A query letter is such a fickle thing. There is no perfect formula you can use to guarantee you get a literary agent’s attention, but there are best practices you can follow to give your manuscript the best chance. I’ve done a lot of research on how to write a query letter for a novel, both online and through talking with agents. Below are the best universal points that most agents seem to agree upon, as well as a tip for heightening your chances of getting an agent’s attention.
The Bottom Line
Before we get into query letters, I want to make two things clear. First, you must have a completed and polished manuscript. If you are wanting to publish a nonfiction book, that’s another story, but a novel must be finished. Agents don’t want to know about a book you want to write. Most people who say they want to write a book never complete it. Some don’t even start. If you want an agent’s attention, you need to have a completed draft. It also needs to be edited to the best of your ability. I’m not saying you need to hire a professional editor, but don’t offer a first draft. Don’t even offer a third draft. Make sure your manuscript is the best you can make it in order to increase your chances of getting representation.
Secondly, it doesn’t matter how well your query is written, the agent won’t accept it if it’s outside their parameters. I’ve been told by multiple agents that the first thing they look at in a query is: title, genre, and word count. If the genre isn’t one they represent or the word count it too high or low for the specified genre, they reject it. You have to make sure both of these align with publishing expectations before you can successfully get an agent. If they do, you skyrocket your chances at getting a full manuscript request.
Query Letter Format
As I said earlier, there is no perfect formula for a query letter, but there are key components you need to include. Below is how my research suggested to structure a query, but you’ll see that I also give other options. All I can say is to do what you feel would be best in your situation, and, if you have an agent you want to submit to that asks for a different format, follow those guidelines. If not, this is the best format I’ve found, and I’ve had agent feedback that confirms this is a good approach.
Greeting
The first thing to do in any letter is greet the recipient. The best way for queries is: Dear Agent’s Full Name. Always use the agent’s name and not a generic greeting, and I suggest using their full names. I’ve heard an agent say she rejects a letter if they only use her first name, and it’s too hard to research marital status for females to do a proper last name greeting. If you use their full name, you don’t risk being too informal yet you are personalizing it. Also, please quadruple check that you spell their names correctly. I’ve also heard some agents throw out a letter if their name is spelled wrong.
Housekeeping
Now, the next section is one of those that’s under debate about where it should be in the letter. Some say to start with your pitch, and others want these book details up front. I don’t think either way is wrong. However, I’ve found a compromise that I use. I’m not sure if it’s sanctioned by all agents, but at least one has stated it was effective.
Part 1-Tag Line
If you put the housekeeping section as the opening of your query, I suggest doing a one-line paragraph that has your tag line. It’s a small tease to give the agent an idea of your story before you jump into the housekeeping details.
I will say, if you’re tag line is super short, you may want to expand it enough to give context. Don’t make it any longer than a sentence, but make sure it isn’t confusing. For instance, the tag line for The Lord of the Rings is: “One ring to rule them all.” It gives you an idea of the tone, but not much else. However, there is an expanded version: “One ring to rule them all. Fate has chosen him. A fellowship will protect him.” There is more of a sense about the story now. This is the kind of hook, or tag line, you want to open with before jumping into the housekeeping.
Part 2-Housekeeping
Housekeeping details are what the agents need to know about your manuscript besides the plot. Your first sentence in this paragraph should be: TITLE (in all CAPS, not underlined or italicized) is a (your genre) that (put in whatever comp titles you pick following the method you chose). The opening sentence will give the agent the title, genre, and intended audience. Then you can put in if the book is a stand-alone or part of a series, the word count, and why you picked this agent to represent you. Make sure you personalize this well. Don’t just say that the agent represents your genre so you picked him. Do a little research about what he likes or has represented so he knows you really think he will be a good fit for you.
Pitch
Now it’s time to deliver your pitch. If you choose to do your pitch paragraph before the housekeeping one though, don’t use your tagline. Just jump into the story premise and deliver your hook. This section is typically between 150-300 words. Unlike in the synopsis, you do not need to tell everything. You should introduce the main character(s), state the premise, and tease them with something that makes them want to read more. Think of it as a book blurb. You just want to give the agent an idea of what the story is about and make them want to read more. Here is a good formula from James Scott Bell for crafting a pitch for your query letter.
- Introduce the protagonist and his initial position
- Give the inciting incident and the main conflict the protagonist faces
- State what the “new normal” is now and what stakes are on the line
Remember, you need to give the agent an idea of the story, but you also need to get them curious and intrigued. If you can do that, they will check out your manuscript.
Bio
The next thing you want to do is introduce yourself and your credentials to the agent. If you have published before or received awards, this would be a good place to mention it. However, if you are not published, there is nothing wrong with telling them you are a debut author. If your career or education or life experience helped you write the book, you can state that. Most agents also recommend you stating what kind of platforms you have for an audience: social media, newsletters, websites, etc. If your following is huge, you might want to throw out an approximate number. But don’t worry if you don’t have a ton of followers. It’s more about showing that you are trying to reach out to the public than the numbers.
I will say, unless something can be directly linked to you as a writer, don’t mention it. Most agents won’t care if you love lasagna or went skydiving (unless that experience is in the book). Keep this paragraph short, professional, but engaging. They don’t need to know your life story, but they do want to know a little about you.
Closing
Lastly, you need to write your closing. If they asked you to send anything with the query letter, mention that it is attached or inserted in the email below (whatever their preference). Then write a simple line of thanks. For example: Thank you for your time and consideration. Then sign your real name. If you have a pen name, do not use it when querying.
A Little Tip
If you want to take your query to the next level, you can show an interest in the agent’s career in a post script. Do a little research and see if they recently had reason to celebrate. Some examples might be: being promoted to senior agent, selling over 100,000 copies on a certain book, or signing a are author. This shows the agent that you not only know about them, but you also want to recognize their hard work. Everyone likes a little encouragement.
Final Thoughts
A lot goes into crafting a good query letter and sending it to the right agent. It’s hard trying to get a complete stranger to like you and your idea through black-and-white text, but it is possible. The main thing is to write the best, most concise letter and then be patient. You will get rejections. We all do. But with persistence and a willingness to learn, you will eventually find representation. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Thanks for reading!
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