A bit of a betting girl, I'm all about raising my odds. I am truly surprised when I meet a writer who finishes a manuscript but just "wings it" when querying agents to promote his or her work.

What is a query? A query is, essentially, a one-page letter sent to literary agents and designed to get them interested in a book enough to ask to see the whole manuscript. Hopefully, seeing the whole manuscript leads an agent to fall madly in love with the writer's work (and results in representation).

The letter includes such basics as the name of your manuscript, genre (young adult, picture book, etc.), a short synopsis, a personal bio of your previous work, contact info, etc. In many cases, if the query letter doesn’t pique an agent’s interest, a writer’s manuscript will likely never be read by that particular agent, regardless of how great the writing may be.

There is a process to follow. Every agent or editor looking for the next J.K. Rowling expects writers to follow whatever that agent's or editor's given submission process is. To the letter. Why lower the odds of a novel getting published simply by not following the rules? Crazy.

To raise the odds of a query leading to publication:

1. First and foremost - Check literary agency websites for exact, current submission guidelines. Follow guidelines to the letter, before pressing "send" on that query email. This cannot be stressed enough. Every agency has a website. Every agency posts submission guidelines. If a writer can't (or won't) follow the posted submission requirements, why would an agent think that writer will follow any guidance given once represented? A rule-breaker by nature? I'd say you are significantly lowering your odds of ever being published.

2. Spell the agent's name correctly. Check it, double check it, and triple check it. Enough said.

3. Only send your work to agents who actually represent what you write. Sending a middle grade manuscript to an agent who only handles adult fiction is a waste of both your time and the agent's. Know your audience. Spend the extra five minutes to google that person and see if they have a "wish list" of needs or wants. Read online agent interviews and/or check out the person's blog for a deeper understanding of whether or not your manuscript (and YOU) could be a possible fit.

4. Do NOT do anything cutesy to draw attention to your manuscript if sending in hard copy format via "snail mail" (a rarity with the online submission process most agents use). No, the agent will not think your query letter on pink, scented paper in an envelope filled with glitter confetti is clever. No, the agent will not think the homemade chocolate chunk cookies you included in the package make you the next bestselling "death by chocolate" author for their list. No, the agent will not think your use of comic sans font demonstrates the yuk yuk fest that is your romantic comedy set in upstate New York. No, no, and no. "But won't it help me stand out," you say? Please see #1.

5. ABSOLUTELY have a second set of eyes proof your query letter before you send it out to 20 of your favorite agents. Even the best self-editors can make a mistake or not see a problem with their own writing. Ask another person to read it for errors. With each manuscript, you usually only get one shot to impress an agent, and there are a limited number of agents to approach for any given project. Don't ruin your odds by being sloppy with your query letter. It is essentially your resume. That "resume" will end up in the "no" pile mighty quick if it includes spelling or grammatical errors. Agents will assume your manuscript is just as messy. That's a pass, almost always.

These are just a few pointers to help raise your odds during the query process. For info about how to write a query letter, check out one of my favorite resources, Jane Friedman's "The Complete Guide to Query Letters." I've also learned a ton by attending Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conferences, and I reference the "Guide to Literary Agents" and "Writer's Market," for the most up-to-date agent info. Most important - I don't send anything out until I've confirmed the submission guidelines online.

ALL of these efforts take me one step closer to my goal. Raise your odds. Follow the process. And good luck! 

Scrolling through some old articles I've had published over the years and came across one of my first $-earning essays accepted by Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "The Literary Dinosaur" seems worth a second viewing, since Power of Pages is, first and foremost, an advocacy website intended to encourage reading. I may not be the perfect parent, but I did get one thing right. I raised readers for life.

Enjoy (And don't be too judgy. I wrote this thing back in 2008). Thanks Trib for giving this novice writer the confidence to keep throwing words on a page. #triblive #writestuff #iamwriting #readnow

P.S. What am I currently reading? Bram Stoker's "Dracula" - a classic with "teeth." #dracula

Wow. #PitMad, held on June 7 and facilitated by pitchwars.org, was weird and oddly exciting. I'm, pardon the pun, all atwitter.

I've been writing fiction for a very long time. I started my first young adult novel over 21 years ago. It was a messy experiment, which only made it to page 25 and was summarily shoved in a drawer and forgotten. Many years later, I dusted it off and tried again, resulting in "Something Strange at Water's Edge," a completed 300-pager I'd love to say may be publishable. But perhaps not. It was my first effort. Although little remains of those first 25 pages, I learned a ton during the process. I've also completed three picture book texts and am currently working on two different young adult novels. I expect to complete one of them by the end of the summer.

My problem? Although I seem to be able to put my butt in the chair and get things done, I have a nasty habit of rarely following through and submitting my work to agents and editors. That makes getting a book deal a pretty big challenge.

To say the least.

Yesterday, I noticed a Twitter post about #PitMad, a quarterly Twitter pitch session, during which writers may post a Twitter-length summary of a manuscript and hope for a bite from an agent or editor intentionally trolling for the next great American novel.

I didn't even know this tweet pitch stuff was a thing, but instantly thought it was the coolest idea since sliced bread. Unfortunately, my Twitter account has only been getting some serious use for the past four months or so. I'm not exactly Twitter savvy. A work in progress. Regardless, I decided to give #PitMad a go and pitch a picture book which I have never put out to any agent or editor, ever.

My pitch:
Jenna Bellina Christina Angelina doesn't know why she is in the cage. Bad. Dog on right. Big, noisy dog. Dog on left. Shy, sad dog. When Jenna smells bubblegum and the man with keys brings a girl to meet the shaggy canine, it might be JENNA'S VERY GOOD DAY after all. #PitMad #PB

Short and sweet.

My goal was to garner a "like" from an agent or editor, which is an automatic invitation to submit my completed manuscript. Considering I didn't throw out my pitch until late afternoon, and the event was only going until 8 pm, I didn't expect much from my experiment.

What I also didn't expect is how obsessed I'd be with looking at my phone the rest of the evening. High suspense. I was hoping, really hoping, I'd get just one like, despite realizing just how slim my odds were of someone even noticing my little Jenna tweet in the midst of SOOOOO many other pitches (thousands?).

I didn't get a single "like" last night. Calling it a wash, I paid little attention to my phone this morning. And then it happened. A "like." I got a "like." I got an actual "like."

Oh. My. Stars. Someone wants me. Someone LIKES me. Or at least my Twitter pitch.

Unfortunately, that someone must have notched up his or her privacy settings. I was unable to ascertain which esteemed agent or editor pressed the button.

If you're out there, esteemed agent or editor, and have started stalking me online, stalk away. I encourage it, and I'd still love to send you "Jenna's Very Good Day."

I didn't say this social media thing was a perfect science, but every writer should recognize the importance of using it. I have finally embraced my inner tweet, in an effort to put myself and my work in front of a larger audience.

#PitMad. It was a roller coaster, but still cool as sliced bread.