.  This helps let the person know that he or she is not alone in their suffering – which is very supportive and helpful at a time like this.  Talking about special characteristics and memories of the person that has passed allows you to connect with the recipient and reminds them to think of the good times. 

      When you are mentioning character traits or good memories of the deceased, mention their name often.  This is comforting to the person reading the condolence letter or note and will resonate better with them.  Next, you want to reach out to the recipient in their time of need and let them know that you are there for them.  Offer help or support and make sure the offer is specific.  Keeping things general, like, “Please let me know if you need anything,” makes it more difficult for the recipient to actually contact you and ask for help. 

            However, if you specifically offer something, they can take you up on it much easier.  You may offer to baby-sit their children if they need some private time, or you could offer to prepare food for a few days – anything to help them as they are dealing with other issues concerning the deceased.  Even offering for them to call you if they need to talk is a great idea.

            Finally, a genuine and heartfelt closing is how you should end the letter.  Wish them well and let them know that they are in your thoughts and prayers.  You will find some example closings in the sample condolence letters below.

Quick Tips for Writing Condolence Notes:

• Don’t write your letter in a formal or stiff manner.  A great way to determine if your letter sounds natural and genuine is to read it out loud.  It should sound as if you are simply speaking to the recipient. 

• Avoid mentioning anything other than the deceased and wishing the recipient well.  For instance, adding details about your family or asking questions unrelated to the loss is not a good idea.

• Follow through with any offer you make to the recipient.  If you offer to call them in a few days to check in with them, make sure you do so.  If you offer to baby-sit their children, make sure you follow up with a phone call in a few days and reiterate the offer.  If you can’t follow through with something, don’t offer it in the letter.

• Write your condolence letter or note on pretty stationary or paper.  You can even opt for a sympathy card, but insert your letter rather than writing the entire thing on the card.

Regardless of the type of employment you’re seeking, your resume’s cover letter will typically form your potential employer’s first impression of you and your qualifications for the position.

The Purpose of a Cover Letter

A successful cover letter is much more than a simple introduction to your resume. While a resume is full of facts, figures, and employment history – your cover letter will display a great deal about you, your personality, your communication skills, and even your attitude. Chances are, a resume with a poorly written cover letter will see the trash bin before it has the opportunity to be reviewed.

How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter

While proper grammar, correct spelling, and a professional business letter format are quite important – the content of your cover letter is also crucial to your resume’s success.

Do not:

• Write a quick “Hi, here’s my resume” and call it a cover letter.
  

  A clean, professional font like Times or Arial is best for your resume. Photo by: Francisca

• Simply rehash the points already covered in your resume.
• Use the same generic letter for all employers.
• Fill your letter with complicated vocabulary and long sentences.
• Overly sell yourself – but don’t sell yourself short!

Do:

• Introduce yourself and explain why you’re writing in a professional , but personal tone.
• Take the time to review the position requirements and company information so you can briefly explain why your expertise will benefit the employer.
• Use bulleted lists and short paragraphs to make your letter easy to read.
• Describe how your skills and qualifications make you the perfect candidate for the position.
• Request an interview or meeting to discuss the position further and include appropriate contact information should the employer have questions.

While a well-written cover letter and great resume are often enough to score an interview, you may not always hear an immediate response. Sending a thank you note to your prospective employer, thanking them for taking the time to review your application, will keep your qualifications fresh in their mind and is not at all inappropriate.

Whether you’re needing search engine optimized web content or searching for tips about writing the perfect cover letter, be sure to subscribe to the Priceless Writers Blog in your favorite reader so you don’t miss a post!