Another baby step has been taken...

For nearly a year I've worked on a query letter to send to agents.  I've written and re-written every word at least a million times, striving for perfection.  With a fifteen-second (or less) chance to make an impression, my one page must say exactly what I mean in order to hook an agent into selling my idea.  Last night,  I made my last change.  Today, I sent hard copies to three agents on my list who prefer to receive query letters by snail mail. On Wednesday night, I will email seven more letters to the rest of my initial contact list.

And then I wait. Contrary to popular believe, no news is not good news.

I personalized each letter for the individual agent.  I sent this letter to an agent who went to Va Tech and VCU...a homeboy, so to speak!

Dear Mr. McGuigan,


Because Adam Lambert’s vocal range and stage presence rival those of the most legendary performers in music history, many believe these define his talent. The people who knew him before American Idol, as well as those who have come to know him since, maintain that his resilience and fearless authenticity are the gifts that set him apart from other entertainers. It’s the well-spoken, brave, and honest spirit inside the rock star that this authorized biography, MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY VOICE: ADAM LAMBERT FROM THE INSIDE OUT, begs to reveal.

While anyone can compare Adam’s past to his present, only he can share how his response to the significant moments in his life shaped the man we see today. A self-proclaimed open book, Adam refuses to apologize for who he is and believes it’s more respectful to be candid and disliked than pretend to be someone he’s not. It’s exactly this frankness, coupled with his intelligence and wit, which will provide a rich backdrop for the story of his evolution from the weird kid in school to an international celebrity and Grammy nominee. Adam embraced his differences to uncover the person he was born to be and unintentionally became a source of encouragement for many. With the rise in suicide among gay teens and young adults, the world needs his empowering message of optimism, tolerance, and love more than ever.

My serious, concentrated effort to be an author began with a revelation: the way Adam Lambert communicates inspires me so much that I have to write about him. As his fame grows, so does the misrepresentation of his words and actions. Untwisting the truth gives new purpose to my goal of being Adam’s biographer and will utilize my intuitive skills as well as my expertise as a family mediator. Receptive to how others feel, I verbalize what they sense but can’t identify. I show people that a subtle shift of perspective from negative to positive not only widens their point of view, but closes the gap between opposing beliefs so they recognize the common ground they stand on. With a passion that thrills me, I’ve devoted the last two years to learning the craft; I’ve attended conferences, workshops, and classes as well as read biographies, memoirs, and books on writing. I’m a member of the Adam Lambert Fan Club, Adam Official, Bio (Biographer’s International Organization), James River Writers, and a local critique group.

I look forward to working with an agent who respects Adam Lambert as much as I do and envisions the powerful influence of his biography. With your interest in provocative, controversial subjects and experience working with new authors, I hope that agent is you. Please don’t let my B.A. from UVA fool you. I’m surrounded by a family full of Hokies.

Sincerely,

Jody B. Hedstrom

PS
I forgot about this draft post! It's been in limbo since March. I sent the letters as planned and so far have received four written rejections!  In the meantime, I changed the query  to fit the format required for the biography conference I just attended:

More Than just a Pretty Voice: Adam Lambert From the Inside Out

Because Adam Lambert’s vocal range and stage presence rival those of the most legendary performers in music history, many believe these skills define his talent. The people who knew him before American Idol, as well as those who have come to know him since, praise Adam’s resilience and fearless authenticity as rare gifts that set him apart from other entertainers. While anyone can compare Adam’s past to his present, only he can reveal, in this authorized biography, how his response to significant moments in his life shaped the man he is today. A self-proclaimed open book, Adam refuses to apologize for being himself and believes it’s more respectful to be candid and disliked than pretend to be someone he’s not. It’s exactly this frankness, coupled with intelligence and wit, which will provide a rich backdrop for the story of his evolution from the weird kid in school to an international celebrity and Grammy nominee. Adam embraced his differences to discover the person he was born to be and unintentionally became a source of encouragement for many. With the rise in suicide among gay teens and young adults, the world needs his empowering message of optimism, tolerance, and love more than ever.

The story behind the story, from anyone willing to share their first-hand account with me, fuels my love for biography. It's the inside-out version of a life, the how and the why, that intrigues me. With a newly empty nest, my training as a Certified Family Mediator as well as a B.A. in Rhetoric and Communication Studies from UVA join forces with my well-developed intuition as I write about the people who fascinate me the most.