Writing query letters

04/15/2007-10:05 a.m.

Hello Kate,
I have taught communications skills for a long time. You can't go wrong with these first tips:"

1. Know your audience. What do you think he or she thinks is a top priority in works that they look at?
a. To find out more about their viewpoints, look over any letters you may have received from this person and then go over any conversations that you have had with them and write down points that you remember. Writing them down makes you remember better.
What you are doing is researching and pin-pointing what you need to remember/know when composing.

2. If you feel ready then compose your query as if they were writing it with their priority in mind. Aren't sure you have it right, well you have to do what you have to do. You have done more than most to set up communication.

3. Wait! Don't forget to inventory what you want to know. Write it down so that it sticks in your mind and then you are ready to compose.

4. a. Get to the point.
b. Proof it like crazy many times.
c. Go back over it after leaving it for a while.
d. Have a friend look at it too, that you trust.

5. Send it.

Please let me know if this helps at bbos@yahoo.com. I promise not to stick you in a game of e-mail tag. I just hope I helped. I am a teacher, we are like that! :)

I'd agree with Russell. And you can pick up some great books in the library for formatting. Good luck and keep us posted!!!!

Julie also has a good point. I need to send out a few myself!!!

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'm about to sit down to write a query, so I've printed out these suggestions. I'll keep you posted as to the result (and--if applicable--anything new I learn in the process).

Ditto here, Kate. I tried whipping up my first query ever and I think that it shows promise. Well at least according to the wonderful Gatherers who have commented on it so far. I hope you find my sample letter as helpful as all the tips and suggestions from our fellow Gatherers are.

Queries are tough. I write a lot of them. Three paragaphs, one biographical, the first is the intro/hook, and the third summarizes the book.

Include five pages. The first five. Also a book by agent Noah Lukeman. Read it.

Working title: Better Late Than Never

Writing a good query is often harder than writing a bl**dy book.

Get the person's name right. Intro with word count, genre, state it is complete (read: query when it IS complete). Say where you saw the agent's details.

HOOK. HOOK. HOOK.

Condense it all down and add what the theme of your book is (salvation; dealing with death, etc) and remember to say what your character will be going through.

If you've done nothing worth mentioning (being nearly published, an agent who was being polite and asking for your work, a certificate in poetry when 11 -- none of these count :) then you get more words to spend on other things.

I mean, you can put it all in pretty much any order -- just write it well.


P.S. As above, NOT over 1 page.

I haven't a clue...but...Congratulations on getting your foot in the door.