May 23
In this post, we'll walk you step-by-step through how to pitch your novel to literary agents like a pro and stand out from the crowd.
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In this post, we'll walk you step-by-step through how to pitch your novel to literary agents like a pro and stand out from the crowd.
i've heard about query letters for trying to get a publisher or agent for a book. can you explain what goes in those? do you have any tips? can you send a query before the book is finished?
A query is the name for what is essentially the application for finding an agent who wants to represent your book, or for a small publisher (who does not require agents) to acquire your book. The verb form is "querying," as in, "jesus fucking christ i hate querying so much."
The most important thing to do is make sure you're researching the submission guidelines for whoever you're submitting to. Almost all submissions will require sample pages and a query letter, which is essentially a cover letter for your book. Some will also require a synopsis and/or other stuff. Make sure you submit exactly what they ask for!
If you're writing a query letter, I would be happy to look at it and give you my (random one lady's) opinion. Just either plop it in my inbox (I'll respond publicly) or tag me in a post with it. This is the hardest part for sure, so it's okay to need help! If I'd gotten help on my first query, wow it would have been SO MUCH better omg.
For fiction: I would NOT query unless the project is not only finished, but edited. Best case, the agent/publisher likes the sample pages and asks you for the full manuscript. You need to be able to provide that instantly. I would say, get the book as close to done as you possibly can on your own. Query after alpha and beta readers, after doing as much editing as you can for free. Don't pay for an editor, but give them as polished a manuscript as you can.
Non-fiction often sells on proposal. Those are quite different and I know less about that!
Sample Pages
Some agents/publishers want the first 10 pages. Some the first 50. Some the first 3 chapters. Some the first 5k words. Send whatever they say they want, and don't get cute with it. When they say x number of pages, they mean double spaced, times new roman or similar standard font, one inch margins. If you're attaching a word document: include a header that has the book title and your name, plus page numbers in the footer. A google doc is not sufficient here, needs to be word. Sometimes they will ask for this to be pasted directly into the body of the email instead of attached. In that case, format your document into being double spaced, and then copy and paste that into the email body. Don't try to fudge their guidelines. They always mean (unless they explicitly say otherwise, which I've never seen) the first 10-50 pages. If you think your sample is better starting from page 70, too bad! If you have a prologue, include it (or cut it from the manuscript).
Query Letter
This is the hardest part of querying or submitting by far. Everyone struggles with these so don't feel bad if your first one or three or nineteen drafts suck. Essentially, the role of the query letter is to make the agent/editor excited about your premise, optimistic about your prose, and confident that you understand your genre and the book publishing marketplace. If you say things like "no one has ever written a book like this!" for example, they will know that you don't actually know a lot about books or publishing, because that's basically never going to be true. You want to sound clear, concise, interesting, talented, and normal to work with.
The basic format looks like this: Salutation, meta data with little hook, plot summary up through the climax, about you, the end. The whole thing should be 400 words or under.
In detail:
Dear Agent/Editor [spell their name correctly omg], I'm pleased to send you THE GILMORE GIRLS [your title is always in all caps], an 80,000 word book club women's fiction novel about a mother and daughter who act more like best friends--for better and for worse--that will appeal to fans of [comparable title, or comps. give 2 that are recent books (last 5 years) in your genre that did well but aren't mega famous. Don't comp Emily Henry or Sally Rooney, think more Ashley Herring Blake, format these book titles in Caps Every Word and Italics]. I am sending this to you due your interest in [something personal about them, like they are seeking stories about complex women in family dynamics or whatever. Do your research on their publicly stated wish list, change this for each place/person, don't be a creep like "based on the pictures of your child i found on your private instagram"]. [this paragraph is where you summarize the book. you can go up to the climax. If the book is in dual POV, introduce both POVs here]. Lorelai Gilmore's life is finally on track. It took a long time to get her feet under her and establish herself in her career, life, and home after having a kid at sixteen, but now at 32, she's finally found her rhythm. Her daughter, Rory, is a brilliant kid, Lorelai runs the inn she used to clean, and she lives in the cutest, oddest town in Connecticut, Stars Hallow. But when Rory gets into a prestigious private school, but isn't offered any financial aid, Lorelai realizes the only way to help Rory have the best life possible is to borrow money from her extremely wealthy and controlling parents--the ones she ran away from when Rory was only a baby. Lorelai will have to decide between her own happiness and autonomy and Rory's future--a future that's put into question when Rory starts caring more about a new guy in town than school, and Lorelai's own boy problems threaten to destabilize everything she's built in Stars Hallow. [about me] I have a degree in creative writing from Tumblr University. I live in California and spend my time walking my dog and gardening. [if you have published anything else, put it here. otherwise, just wrap it up]. GILMORE GIRLS will be my debut novel. Thank you very much for your time, and I hope to hear from you, Your Name
This example is only 270 words, so you can see there's a bit more room for expanding on the plot.
I think a good way to get a sense of if your query is working is have someone read it who has NOT read the book and does NOT know what it's about. The query is usually the first thing an agent/editor will read. Ask your friend, does this make sense? Ask them to tell the plot back to you -- if they're wrong, then you'll know what needs to change. Ask them, what do you think the central question of the book is? Who is the protagonist? When and where is it set? How many POVs are there? What is the vibe or mood going to be like? If they can't answer any of those questions, then put that info in your query.
I've often seen many publications and publishers often require a cover letter for submissions along side the work itself. Do you have any advice on how to make a decent cover letter when submitting fiction?
Query letters can be intimidating, but they’re completely manageable if you approach them in three easy steps. We’ll walk you through each one:
1: The introduction
This part’s pretty simple. You say hi to the agent; you get their name right (v. important!), you scatter in some personalisation, and you state your cause: to secure representation for your book.
A few important things to remember:
Address the agent by their first name — not by “Sir or Madam,” and definitely never as “Sirs.”
If you open your query letter with “Dear Sirs” and send it to an all-female agency, your letter’s going to get chucked in the shredder. If the women of this agency are particularly vindictive, they may then take the shreds and make them into a voodoo doll.
Open with a quick note about why you chose this agent in particular. It might be that you heard them speak at a conference, you loved the books they listed as influences on their website, or you noted that they represent one of your favourite authors. Even though agents know that you’re querying several dozen others, they want to feel like you’ve chosen them for a reason.
2: The pitch
So now you’ve got their attention and made them feel special; it’s time to introduce them to the headliner. In this section, you state the novel’s word count and genre. Then you describe, in just two or three sentences, what the book’s about. Finally, you throw down a few comparison titles or authors that encompass your target audience.
This is the trickiest part, because these are the lines that’s going to make the agent interested in reading your book. You may find it helpful to get some feedback on your pitch from other writers before writing your query. In your pitch, you’ll need to strike a delicate balance between writing in a literary tradition and writing something new. If your book is too weird and progressive, the agent might not feel confident it will find an audience. But if it’s too similar to titles that are already out, the agent won’t feel like you’re offering anything fresh.
3: The humblebrag
Now that you’ve sold the agent on your book, the next and final step is to sell them on you. At this point, you can mention any writing you’ve published in the past (including short stories or related articles), any training you’ve undergone as a writer, and any biographical trivia that directly relates to the book you’re pitching.
You may not have a huge amount of professional history to share at this point, and that’s okay. The agent just wants to see that you’re serious about embarking on a career as a writer.
Then, you thank them for their time and sign off. See? Easy!
Want some more detail? You can read the full post in the Reading Room at the link below!
Writing a query letter for an agent doesn't have to be difficult. We outline three essential components to writing a great query letter.
Lots of people have told me I should self publish, but I think I still want to try to go through traditionally publishing my book first. I've got a finished manuscript, so how do I go about querying agents to find the best fit?
Pitching your manuscript to literary agents is a length process that requires lots of dedication, and a great deal of research. To get the most out of your querying, you definitely need to go in prepared.
We've put together this walk through for how to pitch your novel to literary agents, including some helpful do's and don'ts at the link below!
In this post, we'll walk you step-by-step through how to pitch your novel to literary agents like a pro and stand out from the crowd.
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Tips for Writing a Query Letter for a Non-Fiction Book
Through the years, many people have asked me how to write a query letter for their non-fiction books. (I’m a ghostwriter.)
The query letter is the “pitch note” that you send to literary agents you hope will represent you and your manuscript.
Here’s a brief summary of things to consider when writing your letter. If you like, you can read more at "How To Write A Query Letter.”
#1 - Keep it short and sweet!
Keep your query letter to a page, a page and a half at the most. Any longer and you risk boring the agent, while proving that you cannot present your idea and its key selling points quickly and concisely.
#2 - Begin with the proper salutation
The query should always open with a salutation, as in “Dear Ms. Smith” or “Dear John Smith.” Address your query letter to a specific agent at a specific literary agency – and spell the name properly
#3 - Give the book’s hook
The hook, also known as the handle or elevator pitch, is an intriguing statement that answers three important questions: “Why?” “Who cares?” and “What will it do for me?”
#4 - State your purpose and give the basic details
Explain what you’re looking for, as in “I’m seeking representation...” Then, give the basic information: title, subtitle (if any), word count, genre, and the target readership (who will buy your book and why).
#5 - Tell the agent why you picked her or him
Mention why you sent your query letter to this particular agent. Perhaps she represents books similar to yours, or you saw that she requested books like yours on her WishList.
#6 - Identify the target audience
In other words, briefly explain who the book is written for.
#7 - Show them your platform
Mention some of the highlights of your author platform in your query letter. Learn more about the author platform by reading “How to Build Your Author Platform - 8 Key Steps.”
#8 - Explain how you will help sell the book
Briefly detail what you will do to promote and sell your book.
#9 - Tell the agent who you are
Briefly mention who you are and why you’re qualified to write this book.
#10 - Give them a taste of your writing style
Although you should write the letter in a professional manner, you can take the opportunity to demonstrate your writing style. But don’t go to extremes. Remember, the query is a business letter.
#11 - Close properly
End your letter by thanking the agent for reading your query.
#12 – A Few Things to Avoid
Submit a query letter with typos, brag about or belittle yourself, disparage other authors, misrepresent anything about your book or yourself, say that everyone tells you that your book idea is fabulous, use imaginative fonts or layouts, or ramble on.
Good luck with your query letter!
There is no better teacher than criticism and rejection. Something can be learned from all types of feedback to improve your writing.
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