Starting out your query letter with a selfdefeating phrase like, i hope im not wasting. You will also, by the way, prove yourself to be a swift, professional writer. Check out our services page for more information on how we can help you. Start by explaining the main problem that your book addresses. We tell you exactly how to write a great query letter for literary agents. This post focuses on query letters for novels, although the same advice applies. Follow this stepbystep template to craft a great blurb or summary and the ultimate persuasive pitch 1. On the road to traditional publication, your query letter plays a central role in getting literary agents and publishers to notice your book. How to write a nonfiction query letter eschler editing. How to write the perfect query letter query letter example. When youre pitching fiction to an agent or publisher through a query letter, your ultimate goal is to get your manuscript read. How to write a killer query letter for selfhelp and how.
This article is part of a series called get a literary agent. Theres a very specific standard for query letters that you should not deviate from, when possible. How to write a darn good query letter ny book editors. To help inspire you, weve collected 116 examples of successful query letters from famous authors spanning various genres, from crime fiction, to fantasy, to young adult. The query letter is so much of a sales piece that its quite possible to write one without having written a word of the manuscript. If youve just finished your great american novel, your manifesto about business negotiation, or your nonfiction selfhelp book about improving. One of the easiest ways to learn what makes a good, standard query letter is simply to see an example of one that does its job well.
Format with your address at the top of the page, right justified. My inspirational, selfhelp book of 60,000 words, fearless, will give readers the tools to go out and accomplish their dreams, so they can write. Before i share the ideal structure for book queries with you, i need to make sure you understand something. In this paragraph of your query letter, write a pitch for your book. In essence, a query letter is a marketing page that talks up your book, without. Writing a query letter can determine whether a literary agent asks to see more or. How to write a query letter that grabs a literary agents attention. Ask yourself, what benefit will these readers get from my book. Sample query letter the query letter sample below will help you create a successful query letter of your own, so you can get a top literary agent, publisher, and book deal. I am a classical guitarist with two cds released by of. How to write a query letter that gets manuscript requests. All it requires is a firm grasp of your story premise. I have read some great comments on this board and would appreciate some feedback on my query letter. If you must, heres how to pitch an agent with a selfpublished book.
Learn how to write a killer book blurb or summary for a nonfiction selfhelp or howto book in a query letter for a literary agent. Home forums critique central query letter clinic query letter for self help book this topic has 5 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 3 months ago by anonymous. Writing a query letter for your self help or howto book. The query letter has one purpose, and one purpose only. Query letter sample literary agents and literary agencies. How to write a query letter that gets manuscript requests jane. Query letter sample below reveals how you can double your chances of getting the attention of book agents and publishers. Viewing 5 reply threads author posts november 30, 2017 at 8. How to write a successful query letter example and template. Learn how to write a killer book blurb or summary for a nonfiction selfhelp or how to book in a query letter for a literary agent. If you write fiction or narrative nonfiction, a query letter is your first and often, your only chance to get an agent interested in reading and, with hope, signing your work. If youre seeking oneonone help with queries, i offer a critique service.
605 1098 1644 678 1334 1291 919 1581 349 734 1685 1372 902 1062 933 1464 968 833 24 1300 879 1085 156 1102 396 812 1625 1142 647 1256 487 820 311 34 385 359 70 413 548