By Natalie Watkins
Finally! After investing blood, sweat and a sea of tears, you have completed your manuscript. You spent untold hours painstakingly editing and proofreading it, and it feels as if your brain will simply ooze out of your ear in a gelatinous mass if you give it even one more cursory look.
What is the next step on your path to publication? How do you woo that ideal agent or perfect publisher? In your mind’s eye, you can practically picture them: sitting back and reading your work with a satisfied smile. Their hands fly over the keys, they are so eager to request your manuscript. But how do you actually achieve this writer’s nirvana?
Enter the query letter. What is a query? It is an absolutely imperative part of the whole matchmaking process with that publishing professional. Think of it as the first impression on a blind date. It is the letter that will convey you and, most critically, your work, in a purely positive way. The goal, of course, is to seduce them into wanting to read your manuscript. This can be an intimidating step, especially for debut authors. What should one include? Below are three query letter tips to getting your work off your hard drive and into hard cover.
Tip 1: Do your research
Make sure the publisher or literary agent you are querying is the right one for you. For example, do not send your brilliant memoir featuring an expertly crafted protagonist to an agent who only represents sci-fi. Thoroughly evaluate the website as well as the social media sites of the agent or publisher. What are their submission guidelines? Know and follow them.
When reading the bios of agents or publisher information, pay attention to details. Is the agent you are querying from Florida and your novel is set in the Everglades? This is the place to mention it. Do they represent any of your favorite authors? Bring it up. Weave your words to create commonalities and honor the human on the other side of the keyboard.
It might seem efficient to create a template and simply change out the names. This is a rookie move and will most likely result in an automatic rejection. Pay close attention to the spelling of names, titles, etc. before hitting the send button.
Tip 2: Pique their interest
Provide a succinct summary. Look to the back covers of some of your favorite books for examples on how to create a compelling synopsis. This can be extremely tricky as you want to be brief but also leave them with enough of your story to be thirsty for more. The person receiving your message is likely swamped with emails. But how do you shine in the slush pile you wonder? Convey the tone and style of your work in your query. For example, does your work sparkle with wit and attitude? Infuse that in your letter. Include the manuscript basics: What is the genre of your work? Title? Word count? This needs to be one clear sentence.
Tip 3: Always include an author bio
This is the place to include any relevant information on writing credentials. Sometimes these experiences come in many forms. What makes you uniquely qualified to tell your story? For example, perhaps your manuscript features a protagonist with a disability and you have lived experience with the same condition. This counts as a qualification. You are a subject matter expert in this arena, and the ideal person to tell the story.
If you have not taken writing workshops, been published, earned an MFA or won writing awards, do not despair! The publishing world needs all voices. You can discuss your writing style, and other books you have read that are comparable to your manuscript. There is a place for you. Just remember to be persistent, polite and professional.
Perhaps your work is not a match for the subject of your literary affection at this point, but it is a small world and you never know who knows whom or when you will interact again in the future. Do not be disheartened by rejection or by unanswered emails. Keep calibrating your approach, but do not expect an agent or publisher to give you feedback on your query or manuscript. This is not their role. Keep at it and stay organized. It only takes one match to result in your work going from computer to copies.
The bottom line
Query writing is not for the faint of heart, but neither is the writing life in general. Now, put on your detective hat and start perusing those agent profiles. You will be hot on their trail in no time. Who knows? Maybe they will be bragging about the new author discovered in their inbox at their next event!
Brilliant article. Expertly written