What is a query letter?
A query letter is something you send to agents (or even publishers) to ask for representation or a book deal. Think of it like a resume of your current work!
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Some agents or publishers may want snail mail, but the majority of the time, email is preferred. It saves money and trees too! You can find querying emails on websites for both agents and emails.
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Is querying agents different from querying small publishers? Not really! It's quite similar. Here are the tips for both. And like always, make sure the agent and publisher you're submitting to is open for queries.
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What should the email include?
Contact Info: Your name, address, telephone number, social media handles, official website (if you have one), and email.
Your Bio: List any previous publications, both big and small. If you're a debut, no worries! Many agents love to work with debuts. Just leave it blank. Let them know if you're using a pen name.
Blurb: What your novel is about! Usually under 200 words. Try to be concise with a strong hook.
Book Details: Your genre, age group, and word count are all necessary. Make sure you know them!
One page synopsis: Get this ready. Many agents ask for it, so it can be optional, but helpful to have.
One-Sentence Pitch: Again, get this ready. Lots of agents ask for it.
Additional: You can tell the agent why you're querying them or why you wrote the book.
Material: Make sure you look at the website for what materials they want submitted. Some agents/publishers want the full manuscript, others want the first chapter, some only want the first 50 pages, etc. Some want it in the email, others as attachments. Always double check and follow the instructions!
Exclusive Submission Or Not: You should also indicate if you are submitting to multiple agents or publishers at the same time. If you do get an offer, make sure to inform everyone on your list immediately.
Be respectful and thank the agent/publisher for their time. Sign off professionally with your full name.
Patience: Agents and publishers receive HUNDREDS of these emails a day. It takes a while to get through it all. Please, be patient. It can take up to six months to hear back. In the meantime, submit to other agents, WRITE, and be active on social media!
Follow-Up: Most agents and publishers send rejections, but not all do. Sometimes, no response can be a no. But if you'd like to follow up, wait at least four months to check in if you haven't heard anything.
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How many agents and publishers should you query at one time?
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First off, I think you should decide if you want to pursue agent representation or publishers first. If you don't mind going indie, then query publishers. If you want an agent to champion your work and get you in front of the bigger publishers, then go that route. Should you do both at once? That's up to you, but I would pick one. Some agents want to approach publishers on their own. If you are submitting to publishers, then sign with an agent, let them know that. They'll make sure not to submit the same manuscript twice to one publisher.
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Next, how many you query is up to you. My best advice? Start small - a batch of ten to fifteen queries at one time. That way, in case multiple agents bring up the same issue, you can fix it in the query or manuscript before sending out more queries. More advice? Cast a wide net. Find as many agents or publishers as you can. Agents encourage you to submit to many to increase your odds. No exclusivity necessary.
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Get a rejection? Send out two more queries. Don't give up!
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Where do you find agents to query? And publishers?
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Websites like Manuscript Wishlist, MSwishlist.com, Reedsy, and query tracker are great places to start looking. I am putting together a big list of authors and publishers on this website. Check out this tab: click me!
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WAIT!
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Before you send that query, what should you have done already?
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Research: Made sure your agent is open to submissions (they close for many reasons) and that you write the genre and age group they're looking for. Don't query a romance agent with your grisly horror novel. Make it harder to reject you!
Manuscript: Make sure your novel is heavily edited and proofread! And also that it doesn't go way over the word count for your chosen genre. (Anything less than 40k words won't sell as a novel, and anything over 100k words will be tough too.)
Preparation: Have your synopsis, pitch/blurb, and full manuscript ready to go. If an agent asks for the whole thing, you want to be able to send it immediately!
Fresh eyes: It may be helpful to get a friend to look over your manuscript for spelling errors or plot holes. Hiring an editor is great too, but if you can't afford it, then a friend (preferably a reader) is the next best option.
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Newer agents -- junior agents or assistants -- are a lot easier to sign with because they're new and building their list. The same goes for small publishers. The downside is, of course, that these agents and publishers may be inexperienced.
Sample Query Letter
This is what my current query letter looked like for MURDER AT THE CABARET. This got me a traditional book deal with the wonderful Bella Books publisher. Feel free to copy this and tweak it with your book details for agents and publishers. Here it is:
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Dear Bella Books,
I would like to submit my adult historical mystery, MURDER AT THE CABARET, complete at 95k. It has a strong and savvy heroine, LGBTQ romance, and a detective story with series potential. I am a previously traditionally published author of ten novels from Canada with more coming out this year, published by Melange Books. I believe my manuscript will appeal to your readers as it's a gripping mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
I have a large following on social media (@DanaGricken) and have experience with editing, marketing books online to successfully becoming a full-time author, and working closely with publishers. I will paste the summary below along with the attached manuscript and synopsis.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. My email is danagricken@gmail.com and my cell number is (redacted.) Have a lovely weekend!
Sincerely,
Dana Gricken
In New York City, 1925, twenty-two-year-old Penny Fox has a lot on her plate.
After her father's untimely death, she's just inherited his cabaret club—The Primrose—complete with a speakeasy in the basement, made possible by local mob boss Sonny Hargrove. By night, she's managing her father's business while being hounded by a greedy crime lord, and by day, working as a private investigator at her agency called The Sly Fox to help women flee abusive partners and catch their husbands affairs.
To make matters worse, she's currently being sued by a client's husband for snapping pictures of him with his secretary and ruining his marriage. When she comes across another woman being abused, Cora Bellinger, she decides to help her and falls in love, making her fiancé a sworn enemy while trying to process her feelings.
But it isn't until the dancers at her club begin going missing—and then murdered—that Penny realizes a serial killer is on the loose. If she wants to save her club and stop more women from being killed, she'll have to put her private eye skills to good use—before it’s too late.
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(Then I attached the full manuscript and synopsis, as per their website instructions. I crossed my fingers and got an ACCEPTANCE a few months later!)
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Responses:
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Rejection: I'm sorry, these hurt. The best thing to do? Keep writing, keep submitting. Keep going!
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Partial Request: This means the agent/publisher wants another sample of your work. It may be 50 pages. Either way, congrats! Then you wait to see if they want more.
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Full Request: The agent or publisher wants the full manuscript! Send it over and cross your fingers. Then prepare to wait for their response.
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Offer: This is what every writer dreams of! An agent or publisher is making an offer. They want to represent you. They will usually email you or schedule a phone call.
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The Phone Call: These can be scary, but don't worry! Just be polite and grateful. Listen to them and ask whatever questions you have. What questions SHOULD you have? If they're an agent, here are some: When will my work go out on submission? What happens if you can't sell this book? For publishers: When will my book be available for purchase? Will you be open to new work in the future from me? How much input will I have on cover design?