How to Write a Superlative Query Letter
Copyright 1998 Nicola Simpson

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*Note: Though I currently write romance, I believe these suggestions work well for most book-length fiction and even feature-length screenplays. Certainly, there are differences approaching editors, agents, or producers--here I have focused mostly on querying editors at major publishing houses. I've used a successful query letter of mine as an example--I'm not saying that this is the end all and be all of query letters, but it garnered a nearly immediate response from the editor. She did not ask for just a partial, but instead sent me a handwritten notesaying "Pls. send complete!" This is from one of the busiest publishing houses in the world, notorious for form rejections.

 

How to Write a Superlative Query Letter
Copyright 1998 Nicola Simpson

There. It's done. You're solely responsible for the death of at least three trees. After months, even years spent writing and polishing a manuscript, there is a certain feeling of exhilaration and pride in being able to type THE END, and mean it.

But it's not the end. It's just the beginning. Now you have to write the dreaded query letter, and, more than likely, the even *more* dreaded synopsis.

 

This seminar is about how to get over your fears of selling yourself to editors (and agents) and how to get through the query letter-writing process without using more paper than you used for the actual manuscript.

 

Tip #1: Don't use words like superlative

Editors are people. Sure, they read a lot, but that just makes them nearsighted, not geniuses. The average book editor at a major publishing house receives anywhere from 40-100 query letters a week. Now, if I
received 100 letters a week from strangers asking me to look at their work, I'd be not only nearsighted, but also suicidal. So how can we make it easier on editors and still get the point across that our latest tome
will be the hottest thing since Gone With the Wind?

 

The first principle is KISS--Keep It Simple, Stupid. You don't need to impress the editor with your vocabulary. You are a writer, though (aren't you?), so you should be coherent, concise and snappy in your letter.

 

Tip #2: Make sure the editor you're querying is still with that house, and preferably alive

I cannot stress this enough. Nothing screams AMATEUR more than a query letter with the wrong person's name on it. Check the current edition of Writer's Market, but don't stop there. Check the Web page of the house, writing-related newsgroups and mailing lists, and double and TRIPLE check that the editor is still there, and in what position (junior editor, senior editor?). Even easier is just calling the publisher and checking the correct spelling and title of the editor you want to query. If you're like me, however, more research lies ahead. Check your favourite books (and books similar to yours) to see if the author thanks their editor. Look on the Web for awards given to books that editor has worked with. You can also often find on the Web
interviews with editors for specific publishers. For example, in The Rock, author Lori Foster has done a comprehensive series of interviews with series and single title romance publishers, including the editors for every line at Harlequin and Silhouette. These interviews include specific likes and dislikes, and suggestions for synopsis length and what they like to see in a query letter. This kind of information is invaluable.

 

In a similar vein, when querying agents, I would recommend getting a copy of Jeff Herman's Insider Guide to Literary Agents and Publishers. Each agent has a mini-interview in which they talk about what they like to handle and what they don't, the best way to approach them, and their personal hobbies and interests. I used these research techniques to decide which editor at Silhouette to query regarding my first manuscript, a romantic suspense titled The Big Uneasy. Instead of querying the Senior Editor in the tip sheet, I used resources on the Web and found the name of a more junior editor who had edited award-winning books similar in tone to mine. My hope was that she might have less on her desk, and want to build her stable of authors, thereby being more receptive to my query.

 

Tip #3: Get to the point

In the first paragraph, you need to get across exactly what your manuscript is, and what's interesting about it. You needn't expound on the intricacies of your Hegelian dialectic, but a brief and scintillating
sentence that gives a tantalizing idea of your hook is a good idea.

 

For example, the query I sent to the editor mentioned above began this way:

--
Which comes first in a relationship, trust or love? The two are inseparable in THE BIG UNEASY, an 80,000 word romantic suspense that I wrote with Silhouette Intimate Moments in mind.
--

This gave the editor an idea right away of whether or not I did my homework, and if the book is at all right for the line/publisher. Most editors say that if they know this information right away, they'll definitely keep reading. Which is what we want, right?

Never begin your query letter with "This is my first book, but I know you're going to want it." Or "How would you like to discover the next John Grisham?" If I were an editor, I'd sneer at the former, and shudder in terror at the latter.

 

Tip #4: Know your hook (not just an urban myth)

If you don't know what the hook of your book is (by rook or crook), go back to your synopsis. Think "high concept"--how to sum up your book in 25 words or less. This shouldn't take you long. If it's taking 25 hours rather than 25 minutes, then you obviously don't have a handle on your hook yet. When you've figured it out, create a short paragraph resembling a "back cover blurb." This is a marketing tool, yes. But it works. It should give the editor an idea of the themes of your story and the conflicts involved.

For example, the second paragraph of my query for The Big Uneasy read:

--
When FBI agent Kate Kendrick is sent to New Orleans to consult on a series of bizarre murders, she is surprised and disturbed by the appearance of her long-time nemesis, investigative reporter and true-crime writer J.C. Trevelyan. When the local police s coff at her theory that voodoo is involved in the case, Trev is the only one she can turn to. Something twists in her stomach at the idea of asking for his help, but she's
starting to realize that she wants it. And that she wants him. Slowly,her resentment turns to passion, and then to fear and despair as she realizes that the man she was starting to trust could be the man they're
after.
--

Don't try to give a synopsis of your plot--chances are, you'll try to pack too much into a short space, and it will be difficult to read. Hit the highlights. Try to think of your book as a movie, and try to construct a kind of word "trailer" for it. Visualize what clips you'd pull out of the
book to try to sell it--what ties those scenes together? What themes emerge? Study the back covers of your favourite books, or current bestsellers in the genre in which you're writing. Some people find this
the hardest part of writing the query, but it's really not. Don't approach your story as a writer; approach it as a marketer. How would you get people to buy it? How would you describe it to people to make it sound exciting, emotional, and evocative?

 

Tip #5: Please remember the editor is *not* your long lost cousin

In the next paragraph, you should tell the editor a little about yourself. This does not mean you should expound on the psychological and financial reasons you decided to become a writer. Nor should you point out to him or her that your Aunt Cornelia *loved* your manuscript. You needn't mention this is your first book (if it is), or if you've been rejected dozens of times and you're ready to throw yourself off the nearest bridge if your SASE comes back containing a form rejection letter one more time. You don't need to mention your age, how many kids you have, or what your dog's name is. Trust me, editors do *not* need this information to make a decision. Query letters are business letters. You're basically looking for a job with this--a chance to show the editor your talents and skills as a writer. Would you include such personal information in a cover letter when applying for a job?

What you *should* include in this paragraph: any writers' groups you belong to (especially national groups like RWA, SFWA, MWA, etc.), any particular background you have that lends itself to your story (for
example, you work as a nurse and your mystery is set in an emergency room)
and any publishing experience you may have. This last point can be tricky, especially if you have no credits. When I say credits, I mean a variety of writing experiences. Articles in local newspapers count as credits. Fan fiction does not. Freelance work as an editor looks good; high school yearbook committee does not. If you are completely unpublished, but have written other manuscripts, it's okay (sometimes even
recommended) to say something along the lines of "I learned what *not* to do with my first manuscript and how to revise effectively with my second and third manuscripts. I think I may have hit the nail on the head with this, my fourth manuscript."

 

Whatever you do, DO NOT LIE about your experience. Dey haf vaaaays of finding out... If you are already published in the genre in which you're writing, some editors recommend you remind them of that fact right away, in your first paragraph. This tells them that reading your letter probably isn't going to be a waste of time--you know what you're doing.
Also, if you've met the editor recently at a conference or workshop, remind him or her of that.

 

Tip #6: Don't leave the editor dangling

It may be okay for participles once in a while, but not in query letters. Let the editor know whether or not the manuscript is ready to be delivered (and if you're an unpublished writer, it should be done before you send out the query). Close the letter by thanking him or her for their time and consideration, and saying that you would be delighted to send him or her a detailed synopsis and the first three chapters (otherwise known as a "partial") for his/her perusal. Let them know that if they have any questions, you'd love to hear from them (don't forget to put your address and phone number at the top of the letter!), and then that's it.

 

Tip #7: Don't forget the SOS

SASE, actually. Some writers may believe that if an editor really is interested in seeing your work, they're not going to reject you because they have to shell out for an envelope. But who wants to take those kinds of risks? Enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope is not only
courteous--it gives the editor an immediate and easy way of getting back to you. If you were an editor, how would you feel about having to trek down to the supply cabinet to get an envelope, and then (grumble grumble)
have to scrawl the writer's name on it, then make sure it gets to shipping, blah blah blah. I'd be irked. Editors are *very* busy people.

If you are submitting to an editor in another country, attach International Reply Coupons in lieu of stamps (you can get these at your local post office). One thing I've discovered is that if an editor sends you a form rejection, they'll generally pick up the cost of stamps, and return your IRC's to you unused (presumably so you can use them to get shot down by another publisher <g>).

 

Tip #8: Waaaaaiting is the hardest part!

Most editors take anywhere from a week to a month to respond to query letters. If you haven't heard back in six weeks, you have two options: wait another few weeks or send another letter. The only potential problem
with the latter option is that you might look pushy or desperate. Don't forget, you *can* send multiple query letters! Sending the same manuscript to a dozen publishing houses is a bad idea, but no one minds if
you query many different editors (though preferably not all at the same house). What's the worst that could happen--more than one editor wants to see your work? If that happens (and it does occasionally), first do a happy dance, then remember the multiple submission rule and let each
editor know if someone else is reading the manuscript.

 

In the meantime, the best thing to do while you're waiting is to start another project! Keep writing, using the tools you learned on your last book or script. Keep working. If that editor gets back to you (with a rejection or an offer), you can always say, "I have something else that you might be interested in--would you be willing to take a look at it?" Chances are, they'll say yes. [However, do NOT send that editor a query
letter about another manuscript until they have gotten back to you about the first. It may feel like you're demonstrating your speed and talent, but unless the editor knows whether or not he or she wants to work with you, it's considered rude and overly aggressive.]

 

Tip #9: Make sure you're ready if the editor wants to see something

This is where your insecurity can wreak havoc with your career as a writer. :) The Big Uneasy was my first book, and I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY expected a form rejection to my query letter. When I received my SASE back in the mail less than two weeks after I sent it to New York, my heart sank in spite of my conviction of doom. When I opened it up, it looked empty. "Just great," I said to myself. "The only thing more depressing than a form rejection letter is a MOCKING empty envelope. Now
THAT's rejection!" To my shock and surprise a small piece of stationery lay hidden inside the envelope. Once I did the requisite shrieking and happy dance (my poor elderly cat will never be the same), my heart sank again when I realized that I had
yet to revise the manuscript to my satisfaction. I was so expectant of
rejection that I hadn't taken the time to ensure that I was ready to officially submit. I had to spend the next week frantically doing revisions and polishing, and I'm still unhappy with what I sent her (and maybe she is as well). But I didn't want to wait a month to send the editor the manuscript, in case she forgot she wanted it!

 

To Sum Up:

 

Keep it short and sweet. Don't beat around the bush, but be pleasant and polite. Let your own unique voice shine through in a professional manner.

 

Do your homework. If this means legwork or long distance phone calls, then do it. No one is going to hand you a contract on a silver platter. Think of it as an investment in your writing career.

 

Hook the editor. Create a back cover blurb that will knock the blue
pencil from behind his or her ear, and make them WANT to read your story. If you take these suggestions to heart, you'll be well on your way to crafting an amazing query letter, and taking the publishing world by
storm!

 

Now all you have to do is write the dreaded synopsis! AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!!!

If you have any comments or questions about query letters, I'd love to hear them. You can e-mail me at nsimpson@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca or send a post to the list. I hope this little seminar has helped some people get over their fears of writing query letters. Just think of it this way--you wrote the book, didn't you? This is just ONE PAGE!

 

Nic Simpson
nsimpson@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca