Fiction Notes

The Ultimate Query Letter Guide

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. http://www.flickr.com/photos/takomabibelot/472933624/

  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.

    10. 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.

    16. Sending a Digital or Email Query Letter?

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

Darcy Pattison

, , , , , , ,

4 responses to “The Ultimate Query Letter Guide”

  1. Excellent! Thanks for posting these. I’m a week or two away from starting on my first query letter to send to agents, so this will be helpful material!

  4. Thank you so much for this list! I’m attempting to expand my cache of freelance gigs right now by sending out new query letters. I was searching for the best advice on the web in one place and I feel like I hit the mother lode.