the craft. the elusive query letter.
So much of the agenting process is shrouded in mystery, so in this four-week series, we’ll dive into the process of not only finding an agent, but Finding the Right Agent. It’s true that it's better to not have an agent at all than to have the wrong one. So though I am no expert, I’ll be sharing from my own experience.
There is a ton of information available on query letters so I don’t want to draw this out too much. But it is too important of a step in the journey to finding the right agent. So my apologies if this may feel redundant, but I don’t want to skip steps.
Query letters these days are mostly formally written emails or more often now even forms that you complete through a link provided by many agents. Back in the day, this used to be a physically mailed letter to have an agent consider your manuscript.
As I mentioned, for this series, we’ll focus on the query for fiction. You can get the details on query letters for non-fiction by hopping over to our video archive. For fiction, the most important part I like to highlight is that you should have a finished manuscript before you’re even thinking about querying agents. I know it’s tempting to think, “well, I have a few chapters, I’ll see what happens.” But what you don’t want to happen is for you to start this process, receive interest from an agent and then not be able to provide the completed draft in a timely manner. Life can start to come at you fast and once an agent is interested, they’re going to want to see the whole manuscript and not in 3-6 months. Immediately.
In my opinion, a query is much like a pitch if you’ve done journalism work in the past. There is typically a formula that works, but you can always bring your own flair into the situation. I’ve been taking to heart some writing advice I received from a Script Anatomy workshop on bios and artist statements and it’s that “everything is a writing sample.” So, although a query is a very brief piece of writing, you need to bring your A-game. Showcasing a well written query, can certainly be an indicator to the agent that you may have some writing talent.
Here is the breakdown from my query from GOOD MORNING, LOVE which is also available on the resource page when you log into your Permission Granted account.
Intro - The details: title of the book, genre, word count, and comp titles.
My name is Ashley Thomas and I would like to submit GOOD MORNING LOVE, a contemporary women’s fiction novel that is approximately 78,000 words. GOOD MORNING LOVE follows the evolution of a young woman working to establish her footing in the music industry and learning to hear her own voice through all of the noise. This novel has the pacing of a Sophie Kinsella work like "My (Not So) Perfect Life," but the heart and relatability of "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas. It would also share an audience with fans of the show "Star" and the feature film "Beyond the Lights."
Jacket Copy - Write a summary of your story that reads like the jacket copy we all know and love. I was very surprised how much of this actually ended up on the back of the book. Write this well. Practice and read other book jacket copy. I’ll do a newsletter breaking this down soon.
CARLISA “CARLI” HENTON is a musician and songwriter with her father’s talent pumping through her veins. But, until she makes it big in the music industry, she works as a Junior Account Manager at Garter Media to cover her New York City rent. Meticulous with her balancing act of being her boss’ shining star and her musical endeavors with friends Red and Dylan, a chance meeting with rising star Tau Anderson sends her calculated world into a frenzy. Their worlds collide through an unlikely mutual acquaintance and quickly blur the strict lines Carli has drawn for her business and personal life. She’s closer than she’s ever been to her dream of writing songs that the whole world will sing but the reputation she’s been working to build is on the line.
Themes - This is optional. I didn’t have this in early drafts of my query. However, after a lot of rejection, I thought it could help if I revised and added a little more heart to my query.
Although, a love story at the crux, this story also examines the uncertainty of being a new adult looking to chase a dream but also survive in a world that’s not always so kind to ambitious women. This is a story of shaking the outside pressures and expectations of those around us to go after what we want in spite of challenges. This is also about young women learning to assert themselves in male-dominated industries but still being open to personal connection and love. And going for it, when there’s nothing that’s holding you back but yourself.
Short bio - And I mean short. This is not the place to drone on and on about every achievement in life. Include anything relevant to your writing. Fellowships, awards, paid writing, previous publishing, etc.
I am a Freelance Writer and Project Manager at the Recording Academy based in Philadelphia. Working in the music industry for over eight years, there have always been great stories that live there. I’ve written for Essence.com, The Cut, Apartment Therapy and JUMP Magazine among others. I have run WriteLaughDream.com over the last five years and recently launched a literary magazine entitled Permission to Write.
The manuscript is available upon request. Sample pages below. I look forward to hearing from you.
There it is. Short, simple and to the point. Every agent will have different guidelines. Be sure to read those. Following instructions is so key and can ensure that you get a fair shot. Some agents will only ask for a query and then request if they are intrigued. Other agents will ask for a query and possibly 10-20 sample pages.
Don’t be afraid to workshop your query. I certainly did and received a lot of poignant feedback from other writers in my community. Including sprucing up my jacket copy. Thank you, Jeneen Owens. Feel free to revise as needed. As I mentioned in the “theme” section, I didn’t have that additional paragraph at first. I also changed comps part of the way through. And I wasn’t afraid to add films in my equation because I knew that the audience for Beyond the Lights would also be interested in my book.
I was blessed to be able to read templates from Eric Smith’s site which helped me craft my own query. So, I’m simply paying it forward because it’s not an easy process. But you can do it and you can get picked up out of the slush pile (which is a terrible name, by the way, for unsolicited queries). How do I know? Because I did it. LOL. And if I can do it, you can too.
When you’ve written an amazing query and you finally have agents that want to request fulls, they will get back to you. They will say, “Can you send me the full.” And you will be the most ecstatic you’ve ever been in your life. Once that happened to me, I remembered thinking, what the heck happens after that? And that’s when Eric explained to me that the next step was the call!
Next week: We’ll chat about getting the call that comes after an agent is interested in your query letter.
Writing/Job Opportunities
MIT Technology Review is accepting pitches. (May 30)
Daphne Bugler is looking for freelancers for British GQ to cover Interiors/Home/Kitchen/Sleep. Email daphne.bugler@condenast.co.uk.
Bravo Digital is hiring a Freelancer Writer. ($35-40/hr, Part-Time)
Pixel is hiring a Senior Copy Editor. (NYC, $75-85k)
To Be Read
The 11 Least Reliable Narrators in Literature
This Black Woman Opened a Free Library in Brooklyn
Author resigns from PEN America board amid row over Russian writers panel
I’m a TV Writer on Food Stamps
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