Kat asked W. Terry Whalin:

I have a book that is the actual journal of when my newborn son died, and the 3 yrs following. An experienced author told me it needs to be published but I simply cannot do the cover letter. Do you have any ideas if this book is worth pursuing and can I find help in writing the cover letter?

W. Terry Whalin Kat,

Sounds like an idea with potential. Here's the challenge: ideas are everywhere. You have to determine if the idea is a book length idea (40,000 to 50,000 words) or if it is short magazine article (1,000 to 1500 words). You will reach more people with your magazine article than 99% of the books published and it is easier to accomplish.

Also what is your purpose writing this book? Is it simply to capture the information for your family or to help others who face this same experience? If it is the later then maybe you have a book project. You aren't writing for everyone but a specific target audience.

Finally how to you make your idea stand out from the other ideas? Not to discourage you but you have to understand that editors and agents receive hundreds of emails each week. Your pitch has to be worth pursuing. Editors and agents do not read manuscripts, they read book proposals. I have a number of free resources that I've created to help other writers:
http://AskAboutProposals.com (a free teleseminar)
http://terrylinks.com/bookcheck (a free book proposal checklist)

Hope this helps you determine the viability of this concept and whether it is a book length project or a magazine article.

Warm Regards,

Terry
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W. Terry Whalin
Highlands Ranch, Colorado

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