Perfecting Your Query Letter

Traditional publishing is an exciting place with a plethora of talented industry folks. But how do you get one of them to take notice of your book? The answer is to have a killer query letter. A query letter is a one-page document that shares about your book and introduces you as the author.

Let’s start with breaking the query into its parts so we can analyze each piece. I’ll be using a real query letter submitted to me that ended up getting a publishing contract (with permission of course).

Personalized Intro

Your query letter should start with a personalized introduction, including the person’s name spelled correctly  (or “editor” if no name is given) and the reason why you are querying them specifically. This is an easy way to connect with the person you are querying.

Dear Ms. Haughee,

It was such a pleasure meeting you at the Atlanta conference this weekend! I was thrilled to learn that this pitch won a Best Pitch Award. Thank you so much.

The Book’s Basics

In that same paragraph where you included personalization, give the basic facts about the book. Include the title, genre, word count, and comp titles. Remember your comps should be less than five years old and in the same genre as your book. Reminder: Book titles are written in ALL CAPS in query letters.

I’m writing to share my 90,000-word novel, CATCH SNAKES, NOT FEELINGS, a contemporary romance rooted in coastal South Georgia. The fiercely independent new teacher in town discovers her yard is overtaken by snakes, and her feelings for the local snake wrangler make her take a deeper look at herself and the ecosystem she’d invaded. CATCH SNAKES, NOT FEELINGS is for the conservation-minded readers who grew up on Carl Hiassen, and readers who appreciate the unabashed honesty of Dolly Alderton’s Good Material.

The Blurb

This is where you really grab the person’s attention. It’s our first taste of your writing. You need to sell your book to us, really make us want to invest time and energy into it. Writing blurbs can be tedious, but keep reworking it and getting feedback from critique partners. It’s the most vital part of your query letter!

Start a new paragraph for this. It can be one or two paragraphs long.

Finally free from the ex who consumed her twenties, Erica moves to coastal Georgia determined to start over and stay single. But between difficult coworkers, a yard full of snakes, and Will—the patient, handsome local snake expert she can’t stop calling for help—her carefully constructed plans begin to unravel. As Erica secretly launches a snake conservation club at her school and finds herself drawn deeper into Will’s world, she must decide whether protecting her independence is worth risking a chance at something more. Some snakes are easier to handle than feelings.

Your Bio

Your last paragraph should include details about yourself and any publishing credits you have gotten so far. It’s okay if you don’t have any yet. Everyone starts out that way. Be sure to mention any connections you have with the content of the book. For example, if your job is a nurse and your book character is also a nurse.

I am a Physician Assistant from metro Atlanta, where I live with my husband and two children. I have been intrigued by snakes ever since my then two-year-old son stumbled upon a copperhead in the backyard (don’t worry, he wasn’t bitten). Research for this book has increased my respect for our reptilian neighbors more than I could have imagined. Thank you for your consideration.

Then sign off with your name and contact information.

Sincerely,

Natalie Deal

[email and phone]

Polishing Up Your Query

Be sure to get your query letter critiqued by other writers. There are also literary agents who give query feedback for a fee. You want your query letter to follow the traditional format shown above while standing out from the slush pile. You stand out with your voice and pitch (blurb). A few quick tips:

• Don’t brag or say your book is the next NYT best seller. Arrogance will turn people away.
• Use real comps, not just famous books or movies (“It’s the next Harry Potter!”), and be sure they are no more than five years old.
• Don’t give away the ending in your blurb. Give us the characters and the stakes, but not a full synopsis.
• Show how your book is unique. How is your book different from your comps? From any other book in your genre?

If you find that you aren’t getting any bites from agents or editors, take a look at your query letter again. Think of it as a fluid document that gets tweaked as your progress through the process. You won’t regret spending extra time making it better. Good luck in the submission process!