The Complete Guide to Query Letters

In this article, you will learn how to write a query letter.

Congratulations on finishing your book!

The next step is to get it published, and one of the best ways to do that is by sending a query letter. A query letter is a one-page letter sent to literary agents to get them interested in reading and representing your book.

Imagine your query letter as a sales pitch: you only have one page to convince the agent that your book is worth their time. And just like any good sales pitch, query letters should be well-researched, tailored to the specific recipient, and persuasive.

It’s also important to remember that query letters are business communication.

As such, they should be professional, concise, and free of errors. And they are the only opportunity you have to make a good first impression, so it’s important to make sure that yours is up to par.

So how do you do it?

In this guide, we’ll show you how to write a query letter that will get literary agents interested in your book. We’ll cover what goes into a query letter, how to format it, and what you should avoid. Stay tuned!

What is a Query Letter?

Chances are, you’ve heard the term query letter before, but you might not be sure what it actually is. Just as the name implies, a query letter is simply a letter query-ing or asking if the literary agent would be interested in reading your book.

It should not be more than one page, and it is usually around 250-300 words.

While query letters could be sent to publishing houses, it is more common to query literary agents as they are the ones who will then shop your book around to different publishing houses.

Also, remember that literary agents receive a ton of query letters every day, so you want to make sure yours stands out. To do that, your query letter needs to be well-written, engaging, and free of errors. It should also be tailored to the specific agent you’re querying.

For example, don’t query a Christian agent with a query letter for your atheist manifesto.

It’s not going to go over well. You want to make sure that your query letter is relevant to the type of book the agent represents.

In whatever you do, don’t query more than one agent at a time with the same query letter.

Agents can tell when you’ve mass-queried them, and it’s a surefire way to get your query letter tossed in the trash.

Think about it this way: if you saw an ad for a query letter writing service that promised to get you published, would you be more likely to trust the service if they had samples of query letters that were published or not?

Of course, you would! The same goes for query letters. If an agent sees that you’ve taken the time to research and tailor your query letter to their specific interests, they’re much more likely to take you seriously.

Now that we’ve covered what query letters are and why they’re important let’s talk about what goes into a query letter.

What Should You Include in a Query Letter?

The query letter should be one page and should include the following:

#1. The hook

It is the most important part of your query letter, and it’s what will determine whether or not the agent keeps reading. So what exactly is a hook?

A hook is an enticing opening that will grab the agent’s attention and make them want to keep reading.

It could be a tantalizing glimpse into the plot of your book, an interesting fact about you or your book, or anything else that will pique the agent’s interest.

For example, let’s say you’re querying a mystery novel. Your hook could be something like:

“When insurance investigator Harry Houdini is hired to look into the death of medium Mina Crandon, he expects it to be an open-and-shut case. But the more he digs, the more Houdini realizes that there’s much more to Mina’s death than meets the eye.”

Or, if you’re querying a non-fiction book about the history of the world’s oldest profession, your hook might be:

“In ancient Mesopotamia, courtesans were highly revered members of society. Far from being seen as prostitutes, these women were considered to be artists, and their skills were in high demand by the upper echelons of society.”

As you can see, hooks are very different depending on the book you’re querying. But no matter what, your hook should always be intriguing and make the agent want to know more.

#2. The brief synopsis

After the hook, you’ll want to include a brief synopsis of your book. This should be 1-2 paragraphs and give a general overview of the plot. It’s important to keep the synopsis brief, as you don’t want to give too much away and spoil the book for the agent.

For example, if you’re querying a mystery novel, your synopsis might look something like this:

“Harry Houdini’s investigation into the death of medium Mina Crandon takes him down a rabbit hole of deceit, betrayal, and murder. The closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous the case becomes, and soon Houdini finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy that could cost him his life.”

As you can see, the synopsis is brief but still gives the agent a good idea of what the book is about. The key is to not give too much away and leave the agent wanting more.

#3. The author bio

When it comes to query letters, the author’s bio is just as important as the book itself. It is your chance to tell the agent why you’re the perfect person to write this book and why they should take a chance on you.

Your author’s bio should be 1-2 paragraphs and should include information about your writing experience, any relevant credentials or awards, and anything else that makes you unique.

For example, if you’re querying a book about your experience as a professional dog trainer, your bio might look something like this:

“I am a professional dog trainer with over 10 years of experience.

I have worked with all types of dogs, from small breeds to large breeds, and have helped them overcome a variety of behavioral issues. I am a certified professional dog trainer, and my work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today.”

The author bio is a great way to sell yourself and your book to the agent. So make sure to include information that will pique their interest and make them want to represent you.

#4. The query

Now that you’ve got the agent’s attention, it’s time to sell them on your book. It is at this point you need to query the agent and convince them that your book is worth their time.

Let’s also use a mystery novel as an example. If you’re querying a mystery novel, your query might look something like this:

“I am writing to query you about my mystery novel, The Houdini Conspiracy. The book is complete at 80,000 words and is my debut novel.

I am a professional dog trainer with over 10 years of experience. I have worked with all types of dogs, from small breeds to large breeds, and have helped them overcome a variety of behavioral issues. I am a certified professional dog trainer, and my work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today.

I am querying you because I think The Houdini Conspiracy would be a perfect fit for your list. The book has been described as a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. “I believe that readers of The Houdini Conspiracy will be captivated by the novel’s twists and turns and its unique take on the mystery genre.

Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

As you can see, the query is brief but still contains all the important information that the agent needs to know.

Remember to keep your query short and sweet, and to the point. Don’t try to query the agent about multiple books in one go or try to sell them on your book before you’ve even queried them. Just focus on one book at a time, and make sure to query the right agent for that particular book.

You want to leave the agent wanting more, so make sure to query them in a way that will make them intrigued enough to request your manuscript.

#5. The closing

The query letter is not the time to be humble, so make sure to end on a strong note. A query letter should always end with a polite but confident closing, such as:

“Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

Or “I believe that The Houdini Conspiracy would be a perfect fit for your list, and I am confident that readers will love it. I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss The Houdini Conspiracy with you further, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

These are just some examples of query letter closings, but there are many more ways to end a query letter. Just make sure to sound confident and polite and to thank the agent for their time.

Query letters are tricky to write, but with a little practice, you’ll be a pro in no time. Just remember to keep it brief, query the right agent, and sell your book in the best way possible.

Even though these are the main things to include, there are also other important things, such as your

#1. Name

Your query letter should always begin with your name. This might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to include their name at the beginning of the query. Make sure to include your name before anything else so that the agent knows who they’re reading about.

#2. Contact information

After your name, you should include your contact information. This includes your email address, phone number, and mailing address. Make sure to include all of your contact information so that the agent has multiple ways to get in touch with you.

If you only include your email address, the agent might not be able to get in touch with you if they don’t have your email address handy. So it’s always best to include all of your contact information, just to be safe.

#3. The salutation

After your contact information, you should include a salutation. The salutation is the formal greeting at the beginning of the query letter. It is usually followed by the agent’s name, such as “Dear Agent Smith.”

If you don’t know the agent’s name, you can use a generic salutation such as “Dear Sir or Madam.” It’s always best to use the agent’s name if you can, as it shows that you’ve taken the time to research the agent and that your query is not a form letter.

#4. Address the query to the right agent

One of the most important parts of the query letter is making sure that you query the right agent. You should always query the agent who represents the type of book that you’ve written. There’s no point in querying an agent who doesn’t represent the type of book that you’ve written.

Do your research and make sure to query the right agent. The best way to do it is to look up the agent’s website and see what types of books they represent. If you’re not sure, you can always query multiple agents and see who bites. Just make sure that you’re querying the right agents so that your query doesn’t go to waste.

#5. The pitch

The pitch is the most important part of the query letter. It is where you sell your book to the agent in one or two paragraphs.

Think of the pitch as a mini-synopsis of your book. You want to give the agent enough information so that they’re interested in reading more, but you don’t want to give away too much. You want to leave the agent wanting more.

The best way to write a pitch is to start with a brief summary of the plot and then end with a hook. The hook is the most important part of the pitch, so make sure to spend some time crafting the perfect hook for your book.

Also, you write the query in the first person. This query is about your book, so you should always refer to yourself as the “I” throughout the query. And keep the focus on you.

If you’re querying a non-fiction book, then you can focus on your platform and how you plan to market the book. But if you’re querying a fiction book, then you should focus on the plot of the book and what makes it unique.

#6. The word count

After the pitch, you should include the word count of your book. It is important because agents need to know how long your book is so that they can compare it to other books on the market.

The word count is also important because it helps the agent determine what category your book fits into. For example, a children’s book is typically going to be shorter than an adult novel.

And a query for a short story is going to be shorter than a query for a novel. So the word count is an important piece of information that the agent needs in order to determine if your book is a good fit for their list.

#7. The genre

After the word count, you should include the genre of your book. It is important because agents need to know what category your book fits into. For example, if you’ve written a romance novel, you don’t want to query an agent who only represents non-fiction books.

Do your research and query the agents who represent the type of book that you’ve written. And make sure to include the genre in your query letter so that the agent knows what to expect.

There are many things query letters can look like but are not, such as

• A synopsis of your book
• A sales pitch
• A request for feedback
• A letter to a friend or family member

Remember, the query letter is a professional letter and should be treated as such. It’s not a place for you to ask for feedback or advice. It’s not a place to vent about your writing struggles. It’s not a place to ask for favors. It’s simply a sales letter, plain and simple.

Now that you know what a query letter is let’s move on to the next part of the query process.

How to Write a Query Letter that Sells Your Book

Now that you know what a query letter is, it’s time to start writing your own. Remember, the query letter is a sales letter, so you want to make sure that you sell your book in the best way possible.

Here are some tips on how to write a query letter that sells your book:

#1. Start with a bang

The first sentence of your query letter is the most important. You want to make sure that you grab the agent’s attention from the very beginning. The best way to do it is to start with a hook.

It’s also a good idea to start with a summary of the plot. You want to give the agent an idea of what your book is about without giving too much away.

Remember, you want to leave the agent wanting more. So don’t give away the whole plot in the query letter. Just give them a taste so that they’re intrigued and want to read more.

#2. Keep it short and sweet

A query letter should be one page, single-spaced. Any longer, and you risk losing the agent’s attention. So make sure to keep your query letter short and sweet.

The shorter, the better. You want to make sure that you get your point across without rambling on and on. So be concise and to the point.

Chances are that you’re going to want to include a lot of information in your query letter. But you need to resist the urge to do so. Remember, less is more.

#3. Personalize it

One of the best ways to stand out from the query letter pile is to personalize your query letter. This means addressing the agent by name, and if you have any connection to them, be sure to mention it.

For example, if you met the agent at a conference, be sure to mention it in your query letter. Or, if you have a mutual friend, be sure to mention that as well. Any connection you have with the agent will help your query letter stand out.

And if you don’t have any connection to the agent, that’s okay. You can still personalize your query letter by doing your research and finding out what kind of books the agent represents.

Then, you can mention in your query letter how your book is a good fit for their agency. This will show the agent that you’ve done your research and that you’re serious about getting your book published.

#4. Edit, edit, edit

Once you’ve finished writing your query letter, it’s time to edit it. And then edit it again. And then edit it some more.

You want to make sure that your query letter is error-free, so take your time and edit it as much as you can. Have someone else read it over as well and give you their feedback.

The last thing you want is to have an error in your query letter that could cost you a publishing deal. So take your time and make sure that it’s perfect.

Between these four tips, you should be well on your way to writing a query letter that sells your book. Just remember to take your time and make it the best.

A Step-By-Step Guide with Your Query Letter

So you’ve written a book, and you’re ready to get it published. Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step towards getting your book into the hands of readers.

But now comes the hard part: getting your book published. It’s not an easy process, but it is possible. With a little hard work and some luck, you can get your book published. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get published with your query letter:

#1. Research literary agents

The first step is to research literary agents. You want to find an agent who represents books like yours. Start by looking up agents in the Literary Marketplace or query letter databases like QueryTracker.net.

Once you’ve found some potential agents, look up their websites and see if they’re currently accepting query letters. You can also find this information in the Literary Marketplace.

From there, you want to narrow down your list of agents to a few that you think would be a good fit for your book.

#2. Write a query letter

The next step is to write the actual query letter. It’s important to make your query letter as strong as possible. If you need help, there are plenty of query letter resources out there, like this one.

If you follow the tips in those resources, you should be able to write a query letter that will catch an agent’s attention.

#3. Submit your query letter

Once your query letter is written, it’s time to submit it. You can do this either electronically or through the mail. If you’re submitting electronically, follow the instructions on the agent’s website.

If you’re submitting through the mail, send your query letter along with a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE), so the agent can respond to you.

#4. Wait for a response

Now comes the hard part: waiting for a response. It can take weeks or even months to hear back from an agent. And unfortunately, you might not hear back at all.

But don’t give up hope! If you don’t hear back from an agent, you can always query another one. Eventually, you’ll find an agent who loves your book as much as you do.

And that’s it! If you follow these steps, you should be well on your way to getting your query letter published. Just remember to be patient and to keep trying, even if you get rejections.

One final tip: if you do get a positive response from an agent, make sure to follow up with them and keep them updated on your book’s progress.

By doing this, you’ll increase your chances of getting published even more. So don’t give up and keep query lettering!

The Do’s and Don’ts of Query Letters

When you’re query lettering, it’s important to know the dos and don’ts. A query letter can make or break your chances of getting published, so you want to make sure you’re doing everything right.

Here are some query letter do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:

Do’s:

#1. Be straight to the point

Your query letter should be short and to the point. You don’t need to include your life story or all the details of your book. Just give a brief overview of your book and why an agent would be interested in it.

If you need to, you can include a short synopsis of your book to give the agent a better idea of what it’s about. But in general, you want to keep your query letter as short as possible. Make sure you’re being straight to the point. Give a brief overview of your book and what makes it special. And if you need to, include a short synopsis. But in general, query letters should be short and sweet.

#2. Sell your manuscript

Your query letter is your chance to sell your manuscript to an agent. So make sure you’re doing just that!

Your query letter should convince the agent that your book is worth reading. It should make them want to request your manuscript.

To do this, you need to focus on your book’s strongest selling points. What makes your book unique? Why will readers love it?

Think about what makes your book special, and make sure to highlight those points in your query letter. If you can do that, you’ll be one step closer to getting your query letter published. If you can’t… Well, you might want to consider rewriting your query letter.

#3. Give reasons why the agent should pick you

Remember, query letters are a two-way street. Not only are you trying to sell your book to an agent, but you’re also trying to sell yourself.

You want to make sure you’re giving the agent a reason to pick you. Are you a good writer? Do you have experience in the publishing industry? Are you active on social media?

Think about what makes you special and highlight those things in your query letter. If you can do that, you’ll be more likely to get a positive response from an agent. And that’s the goal, right?

So if you want your query letter to be successful, make sure you’re selling yourself as well as your book.

Imagine you’re an agent. You open up your inbox, and you see a query letter from someone you’ve never heard of before. The query letter is long, rambling, and it’s clear that the person doesn’t really know what they’re doing.

Would you be likely to request the manuscript? Probably not.

If you wouldn’t request the manuscript, why would you expect an agent to?

Keep that in mind when you’re writing your query letter. You want to make sure you’re giving the agent a reason to pick you.

#4. Read query letter examples

One of the best ways to learn how to write a query letter is to read query letter examples. There are a lot of query letter examples out there. Just do a quick Google search, and you’ll find tons of them.

Reading query letter examples will give you a good idea of what works and what doesn’t. You’ll see what other writers have done to be successful, and you can model your query letter after theirs.

Of course, you don’t want to copy someone else’s query letter word for word. But reading query letter examples is a great way to learn how to write a query letter that will get you results.

So if you’re having trouble writing your query letter, find a few query letter examples and use them as inspiration. You can get samples from other query letter writers or from query letter services like Query.com. Below is an example of a query letter from Query.com:

From: Garth Stein

To: Jeff Kleinman

Re: Query: “The Art of Racing in the Rain”

Dear Mr. Kleinman:

Saturday night, I was participating in a fundraiser for the King County Library System out here in the Pacific Northwest, and I met your client, Layne Maheu. He spoke very highly of you and suggested that I contact you…

I am a Seattle writer with two published novels. I have recently completed my third novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and I find myself in a difficult situation: my new book is narrated by a dog, and my current agent told me that he cannot (or will not) sell it for that very reason. Thus, I am seeking new representation.

The Art of Racing in the Rain is the story of Denny Swift, a race car driver who faces profound obstacles in his life and ultimately overcomes them by applying the same techniques that have made him successful on the track. His story is narrated by his “philosopher dog,” Enzo, who, having a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), believes he will return as a man in his next lifetime.

My last novel, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets, won a 2006 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Book Award, and since the award ceremony a year ago, I have given many readings, workshops, and lectures promoting the book. Audience members have been universally enthusiastic and vocal in their response to “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” and the first question asked is always: “When can I buy the book about the dog?” Also very positive.

I’m inserting below a short synopsis of The Art of Racing in the Rain and my biography. Please let me know if the novel interests you; I would be happy to send you the manuscript.

Sincerely,

Garth Stein

This example is exactly what you should be striving for in your query letter. It’s short, to the point, and it gives the agent a clear idea of what the book is about.

Don’ts:

As you’re reading query letter examples, there are some things you’ll want to avoid doing. Here are a few query letter don’ts:

#1. Don’t query more than one agent at a time

When you’re sending out query letters, it’s tempting to query a bunch of agents at the same time. After all, the more query letters you send out, the greater your chances of getting a positive response, right?

Wrong.

Querying more than one agent at a time is a huge query letter no-no. It shows that you’re not serious about working with that particular agent and that you’re just trying to shotgun your query letter out to as many people as possible.

If you query more than one agent at a time, you’re likely to get rejected by all of them. So don’t do it.

#2. Don’t query an agent who doesn’t represent your genre

When you’re looking at query letter examples, you might be tempted to query any agent you can find, regardless of whether or not they represent your particular genre.

Don’t do that. It’s a waste of time and energy to query an agent who doesn’t represent your genre. You’re much better off doing your research and finding an agent who represents the type of book you’re writing.

#3. Don’t query an agent who is closed to submissions

Most agents have their submission guidelines listed on their websites. Be sure to check an agent’s submission guidelines before sending them a query letter. A submissions guideline is when an agent says they’re currently closed to submissions or when they say they only want query letters sent through a certain method (e.g., online submission form).

If an agent is closed to submissions, that means they’re not currently looking for new clients. Query letter or not, they’re not going to read it or request your manuscript.

So don’t query them. Wait until they open up to submissions again and then query them.

#5. Don’t start your query letter with phrases of uncertainty

When you’re writing your query letter, avoid starting it off with phrases of uncertainty such as “I don’t know if you represent my type of book but…” or “I hope you’re looking for new clients because…”

Starting your query letter with phrases of uncertainty makes you look like you don’t know what you’re doing. And query letters are all about looking professional and polished.

When you’re sending out query letters, you must come across as confident and knowledgeable as possible.

Now that you know everything there is to know about query letters, it’s time to start writing your own!

If you need more help, check out our query letter template and sample query letters. And be sure to read our post on how to write a query letter that will get you noticed.

Good luck!