Melanie Nilles

I recently had a revelation for writing a good query letter. There are lots of good resources on the internet and in books. While the basics are all the same, each is slightly different. No matter what they say, however, if you want to catch an agent’s or publisher’s attention, there are a few keys that you need to keep in mind. Here I will list what I’ve seen and what I’ve found to be most helpful.

1. This is a business correspondence. Format it as such. No stylish fonts or fancy headers or images; nothing turns an agent/editor off more or screams “Amateur!” more.

2. Address the letter to the individual, not to a generic “Dear Agent” or “Dear Editor”.

3. Begin with a personalized intro or nothing at all. That doesn’t mean that you found their listing on a certain site. It means, rather that if you read that an agent/publisher blogged that they like XXX and your book is that, say so. If they represented/published XXXtitle and your story is along those lines, mention it. It shows you’ve done your homework and you’re ahead of many others who waste their time.

4. Summarize your work in a paragraph or two. This is the hardest part. The most important thing here is to make it sound like a blurb you would see on the back of a book. (Kristen Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency has a great pitch letter workshop on her blog.) The key that I’ve discovered to writing that pitch or hook is this–begin with the main character and the conflict they must overcome. No backstory, no background info of any kind. Jump right in, as your book should. Summarize the rest of the book in a few more sentences, but don’t give away the ending–that’s what a synopsis is for. Remember, this is just a teaser to entice the agent/publisher into wanting to read the actual work.

5. Give the genre, title, and word count of your work. This can also fit into the first paragraph, depending on your opening.

6. Thank the agent/editor for his/her time.

7. Make sure your contact info is included either in your address header or with your name after the closing. Real name, address, phone, and email if this is snail mail.

Another important key is to follow PRECISELY what the agent/editor states in their submission/query requirements. Do they only want a query–send only a query letter, nothing more. Do they want X number of pages with the query–include that amount (though you can continue the end of the scene/chapter without offending them). Do they want a synopsis or a synopsis and X number of pages–give them a synopsis and or X number of pages. What format do they want it those pages or how many pages should the synopsis be–reformat if you must and the shorter the synopsis the better, in most cases.

Remember that this is their business. You may write from the passion to tell a story, but for them, it’s how they make a living. The first step to showing that you have a saleable product is to pitch it. True salesmen understand that less is more. To entice a customer into wanting more, you hold back and give them just enough info to interest them into wanting more. That is the purpose of your query. If you want to be an author, you have to be a salesperson.