By: Carla Trueheart
Let’s face it: query letter construction is not easy for any author. In one page, you are expected to dazzle a literary agent or publisher, condense your 80,000 word novel down to one paragraph, and sell yourself as a writer as well. If query letter construction continues to be a battle for you, it might be useful to break the letter down into three basic parts: The Introduction, The Book Synopsis, and The Author Bio. If we tackle each part on its own, with a little bit of patience and some time, we will eventually get there.
The most important thing to remember, aside from the 3-part structure we’ll discuss, is that agents want to see professionalism and a story that is unique but still accessible. Even if you don’t have other books or publications under your belt, your story idea and writing may rock their world, giving you a chance at publication. Every successful writer starts somewhere, and most with just a query letter and a dream. It is achievable!
But first we need to focus on the query letter, so let’s break it down into three easy steps as mentioned: The Introduction, The Book Synopsis, and The Author Bio. I will also include a quick breakdown at the end of the article for your convenience.
The Introduction
This is your opening paragraph. Here you should include your manuscript title (in CAPS), your genre, and your word count. You will also greet the agent here and offer a reason for querying them: Do they represent your genre? Do you admire a book they’ve represented in the past? Do they have an interest in your particular plot or character types? Make it clear why you chose them for your project. You can also include a book hook here if you’d like: A one-sentence teaser to get them interested right off the bat.
The Book Synopsis
This will serve as the middle paragraph of your query letter—the meat of the sandwich. This is where you will write a synopsis of your story, including the PLOT, the PROTAGONIST and THEIR GOAL, and the CONFLICT. You will not include the book ending here. This is just an overview, so think of the back cover plot write-up of a book you own. You can even look at book covers to get ideas on how to construct your synopsis!
The Author Bio
This is the last paragraph of your 3-part query letter. The author bio should list your publishing background, writing education, jobs in the field, blogs, or any other relevant information. If you don’t have any published works, simply offer a few sentences about why you wrote this story and why you are the best person to have written it (for example, you’re a doctor and the story is a medical thriller). Do not come right out and say you don’t have writing experience. Try to find something you can use here about yourself that is relevant to your project and is interesting. You wrote the book for a reason, after all!
End the query letter with a polite closing/sign-off (full legal name + contact information). Make sure to THANK the agent for their time.
As always, let us know if you have any questions on this process!
Query Letter
EASY 3-PART STRUCTURE
INTRO: Title, Genre, Word Count. Why are you querying agent?
SYNOPSIS: Plot, Character, Goal, Conflict.
AUTHOR BIO: Publishing History and Relevant Education. Why did you write this book?
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