A Guide to Crafting the Dreaded Query Letter
- Sarah Burgos Maron
- Aug 10, 2020
- 6 min read
Updated: Dec 24, 2020
Crafting a query letter can feel a lot like shrinking down your soul: an impossible task, but often, a necessary one. In this guide, we'll go over how to set up your query letter, as well as some tips and tricks that will hopefully push your letter to the top of the pile.
The Basics
The structure of your query letter should follow current industry standards, unless an agent or publisher requests otherwise. This means your query letter should include an introduction, a hook, quick bio, and closing.
The format of your query letter depends on whether or not it's a physical query letter or an email query. A physical query letter resembles the type of letter you might send to a potential employer or client, while an email query appears less formal (but not by much).
Let's break the two of them down further.
For a physical query:
Your contact information should be listed in the upper right hand corner of your letter (name, address, phone number, and email) . The remainder of your text should be aligned to the left, with no indents. List your contact's information one line below yours, on the left hand side of the letter. Beneath that, begin your introduction and hook (we'll go over these parts later).
For an email query:
You can draft your letter in Word; however, make sure you paste it as plain text into the body of your email. Your email should have no indents, and your very first line should always be the start of your introduction [ex. Dear AgentName]. Beneath your closing, list your name and contact information (address, phone number, and email). You do not need to include your agent's contact information in the email.
Additional general guidelines:
All queries should be in Times New Roman, 12 pt font, and single-spaced. If you are typing a physical query letter, stick to 1" margins.
Word count wise, the average query letter falls between 200-450 words. Do not ever exceed one page. Otherwise, you risk going straight to the slush pile, where no author ever wants their query to go.
The Introduction
Your introduction should include, at the bare minimum, a proper greeting. For example, 'Dear AgentName'. Keep it formal. Do not simply use 'Hello' or 'Dear Agent' to save time querying multiple agents or publishers. Your query letters should be personalized, at least to this degree.
If you received a referral to this individual, met them in person at a conference, or they requested for you to send your manuscript or query, always mention these details next in your letter. If none of these situations apply to your current work, you have three options.
Option 1: Jump straight into your project's hook. I highly recommend this option because the faster you can hook your reader, the better.
Option 2: Take the informational approach by specifying your project's genre, title, subtitle, and word count. I do not recommend this option for those submitting non-fiction, as you have additional details to worry about (such as your marketing approach and intended audience, which you typically keep grouped together).
Option 3: Mention your top writing related successes. I do not recommend this option unless you've won a well-known award, you're already a well-known, best-selling author, or you've already been traditionally published. If you choose an award, it should at least be on a state or national level. Anything less won't cut it.
No matter which option you choose, you will need to include your project's genre, title, subtitle, and word count at some point in your letter. So, even if you do not choose option two now, you will still need to mention these details later, after your hook. It's also suggested you make a comparison of your work to at least two other similar published works in the market. The works you choose for comparison should have been published within the last five years. Avoid choosing current best sellers or extremely popular ones like Harry Potter, Hunger Games, etc.
When it comes to the word count of your project, keep in mind that debut novels on average fall around 80,000 words. This varies between genres, however, so check out current industry standards for your particular genre. A 120,000 word count will often raise some concerned eyebrows for all genres, but if you've cut your work down the best you can, and you've made every sentence and word count, all that matters is whether or not the agent loves it or not. So, don't stress about this too much.
The Hook
The hook serves as the most critical deciding factor in a successful query. This section often falls around150-300 words, and it's the core description of your project.
Your hook should include some sort of combination of the following: who your main character is, what do they want, why do they want what they want, what's keeping them from getting what they want or what's the central conflict, and/or what major choice do they make to initiate your story's inciting incident.
Depending on your project's genre, you may need to establish the setting and time period of your work right away, in order for the rest of your description to make sense (this is especially true for sci-fi and fantasy).
Your hook must find a balance between character and plot. And by plot, I mean focus on the bare bones of your work and the central conflict. Do not reveal your story's ending in the hook. Save that for your synopsis. Any minor plot points should also be left out.
You can mention up to three characters max in your hook: the protagonist, romantic interest/sidekick, and/or the antagonist. However, you do not have to introduce all of them. Pick whichever combinations work best for you.
The Author Bio
Your bio should be between 50-100 words.
If any of the following apply, mention it in this section:
1. Any traditional publications in the same genre.
2. Any high sales publications in the same genre (traditional or self-published).
3. Your profession, if it relates to your current project.
4. Any writing credentials you may possess.
5. Any writing organizations, where you're considered an active member.
6. Any writing workshops, events, or retreats you attend.
7. Any special research you've conducted for your current project.
8. Any major writing related awards or competitions you've won.
9. Any social media or blog accounts with over 100,000 fans or followers.
If none of the above apply, stick to a 1-2 sentence bio detailing some interesting facts about you (ex. where you live, your education background, your favorite pet, your day job, or your hobbies).
The Closing
Your closing should typically only include a one sentence thank you and that's it. However, if your work is currently being considered for representation at another publisher or literary agency, you need to mention that here. If your simultaneously querying, and the agent's submission guidelines require you to specify this, include that as well.
Avoid adding anything else to this section. If the agent is interested in your work, they will contact you. Do not push for a meeting, a phone call, or beg. Also, avoid commenting on the quality of your work or how much 'so-and-so' loved your piece. Let the agent decide for themselves whether they like your project or not, so you don't come off too desperate or arrogant. It's also recommended you focus on selling your current project rather than mentioning if it's the first book in a series. After all, an agent needs to get on board with the first book before they can even think of representing a series.
Once you've finished this section, it's time to finish up any last minute edits to your submission materials and submit. I highly suggest pursuing a conservative submission strategy. By this, I mean dividing up your list of potential agents or publishers by their ideal fit for your work. Save your high priority agents for later, once you know your current query and sample pages are receiving manuscript requests. Test the waters with a handful of agents at a time. I typically suggest querying no more than 10 agents, per batch.
If you're not finding any success, it's time to review your submission materials again. Often times it can mean either your query letter or sample pages need additional work. If you're not quite sure which might be the cause, seek out a fresh pair of eyes. Hiring an editor at this point would be highly recommended, as they can let you know what's working and what's not from an unbiased perspective.
And there you have it! Hopefully this guide helps you on your querying journey. If you have any questions, please feel free to sound off in the comments, and we'll be happy to write a response.
Sincerely,
-SBM Literary
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