Your "Take 5" Packet Letter
A special reward for Premium Loreates!
Better to confront problems through a packet letter than leave them stewing in the work when it’s submitted to literary agents.
I’m excited to introduce a new Premium offering here at MFA Lore, to bring you even more of the essence of an MFA education, should you desire it: the “Take 5” Packet Letter.
Now, when you become a Premium Member you’re invited to send me 1-5 pages, or 1250 words, of your creative work OR your next query letter, and I will respond with MFA-level feedback in the form of a Packet Letter.
Here’s what had to say about the “Take 5” feedback I offered her:
GET YOUR PACKET LETTER NOW, BEFORE THE PRICE GOES UP!
My first few Take 5 Packet Letters have reminded me that I spend MUCH more than a single hour on these packets. I go over each query and set of pages at least 3 times, annotating and assessing before composing my letter. This tends to take me several hours.
With that in mind, I plan to raise the $140 Premium Member rate to $200 next month.
Subscribe or upgrade to Premium BEFORE JULY 1 to take advantage of the current low rate before it rises!
What’s so great about Packet Letters?
The core of every low-residency MFA program is the packet of work that’s sent back and forth, from student to advisor for feedback, several times each semester. IMHO, these packets are the main reason why low-residency programs are more beneficial for most MFA students than traditional programs, where feedback is given only through workshop discussions. (I was shocked when writers who attended traditional MFA programs told me they’d never received any written feedback at all.)
I can’t speak for all MFA faculty, of course, but the packet feedback I received at Bennington and that most of my colleagues and I gave our students at Goddard was substantial, thoughtful, and organized. And packet letters are enduring. They can be referred to again and again. In fact, I often dip back into my packet files for nuggets of wisdom to share with you here.
But what’s most important is that packet letters you receive as a writer prepare you for the editorial letters you’ll receive when developing your manuscript for publication. Ideally, they’re detailed, honest, and pull no punches. They’re meant to help you clarify and strengthen the most compelling elements of your story while identifying the gravest impediments to its success. In this sense, they provide excellent practice for life as a published author, where revision is eternal and even your most enthusiastic agent or editor is going to demand improvements to make the book more marketable.
Testimonials from Aimee’s students & “Take 5” Loreates
As the first writer to have taken advantage of Aimee's offer, allow me to say that the service she is providing is, in a word, invaluable.
All of her subscribers here know Aimee for the highly accomplished author that she is… it should come as no surprise that she brings a wealth of experience as a teacher to the process of evaluating and editing the work of other writers.
In my case, having wrestled with the approach I was taking to the opening of a novel on which I've been working, Aimee's fresh perspective of the first five pages has given me a clear sense of the direction that I need to take. (And I say this as someone who will now have to put in a lot of work to revise those pages in accordance with the overall notes and specific line edits contained in my packet letter!)
Besides, Aimee's offer of providing premium members with this service at zero additional cost makes it an absolute steal. I was quick to grab it and I couldn't be happier.
When a Packet Letter helps the most
No guarantees come with packet letters. As with any read from an agent, editor, or publisher, the feedback you get from an MFA advisor will be largely subjective. We all have different literary tastes, and certain genres, like dystopian sci-fi and romance novels, have their own rules, which few MFA advisors (including me) are familiar with. So always make sure you’re getting feedback from someone familiar with your genre.
Also remember that even high praise does not mean the work is ready for prime time. While encouragement can be worth a lot, it’s no shortcut or substitute for the work of revision. JoAnne kept revising for two more years before selling her novel, and then spent another year revising it to her Riverhead editor’s satisfaction. This writing business is a long haul.
But there are three points at which a packet letter can be especially helpful:
When you’ve got a really shitty first draft and can’t tell if there’s anything there worth pursuing. If you have a tough enough stomach to take the criticism of the parts that aren’t working, an early objective read can be invaluable to help you find the heat.
When you have a draft that you think might be close to ready to send out. If you want to save yourself the pain of needless rejection— and are prepared to keep revising, this is a great time to get a second opinion before pressing send.
When you’ve been sending the work out and no one’s biting and you don’t know why. A packet letter at this point can help you make sense of the rejections and perhaps get a fresh take on potential revisions.
If you’re at any of these three stages with your current story, an MFA Lore “Take 5” Packet Letter might be of use to you.
While I’m “only” offering feedback on 5 pages, please remember that most agents or editors will need no more than 5 pages to decide whether to ask for more. Likewise, if your query letter doesn’t grab them, they’ll never make it to the beginning of your manuscript.
Another reason I’m offering feedback on your first or most important 1-5 pages is because these pages will (ideally) encapsulate the essence of your book’s promise, resonance, and merit. They’re an excellent gauge of the integrity and coherence of your overall concept. These 1,250 words should have the power to draw any reader in cleanly and clearly and hold their attention. They should crackle with electricity and snap with direction. If they don’t yet do that, I want to help you figure out why.
How do you get your “Take 5” Packet Letter?
Simple! Become a Premium MFA Lore Member!
Just subscribe or upgrade to MFA Lore at the Premium (aka founding) subscriber tier. As soon as I’m notified of your subscription, I’ll contact you about submitting your work.
You’ll be invited to submit your packet to me via email. It will consist of:
Up to 5 pages, or 1250 words, of creative prose OR your query letter for a long project
A brief note telling me:
Whether this is fiction or nonfiction
Is it part of a short piece, or a book project?
Who the ideal audience is for the work — commercial, YA, etc?
Your 1-sentence elevator pitch for the story.
Please send as a Word doc, NOT pdf, so that I can add comments and line editing with Track Changes.
The packet letter I send back with your marked-up pages will contain feedback that highlights both the Strengths and the Opportunities in the work, helping you determine whether it’s time to “press send” to agents or reorient your revision.
What do you think?
Right now, the “Take 5” Packet Letter offer is still in the testing phase. The initial Premium price of $140 equals the going rate for one hour of editorial time, which is about a third of the time I spend on the average packet. And that includes all the perks of paid subscription.
I plan to raise the price in June. But please tell me what you think.
I’m listening!