My Relationship with Query Letters

Posted by Rick

July 10, 2008

I love to write. I hate to write query letters.

Hate is a strong word. Maybe despise would be better. I can create characters, towns, and unique situations, but when it comes to selling my work I fall flat on my face. Why is that? For someone like myself who deals in fiction for the most part, a query letter can be highly stressful. There’s no steadfast rule to creating a successful letter but there are guidelines. There is no room for colorful prose in a query letter. You have to stick to the facts. Its purpose is to tell an agent or publisher that your work is worth their time.

That being said - how does one start? There are always exceptions. There is no “boiler-plate” style that will work every time.

Here are a few tips and a resource that should help you along your way.

Be professional! Do not use a crazy font style. The format of your letter will be the first thing they see.
Keep it to one page.
Mr., Ms., or Mrs.? If you are not sure then it’s okay to use their full name. (i.e. Dear Pat Smith). You’d hate to turn them off at the greeting by getting their gender wrong!
Begin by letting them know what you are submitting. Is it a short story collection? A novel? A travelogue? Describe what it’s about. Tell them what makes your work unique or anything else you can tell the agent/publisher about it. (Don’t forget the title!).
Next, tell them about yourself. What are your credits? Writing awards, etc. If you don’t have any credits yet that’s ok. But you don’t need to point this out - just omit this section.
Politely ask them if they would like to read the complete manuscript.

Some things not to do:

Don’t compliment yourself or say what a great writer you are. Can you say “wrong first impression”?
Don’t tell them that everyone who has read it has loved it.
Don’t tell them it’s a work in progress. Make sure it’s complete and ready to send if they want to see the entire manuscript.
Don’t forget to spell check.
Don’t stray from the topic. You are trying to interest them in your novel, not how much you like reading or grooming your pet poodle.
Don’t forget to spell check (yes - I realize this has been pointed out already)
Don’t forget to spell check (sorry - couldn’t help it. I won’t do it again).

I don’t mean to make query letter writing sound so daunting. It actually isn’t the hardest part of marketing your work. The synopsis is…. (Yuck!)

Recommended Reading:

How to Write Attention-Grabbing Query & Cover Letters

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