A query letter is the one-page letter you will write to a publisher after you have completed a novel asking the publisher to publish your book.
In some ways it’s more important than the book itself.
It’s the first introduction, the first knowledge the publisher has of you as a writer, and it’s what will (or will not) sell your first book for you.
It acts as a sales pitch, and it’s like a resume that you would send to any prospective employer. I can’t stress enough becoming adept at writing a good query letter, because this is where your career as a novelist starts.
Unlike a normal job resume where you list your qualifications and experience for a position, a query letter contains what is called “a hook,” a short description that intrigues a publisher enough to want to see your book manuscript.
By email you will send a query letter and your full book manuscript attached if the publisher asks for both (read their website submission instructions). Other times a publisher will ask for sample chapters, but more often than not a publisher will ask for a query letter first.
In a query letter it’s pretty simple.
Make it good, make it short.
Around 200 words, not much more. A publisher is a busy person and does not have the time to read a 10-page query letter and would become angry if you did this.
Again, the hook acts as a “teaser,” designed to get the publisher interested in your story.
Why is it unique? What makes the characters in the book compelling?
While you can tell the publisher what makes your book different, you can also refer to other already published books that have similar (successful) themes. Books that have the same target audience, and similar plot twists or themes.
In other words, in the query letter you show that your book is new and different as well as similar to proven successful books already on the market. Your book will present a fresh new outlook.
You identify who the main characters are, what their problems in life are and what they face if they fail. This is the “hook,” the character, his or her conflict, and what they stand to lose.
Keep it short and to the point, shorter is better.
You add to this basic info, a sentence or two about your writing experience. If you are new, don’t be afraid to admit it. Honesty is best. You also list of course your book title, its word count and genre (science fiction, mystery, horror or whatever).
The query should be structured like a business letter, polite. Thank the publisher for their time and consideration. If the publisher is interested in your work they will ask you to send your book manuscript if you haven’t already attached it with the query letter.
Once you send the query letter to someone, you can send it to other publishers unless a publisher asks for the exclusive right to read it first before you send it to others.
A good query letter shows the publisher you have done your homework and are submitting a book that fits what they want. A good query letter has a hook and a short bio of you. A good query letter looks professional.
A bad query letter looks like you’re lazy and uninformed. It’s too long in length, ignores submission guidelines, misspells the name of the agent or the publisher if they have a name to refer to, exhibits arrogance or makes wild claims.
For example:
This book will be the greatest book since Harry Potter I know because I are a great writer. I done reeeserch (research is misspelled), and this is you lucky day whomever you are.
Here is a query letter from me, for a book I recently completed.
It has not yet been published. Because I’ve been in this business for over 30 years, I believe I can write an adequate query letter.
Query Example:
In a remote part of Northern Peru, natives are vanishing.
Among the theories for the disappearances one is that a toxic substance, including amino acids, are causing people to be poisoned, another, a serial killer is murdering people and hiding the bodies.
A third is that an animal of some kind is responsible.
Jack Brendan, a world-known marine biologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, is hired by the Peruvian Government to participate in an investigative team. Brendan will have to cope with Colonel Faber, a bureaucratic narcissistic military officer, Carlos Sabata a self-serving Peruvian entomologist (insect studies) and Loreta Munoz, an attractive scientist for whom Jack develops a romantic interest.
What they find is a creature that strikes from the air and carries a sting so powerful its victims cannot scream, but fall to the ground paralyzed—only to be dragged off and used as a birth incubator—their guts sucked out by the creature’s offspring, which can multiply by the hundreds.
The third in the Jack Brendan series, Parasitoid Terror combines jungle exploration, scuba cave diving, romance and a threat to the world that officials in Peru are eager to cover up to protect their billion dollar tourism industry.
John Sammon is a freelance writer and the author of 41 books, many of which can be foundhere on Amazon. He is a resident of El Dorado Hills. His commentary is the first in a series on the trip of self publishing.
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