You're finally there. You've finished your novel, or found the perfect non-fiction subject matter, or brushed the dust off the memoir that's been sitting in your drawer. You've edited your book again and again, you've had someone else edit it for style and substance, you've done revision and polishing, and finally it's in its best possible form. So now what? Well, now it's time to get serious. If you want your work to get published, you've got to start contacting editors and agents, and pitching your work to them in a way that's exciting and professional. You're going to need a query letter.
The query letter does several things-it introduces you, tells what genre you're writing in, describes the book, shows that there is an audience for it, and outlines what you as an author can bring to the table. And here's the kicker-you have to do it all in one page. No exceptions. Agents do read query letters, and they respond to the ones that spark their interest, but they are very busy. So your letter must be concise and to-the-point.
The good news is that there is a formula for writing a query letter. I can already hear some of you planning to ignore the formula. "I am not formulaic! I will figure out a unique and attention-grabbing way to write the letter!" Trust me, don't. Agents and editors like the formula because it works, and you will not win brownie points by being creative or original in the letter's format. I promise.
The first paragraph is your hook. You want to do two things with your hook-tell the agent which genre you're writing in, and give an exciting one-sentence introduction to the book that makes them want to read it. Something like "I've written a dark sci-fi novel in which my hero Karl Ma'anta-a private detective from the planet Octupui-travels to the tropical planet Mouii to save a powerless sorceress." You don't have to sum up the whole book here-that comes later-but you do want to catch the reader's attention. The hook for the first Harry Potter book might have simply been something like "I'm seeking representation for my young adult fantasy series, which stars an orphaned young boy who finds out that he is magic, and will soon be going to wizard school."
Your second paragraph is the synopsis of the book. It must be one paragraph long. I can't stress that enough. And no, having a full-page paragraph is not a good idea. Keep it very short! At the end of the paragraph, it's good to mention two or three successful books or authors who have the same audience as your book will, to show the agent that there is a definite audience. "I see my memoir on the shelf next to Mary Karr and Rick Bragg." Don't use books that have sold over a million copies-you are probably not the next John Grisham, and the agent has heard that claim a lot. You should know your genre and the successful authors writing in it, so be realistic.
The third paragraph is your writer's bio. Keep this very short unless you have good writing credentials or you do something that directly relates to your book's subject matter. The agent doesn't need to know that you were runner-up for the East Oakville County Real Estate Prize three years in a row. You should only put in the information that directly relates to the book. If the main character of your novel is a dental technician and that's your line of work, definitely do say that. If you're writing a book about autism and you have a doctorate in psychology, do say that. If you have publishing history-if you've been published in the local paper or a literary journal, etc-definitely put that in. And if you know published authors who would be willing to blurb your book, put that in too. If you have no writing experience and your education and work have nothing to do with the book you're writing, this paragraph will be very short, and that's fine.
In closing, let the agent know exactly what you have written. If you're a novelist, it should look something like this: "The 89,000-word manuscript is available upon request." If you're writing non-fiction, it might be something like "I included an outline and table of contents, and I have a longer proposal and two sample chapters available upon request." Then thank the agent for her time and consideration, and sign off.
Remember, always follow the agency rules for sending query letters. They will tell you if they accept email queries, and what exactly they want you to send. What I've given you here are just the basics; your letter should reflect who you are and the book you're writing. But again-follow the formula! Below are a few more dos and don'ts for reference as you're writing your letter. Good luck with your book, and keep writing!
Do:
...be professional and courteous, as if this were a letter to a prospective employer
...include a SASE or e-mail address
...provide all requested information
...put your contact information on the letter or email
...offer realistic comp titles and authors
...tell the agency why you are writing to them specifically
...have patience!
Don't:
...send anything except the one-page letter (no photos, bookmarks, etc.)
...use scented paper
...mention that your friends or relatives loved your book
...ask a ludicrous hypothetical question in the first line of your query ("What would you do if someone asked you to kill your mother?")
...be offensive as an attention-grabber
...use exclamation points, incorrect grammar, or misspelled words
...say that you are the next Dan Brown, Danielle Steel, or Charles Dickens
...include personal information unless it relates to the book
...give up
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