Email Etiquette Matters
Do you take time to plan your emails when you sit down to write one? Once you've written the email do you spell check it? Make certain it's otherwise grammatically correct? Do you address your emails to the correct person? If you're a writer and if you're querying an editor, this is one of the most important things to do.
No editor want to be addressed as Dear Sir or Ma'am.
If you're querying, take the time to look up the editor's name.
Does your email convey the correct message? Does it contain information appropriate to the recipient? These questions, and more, should be concepts to keep in mind when querying an editor in this age of instant contact.
Even though this isn't specifically writing related, would you ever send an to an editor that was full of typos and grammatically incorrect sentences? In my role as an editor I have writers send me emails that do come in ALL CAPS (how annoying and in e-speak that means you are yelling at the recipient).
Don't send your email in bright color or hard to read fonts.
Don't add a wacky background and then a font that is so light that it's impossible to decipher.
I agree that Times New Roman and Arial fonts are rather boring and that fonts such as Papyrus and Chaucer are exciting fonts but keep in mind, the editor isn't impressed by fancy fonts.
Even if you are writing poetry or a horror story or a period romance, you don't want to use a font that you think will convey special meaning to your work - it won't.
It will only serve to annoy an editor.
What will impress an editor is a clean, well-thought-out query, your credentials and your knowledge of the subject matter of which you speak/write.
Take a look at your most recent queries (especially if they are in email format) were you courteous, direct, and was your email "legible"? Think of your email query to an editor as a job interview.
Remember, you will likely never meet the editor in person and your email is your first - and if it's poorly written, will likely be your last contact with that editor.
Make your emails easy to read, interesting to read and legible.
Use the information you're conveying to the editor to carry the weight of your words, don't rely on fancy fonts or backgrounds to make a point for you - as an editor, I can tell you, it will backfire.
No editor want to be addressed as Dear Sir or Ma'am.
If you're querying, take the time to look up the editor's name.
Does your email convey the correct message? Does it contain information appropriate to the recipient? These questions, and more, should be concepts to keep in mind when querying an editor in this age of instant contact.
Even though this isn't specifically writing related, would you ever send an to an editor that was full of typos and grammatically incorrect sentences? In my role as an editor I have writers send me emails that do come in ALL CAPS (how annoying and in e-speak that means you are yelling at the recipient).
Don't send your email in bright color or hard to read fonts.
Don't add a wacky background and then a font that is so light that it's impossible to decipher.
I agree that Times New Roman and Arial fonts are rather boring and that fonts such as Papyrus and Chaucer are exciting fonts but keep in mind, the editor isn't impressed by fancy fonts.
Even if you are writing poetry or a horror story or a period romance, you don't want to use a font that you think will convey special meaning to your work - it won't.
It will only serve to annoy an editor.
What will impress an editor is a clean, well-thought-out query, your credentials and your knowledge of the subject matter of which you speak/write.
Take a look at your most recent queries (especially if they are in email format) were you courteous, direct, and was your email "legible"? Think of your email query to an editor as a job interview.
Remember, you will likely never meet the editor in person and your email is your first - and if it's poorly written, will likely be your last contact with that editor.
Make your emails easy to read, interesting to read and legible.
Use the information you're conveying to the editor to carry the weight of your words, don't rely on fancy fonts or backgrounds to make a point for you - as an editor, I can tell you, it will backfire.
