If you need to, contact the literary agency, publication or publishing house to be certain that you're addressing your letter to the correct individual. Then, proofread your work. Use a software program to confirm that spelling, grammar and syntax are correct. Read it out loud to ensure the sentences flow, and have a trusted friend or family member read it to give feedback. Here's an example of a query letter that you can use as a guide:.
I'm looking for representation for this ,word novel. The book opens in a hospital setting. Justin Gold awakens from an induced coma and begins to remember hazy details of the plane crash that left him gravely injured. He realizes that he can't move his legs. His best friend and coach, Barry Stanton, comes into the room and starts to cry.
Stanton is the one who helps the "golden boy" of tennis to move past depression and embrace a new life away from the elite tennis circuit. As Justin heals, new details about the plane crash emerge, which compel Justin and Barry to find the guilty parties. I've spent 10 years working as a tennis coach, and I competed professionally on the junior tennis circuit 12 years ago. I also have a degree in kinesiology from NYU Steinhardt. My deep knowledge of the sport gave me the capacity to add authentic details to my story.
This is my first novel, but I've honed my literary skills by writing popular blog posts. These blog posts appear on my website and at other websites that cater to the interests of tennis fans. I'm enclosing three chapters of my novel. I hope you enjoy the story, and I look forward to connecting with you. Here are some tips you can follow to write a great query letter:.
Shorter query letters that don't exceed words tend to get better results, so keep your letter brief. Agents and editors want succinct query letters that transmit important information in a way that is easy for them to scan and understand. You should appear confident in your writing in order to successfully market your manuscript. A smart marketing approach is to sell your pitch by writing a professional and polite query letter with a terrific synopsis.
The best way to attract interest is to tell an amazing story. The publishing industry can be competitive and you may receive rejections after you send a query letter. Most literary agents will not even consider a query letter with more than one page or front and back.
Expect that this agent will say yes because your book is awesome, and waiting to be discovered. Check with the submission guidelines for specifics. You have about two sentences to turn the spotlight on yourself. In fact, the only thing you should discuss about yourself. There are people who still use pen and maybe even pencils.
This is not the time for either of those utensils. A query letter should be typed with a standard font. Image Courtesy of FeedGrids. Keep the font size to 12 pt and the textcolor should be black. Also, use white paper. Anything else will seem amateur, at best. As a new author, you may be obsessed with finding an agent who will help you publish your manuscript.
And, in order to accomplish this, you know that you need an impressive query letter. Use the tips in this post to get your query letter noticed on a busy literary agent's desk. If you're stuck in the morass of researching agents by checking Twitter, Publisher's Marketplace, agent wishlists and interviews, we have some exciting news. Literary Agent Alert is an easy way to find out when an agent is looking for a manuscript like yours.
Every week, you'll get a newsletter that aggregates all mentions by reputable agents who are looking for a book in your genre. Click here to learn more. This letter is short, sweet, and definitely to the point. Tweet this. Easy, right? By the way, be sure to subscribe for a darn good query letter template to go along with this post.
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This part of the letter is known as the hook. Your hook should show agents how your book is different from the thousands of others in your genre. About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him. What will happen next? Is she walking into a trap? The best professional editors are on Reedsy.
Sign up to meet them within seconds! Learn how Reedsy can help you craft a beautiful book. Without a grand mystery at the center of your book, you can still build up to a gripping cliffhanger by defining the central conflict and stakes. So make sure the letter-reader knows what your protagonists stand to win or lose. This is my first novel. A great way to do that is by identifying comparable titles.
This lets agents know you come with a built-in fanbase. You'd treat someone who specializes in picture books differently from someone who specializes in R-rated thrillers, after all. I am a huge fan of your client, Michael Chabon. Or if you want to do one better, refer to something that the agent has written or said in public. I saw your presentation at the Literary Writers Conference last year.
Your comments on the dearth of female protagonists in fantasy fiction really resonated with me. My book is, in part, an attempt to redress that balance.
Don't lay it on too thick. Just show that you've put thought and effort into choosing which agents you query. Don't overlook this step, as it's very important. Get a friend to read the whole thing to make sure your spelling, grammar, and punctuation are all on point. Just thank them, and sign off!
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