How to Write a Query Letter

I’m attending a retreat this weekend and we are supposed to bring a query letter for critique. In preparation, I’ve read a variety of articles about “how to write a successful query letter” and found the best available on the internet today.

Basics

1. How to Write a Query A classic 3-paragraph query letter. Great examples of hooks.





2. How to Write a Query Letter Great list of Do-Nots and a good sample query included.
3. How to Write a Successful Query. Covers the essentials, plus Hooks to Avoid.
4. Rites of Submission: Cover Letters and Query Letters. Details the differences and similarities between cover and query letters.
5. Tara K. Harper, FAQ: Query Letters Reminder to consider the audience (publisher, editor, or agent) and the type of manuscript you have written (novel, magazine piece, etc.)
6. How to write a query letter. With only 25 words for each major section of a query letter, this one gives you a solid skeleton for your query.
7. Stepping Onto the Query-Go-Round, pt. 1: Content First of a 4-part series on query letters, including a successful letter, notes on tracking queries and more.
8. What’s NOT a Query Letter. Send out these queries at your own risk.
9. How to Write a Great Query Letter: Inside Tips & Techniques for Success. FREE eBook from agent, Noah Lukeman, on the topic of queries.

Sample Query Letters

10. How To Query an Agent
11. How to Write a Great Query Letter: An Example that Worked. Example from a Scholastic Editor.
12. Sample Query Letter. An annotated sample query letter.
13. I’m All Done, Now What? Writing a Query Letter. A query letter is taken through several revisions.
14. The Complete Nobody’s Guide to Query Letters The query letter as a cold-call selling technique. Example of a successful query.
15. P&E: Sample Novel Query Letter. Basic annotations, but good.

Sending a Digital or Email Query Letter?

16. Query Letter Subject Lines: Act Now!! Get It While It Lasts!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

The holidays and the end of the year are bringing out the generous nature of agents!

The 2nd Sort-of-Annual Stupendously Ultimate First Paragraph Challenge

• Deadline: 7pm. EST, Thursday, December 11, 2008.
• Who: Literary agent Nathan Bransford, Curtis Brown, San Francisco office
• What: Post the first paragraph of your WIP and compete for the prize of a partial critique, query critique or a 15 minute phone call.
• How: Skip over to Bransford’s website and post your paragraph in the comments.
• Warning: The competition is stiff. With 10 hours left, there were 1176 comments/paragraphs.
• Attention: This is a learning opportunity. Read through at least some of these paragraphs and see which you like and which you don’t. What grabs your attention? Check back when Bransford posts the winners and vote on the finalist. Do you agree with his choices or not? Why or why not?

For more on opening lines:

• Opening Lines: The Story in Miniature
• Openings: 5 Ways They Go Wrong
• Prophetic Openings

Take a Holiday Break from Queries and Submit a Chapter Instead

• Dates: December 15 to January 15
• Who: Firebrand Literary
• What: Firebrand agents want to read your first chapter and will forego the usual query. This is a big task for those agents and a great opportunity for writers of all kinds. For those of you who have never got a request for a partial (probably because your query was weak), this is your golden chance. Let your writing speak for itself.
• How: Go to the Query Holiday posting on Firebrand’s website.

For more on opening chapters:

• Take the Scene Box Test
• Begin at the Beginning

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win