A query letter is an author’s appeal to publishers or agents to get them interested in his or her written work, usually a book. A good query letter contains an abstract, information about the author, and can persuade agents or publishers to review the book. The basic requirements for the format of the letter should be followed, and all the necessary information should be presented in a short and engaging manner.
Format requirements
Include the sender and recipient address at the top of the page. You should write your first and last name at the very top, the next two lines should be your address, and one more line should be your phone number. The final line should be your email address.
Skip one line and then give your agent’s name, publisher or agency name, address, and contact information.
Keep your thoughts short and concise. Agents are business people and are unlikely to read a long, wordy letter of application. In fact, they may just glance over it, and you want them to get the gist of it.
The application should be no longer than one page. Use short, succinct sentences and short paragraphs.
The entire body of the application letter should fit within five paragraphs.
Use a normal font and basic formatting. An application letter is a formal business letter, so you should follow basic formatting requirements. Follow these guidelines:
font size 12;
single spacing;
align the whole letter on the left edge;
use Times New Roman or Arial fonts;
Leave one line between the elements and paragraphs of the letter.
Follow the formula. The application letter should be written in strict accordance with the existing formula. This will help you include all the necessary information and increase the chances that your letter will be read. In addition to contact information, the application letter includes the following information:
first line: greeting;
first paragraph: a personal statement or introduction plus intriguing information;
Second paragraph: abstract of the work;
third paragraph: brief information about the author;
Fourth paragraph: concluding remarks;
farewell (on a separate line);
signature.
How to write a letter
Greet the agent by name. A personal introduction in the application is the only way to get the publisher’s or agent’s attention from the very first words. This will show your consideration, politeness, and reasons for choosing a particular agent. You should make sure in advance that the recipient of the letter actually works with books of that genre.
Find out about the agent you want to approach. Try to find agents near you, then research what each one does. It can also be helpful to contact smaller agents. They are more likely to want to work with someone unknown, and they will have time to work closely with you on polishing your talent. In the long run, this extra care can help you achieve more in your career.
The letter should be personalized. The first paragraph contains introductory information. Explain what criteria you used to select the agent. For example, you know him personally, you have mutual friends, or give other reasons.
First of all, explain your choice of agent. The reason could be a mutual acquaintance, a personal acquaintance, a joint conference, a meeting at an agent’s lecture, or another connection.
If you don’t know each other and don’t have mutual friends, give the name of an author working in a style close to your own, whom the agent represents.
After introductions, talk about the book. Be sure to include the title, word count and genre of the work.
Finally, don’t forget to mention if your manuscript was proofread by a professional editor. This will show how serious you are about your work.
Create intrigue. In the second paragraph, you need to get the agent interested in your work. In one concise but intriguing sentence, tell about the protagonist, his goals and obstacles to his goal.
Don’t tell the ending. The ending of the story should remain a mystery and maintain the intrigue so that the agent will continue to read.
For example, if you wanted to publish Romeo and Juliet, you should have mentioned the love story of two unhappy young protagonists who had to go against their families and put everything on the line to be together.
Provide a summary of the book. After an intriguing sentence, devote a paragraph to a slightly more detailed description of the plot. Write a compelling synopsis to make the agent want to read the book.
Give information about the important characters;
indicate the time and place of action, as well as the motivations for the story;
show the characters through the lens of actions rather than descriptions.
Tell about yourself. In the next paragraph, give brief details about yourself. Include awards and accomplishments, work experience, previously published works (with titles), and personal experiences that made it possible for you to write such a book.