I’ve had a couple of writers email me lately, looking for help with crafting a query letter.
I’m always hesitant about offering help, myself, in that area. My agent queries never did get off the ground, although my query for Pretty is as Pretty Dies netted me at least one publisher. :)
To me, it’s just sort of a chore—eliminate unnecessary words, fit in the word count and genre, give an interesting summation of your plot, and tell a little about yourself. The idea is really just to tempt the agent or editor into asking for more.
I have, though, come across some really useful information lately that I think would help writers who are looking for some querying help.
There have been blog posts recently, stating that the best time of year to query an agent is January. So what better time to brush up your querying skills?
At the top of my list is a series Writer’s Digest editor Jane Friedman is running— “The Ultimate Guide to Novel Queries””: http://tinyurl.com/3ye2u3m
An agent with querying tips: http://dld.bz/8vQN
9 tips for querying: http://dld.bz/8vPW
An agent on what *not* to do during the query process: http://dld.bz/7xUm
Your Query Submission Checklist: http://dld.bz/7xTU
An Agent on Addressing Your Query: http://dld.bz/6tzv
Smart Querying for Unagented Writers: http://dld.bz/6mah
An agent on seeing the words “utterly original” in a query: http://dld.bz/3BK8
This Query Sucks (or how to fail and still succeed): http://dld.bz/zzaj
Elements of a query letter: http://dld.bz/yDEu
Good luck with your querying!
Thank you for this wonderful list of resources just when I needed it most!
Elizabeth – Thank you for these rich resources! I’ll be at that point with my WIP in the coming couple of months, and I want to be prepared. I appreciate these links. Oh, and thanks for your input, too, Suzanne.
Excellent list, Elizabeth. I also suggest the following:
o Laurie Schnebly Campbell’s online course on writing queries, which I’ve taken. Check her workshop schedule at http://www.booklaurie.com. I don’t see that particular workshop listed for early 2011, but do email her about it.
o Mary Buckham’s query analysis service. (www.marybuckham.com) Although I haven’t used this, many writers I know have done so and received requests for partials and fulls from agents as a result. I’ve taken several of Mary’s online classes, and she’s wonderful to work with.
Suzanne Adair
Bookmarking now!
Oh, I know I need this advice so very much, but the more posts I read, the more I feel like closing my eyes and forgetting all about it. Weird that writing the query seems so much worse than writing the novel.
When I query, it’s always with the understanding that you need to convince the publisher why the book would sell, NOT why it’s a good book. I’ve had the most success when I’ve mentioned the other publications I’ve been a part of and how they’re all willing to give me free advertising!
I’ll vouch for Mary Buckham’s courses both on synopsis writing and query writing. I got a lot more requests after I took her class.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
I’ll be starting up the query process again in January. Our good friend Marvin Wilson edited my query letter and it looks so much better. I recommend a professional edit for anyone serious about sending out a query letter.
I forgot to mention the Query Shark. Agent Janet Reid takes query letters and shows what works and what doesn’t work.
http://queryshark.blogspot.com/
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
If I ever need this again, I’ll know where to come.
Some of these articles sound fun to read whether you’re querying or not. I plan to check a few out.
The October 2010 issue of Writer’s Digest was all about querying and agents!
Heather–Good luck with your queries!
Suzanne–Great tips! Thanks for sharing them with us, Suzanne. :)
Margot–Hope you’ll have great success with your querying!
Alex–Thanks!
Walter–I think that’s a good point–the writer needs to establish what the selling “hook” is and make sure they know their intended audience.
Stephen–Good point…or at least another set of eyes besides the writer’s.
Diane–I have a feeling that the writing bug is going to be biting you again soon!
Jane–Happy reading!
Laura–Thanks so much for the tip! I know there’ll be plenty of folks interested in seeing that issue.
GREAT list of resources! I think I may spend a little time querying in January, so this is good timing. This one goes in that resource document, as you have help for all the angles. Thank you!
Thank you for the all links!