How to Get Manuscript Requests by Writing a Killer Query Letter
Contents
1. What is a query letter?
A query letter is like an elevator pitch to literary agents. The sole purpose of writing a query letter is to capture a literary agent's or editor's attention and convince them that your book is the next one they need to read. The challenge here is that editors and agents receive thousands of query letters. They read books with similar premises all the time. To stand out from the crowd means showing that you not only have a rock-solid idea for a book, but also a rock-solid understanding of the book market and how your book fits into it. The query letter is your one chance to impress a literary agent or editor, and failing to do so will mean ending up in the rejection pile.
2. Finish writing the book
Getting responses from editors and agents can take a long time. So it's tempting to start querying long before a book is done. But don't! The last thing you want is to get a request from your manuscript, only to have to ask for more time to complete the book. Asking a literary agent or editor to wait is not only unprofessional, but it's also a surefire way to turn "I'd like to take a look" into "No, thank you."
Querying novels and memoirs
For novelists and memoirists, it is essential to have a completed manuscript before you begin the querying process. But not just a completed manuscript; a polished manuscript. Make sure the book you are submitting is the best it can be. That it is free of typos, that it is properly formatted, and above all that the story is solid. Many authors choose to hire outside editors before querying to ensure that the story is as close to finished as it can be and that any major issues or plot holes have been cleaned up. If that path feels good to you, by all means hire an editor who works in your genre to help polish the book. If not, find peer critique groups to offer feedback on the story. But remember, no author can see all the holes in their own book, so count on someone else to help you find an fix the problems before an agent finds them for you.
Pro Tip: If you are writing what you envision as a series of book, and particularly if your book ends on a cliffhanger, be sure to have more than just the first book written. Also have an outline available for the rest of the series so any interested literary agent or editor can see where the story is going.
Querying picture books
For picture book authors, simply having one completed book is not enough. An agent who likes what they see will often ask what else you have written. That's because they are trying to sell a multi-book deal to a publisher. They want to know that they can sell you as an author who will keep publishing, not a one-and-done author. For picture book submissions, plan to have a minimum of three polished books ready for submission. Then choose the one you think is the best to query with.
Pro Tip: Unless you are an author and an illustrator, remember that literary agents do not want to see a picture book submitted with art. Submit only a manuscript, with as few art notes as possible.
Querying nonfiction books
For nonfiction authors, it is not essential to have the entire book written. Rather, you will need to submit a book proposal. Plan to have ready a summary of the book, a complete outline, and 1-2 sample chapters to show your writing style.
3. Introduce yourself to the literary agent
The first step in writing a query letter is letting an agent know who you are and why you are querying them in particular. Agents have so many query letters to dig through that they may not make it to the bottom of yours, so start strong. If you met at a conference, or if you have a referral from an established author or someone in the publishing industry, this is your moment to mention it. That personal connection will often go a long way toward keeping an agent reading. Similarly, if you have a particularly unique book that fits a unique genre the agent is looking to fill, let them know that is why you have chosen to query them. If you are already a successfully published author in another genre, the opening of your letter is a good place to mention your accolades, as it shows that you are already a part of the publishing world. But if none of that applies, and it won't for most first-time authors, a simple line like “My name is Brooke Vitale and I am seeking representation for my 923-word debut picture book” will suffice. The meat of your letter is the story hook, so you want to move onto it quickly.
Pro Tip: Many authors begin query letters not by introducing themselves, but by asking a question. That is a fine way to open if the question drives the agent or editor to keep reading, but a word of caution. A yes or no question that can be answered with a no may be the end of an agent reading your query letter. For example: "Have you ever wondered what happens to forks once they go into the dishwasher?" If the agent hasn't wondered, they may well just move on to the next query letter in the stack.
4. Identify what you are pitching
A query letter is a pitch to sell a product. So tell the agent or editor what it is you are selling. Start with the title, to be written in capital letters, rather than italicized. Writing it in this way is easier on the eyes and will make the title stand out from the rest of the paragraph. Next let the agent know how long the book is. Keep in mind that different genres have different standard word counts. Sharing word count with an agent is one way of telling them that you understand the market for your book. It's okay when citing word count to offer a ballpark figure. You do not need to state that a book is 91,256 words. Saying 91,000 is sufficient.
As you ready your manuscript, keep in mind the following industry standards, and know that
- Picture book: 400-700 words is ideal; must be under 1,000 words
- Chapter book: 6,000 to 15,000 words, depending on age range
- Middle grade fiction: 15,000-50,000 words (though fantasy can be a bit longer)
- YA fiction, 50,000-80,000 words (though fantasy can be a bit longer)
- Fantasy or sci-fi novels: 100,000-115,000 words
- Adult commercial fiction: 80,000-90,000 words
- Memoir: 70,000-90,000 words
Finally, let the agent know what genre your book falls into. Generally it will be one of the categories listed above.
5. Offer comp titles
Literary agents don't have time to read every book that comes their way to see how it fits the market. So it's your job to help them identify where a book fits. This is done by offering comparative titles. Comp titles are meant to give a feeling for the book, not to compare what you expect to see in terms of sales, so saying "My book is the next Hunger Games" won't do you any favors. Instead, try naming books that are written in the same manner or style as your book. For example, "My book is Hunger Games meets Orange Is the New Black." Keep in mind that your comps should be well thought out and researched. Do not just list titles from the best-seller lists. This comes across as arrogant and shows that you have not done your research. Take the time to read other books in your genre and find ones that truly are a good comp to your own. Choosing good comp titles shows that you understand the market and how your book fits within it. And don't overdo it on comps. Listing two is sufficient.
Pro Tip: When comping for tone, there is nothing wrong with offering movie or television references, but be sure to also comp to at least one book.
6. Book summary (the hook)
This is the big one. No matter what else you include in your query letter, a story idea that doesn't hook an agent is one that they will not request. In one paragraph, tell the agent what the book is about. The book summary answers the following questions:
- Who is your protagonist?
- What challenge does your protagonist face or what does your protagonist want to accomplish?
- What stands in the way of your protagonist achieving their goals?
The hook reads a bit like a book blurb, with one big difference. For a cover, you’re offering a teaser of what’s to come, trying to entice the reader to pick up your book. For a query letter, you want to tell the agent what the twists are and how the book ends. They aren’t looking for surprises here. They want to know if you can deliver a story that works.
Book hook examples
Not sure how to write a compelling hook? Try taking a look at the book announcements coming out each week from Publisher's Weekly. While these don't include the ending, they do give a good sense of how a story is boiled down into just a sentence or two. Here are a few summaries from recent acquisitions:
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers preempted world rights to Kiyash Monsef’s debut novel, Once There Was. Once There Was is an upper middle grade title that follows “an Iranian-American girl who, after her father is murdered, discovers that he was secretly a veterinarian to magical creatures out of the bedtime tales he told her as a child, and that she must take up his mantle.
Poet Melissa Lozada-Oliva sold her debut novel, Candelaria, to Astra House. Candelaria is “a sweeping, magical realist novel set over the course of one day, about an earthquake echoing the Guatemalan disaster of 1976 that leaves Massachusetts in shambles and sets off a larger global apocalypse.”
Penguin Random House’s Roc Lit 101 imprint bought She Bad: Tales of Love, Hate and Bad Motherhood by Jamilah Lemieux. The essay collection is "a bold testament to the multifaceted Black single mother and an invitation to all readers to finally recognize this powerful figure for who she is—not bad, but so, so good.” The author “suffers no fools while also courageously revealing the scars of her own parenting journey and search for self-acceptance in a world that doesn’t see the full worth of women like her.”
7. Tell the literary agent who you are
Of course, your book is about more than just your story. It’s also about you, so tell the agent who you are. And more importantly, tell them what you bring to the table when it comes to marketing. Do you have a strong social media presence or any media connections? Do you belong to any associations that would enable you to promote your book? Do you have any connections to your local community? This is your moment to sell you. And that matters. At the end of the day, book publishing is a business, and agents want to know that you can contribute to making your book a hit!
Of course, writing it's not enough. Next up:
8. Send your manuscript
Once you’ve completed your query letter, you’ll want to attach your manuscript. Take note here of what the specific agent is asking for. The below is generally a good guideline to follow, but all agents want to receive materials in a different way (especially with longer books), and not following their guidelines is a surefire way to get an instant rejection.
For a picture book, post the manuscript directly under the query letter. The manuscript should not contain page breaks or art notes (unless you need to include a description of something vital to the story that isn’t clear through the text alone.)
For a longer book, agents will often ask for a detailed, chapter-by-chapter outline of the book. Some will also ask for the first 10-50 pages of the book. Pay close attention to what they are asking for, and make sure to provide it as they note. And be prepared. If they want to see more, they will want to see it right away, so don’t query unless the manuscript is ready to go!
Finally, take note of whether an agent is open to multiple submissions or requires that you submit only to them. If they are open to multiple submissions, let them know if you have sent your book to more than one agent. If you are sending exclusively, let them know that, too, and for how long they will have exclusive access to your book.
Pro Tip: Need a little inspiration, use a Sample Query Letter I put together for one of my published books.
Pro Tip: Need help finding a picture book agent or help getting a literary agent to take notice? Check out my article: Top 20 Children's Book Literary Agents Accepting Submissions.
Pro Tip: Need help discovering children's book publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts? Check out my article Children's Book Publishers Accepting Unsolicited Manuscripts .
Good luck, and happy querying!
