Writing The Knockout Query Letter: How To Catch A Book Editor's
Attention
You've done it. You've achieved a lifelong dream and penned a
book certain to be lauded through the ages as a literary
masterpiece. Yet one last obstacle stands between you and
publishing success - attracting the attention of someone who can
get your book into print.
In reality, catching an editor's attention is not difficult. All
you have to do is follow the rules by sending what industry
insiders refer to as a "query letter". A query letter is one or
two pages written in the format of a formal business letter. It
should be brief, and it should pique the interest of any
publishing executive who reads it. After all, if you can't sell
a single individual on the merits of your book, why should a
publishing house believe you can sell to an audience of
thousands or millions? If you want some inside secrets to
crafting a perfect, attention-grabbing query letter, then you've
come to the right place. Cover each of the following points, and
I guarantee you'll have an editor calling within one week of
sending your query letter.
Point #1: Approach The Right Publisher: This seems obvious, but
you wouldn't believe the number of writers who make this
mistake. Be certain that the publisher you choose to contact is
in the business of publishing your genre. If you write fantasy
novels, then don't send a query letter to the editor of a
computer manual publisher. It will be thrown in the trash
without a second look. The best way to find the right publisher
is to find books similar to your own and open them. Who is the
publisher of each book? Does one particular publisher's name
keep turning up? If so, that's the one you want to contact.
Point #2: Selling To The Right Person: Never mail a query letter
addressed to "Editor" or "To Whom It May Concern". Such a letter
is destined for the "slush pile," and eventually, the trashcan.
Once you've identified your ideal publisher, consult a book such
as the latest edition of Jeff Herman's Writer's Guide to Book
Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents (most libraries or
large bookstores will have it). The book will provide a page or
two of information on the publisher in question, including the
name and contact information of the person to whom all queries
should be directed. Usually, this is an executive or managing
editor. Address the query letter to that specific person and
make sure to use the correct gender and spelling when using
their name.
Point #3: Your Opening (Especially the First Sentence): The
first paragraph of your query letter should get right to the
point. Tell the editor why you are contacting him/her. Did
someone they know refer you? Has someone famous praised your
work? Either one will capture instant attention. But the most
important thing you can do in your opening is to define the
audience and market for your book and state why your book is
unique or has sales potential in the marketplace. Be specific.
Don't say "all women will want to read my book". Say "five
million women between the ages of 40 and 55 who watch The Oprah
Winfrey Show will want to read my book". The editor will
determine within the first sentence or two whether or not to
continue reading the rest of your query, so it's extremely
important to spend time crafting the best opening possible. If
you have any media contacts or a way to position your book so
that it will be irresistible for the media to cover, then say so
in the first sentence. Media attention sells books, and that's
what publishers are in business to do.
Point #4: Describe Your Product: In the second paragraph,
provide a brief overview of your book. Give the editor a brief
summary just as it might appear on the book's jacket. If
possible, reference bestselling books within the same genre and
point out why your book is different. Present facts about your
work, not opinions. "The potential market is 5.8 million single
women" is a fact. "This is the greatest book ever written" is an
opinion. Tell the editor why your book will fill an unmet need
in the marketplace. Keep it brief, and don't ramble. This is a
case where less is more.
Point #5: About The Author: In the third paragraph, talk about
yourself. Why are you writing this book? What are your
credentials? Are you an expert in the field? Have you ever been
published before? Do you have media experience or media
contacts? If so, then let the editor know. If you have limited
experience, say so. Be honest and straightforward. Experience
helps, but lack of experience will not immediately disqualify
you. Adding "fluff" to your resume will. Under no circumstances
should you include information about your personal life unless
such information is pertinent to selling the book.
Point #6: Leave Them Wanting More: Conclude your query letter by
thanking the editor for his/her time and by offering to send
your full book proposal (for non-fiction) or the first few
chapters of your book (for fiction), and don't forget to provide
your contact information. If your query letter sparks the
interest of the editor, he/she will contact you and ask for more
information. So don't send a book proposal or sample chapters
without being asked. Also, if you're sending a query to more
than one editor, let them know that you have sent simultaneous
queries. Likewise, if you're offering the editor a two week
period of exclusivity (the method I recommend), then say so.
Finally, don't include a SASE with your query. A SASE is most
often used to send a form rejection letter back to the author.
Don't leave the impression that you expect rejection. If
interested, an editor will contact you immediately by phone or
email. They won't use snail mail.
Point #7: Proofread, Proofread, Proofread: A query letter is the
first sample of a prospective author's writing that an editor
will see. It should be perfect. If you can't produce a one-page
letter professionally and free of error, why should anyone
believe you can produce an entire book? Don't rely on spell
check programs to find your mistakes, and remember that solid
writing is produced by rewriting, rewriting, and rewriting.
Rework each individual sentence until it's the best it can be.
You've spent countless hours perfecting your manuscript. You can
certainly spend a few hours perfecting your query letter.
Point #8: Presentation: You've spent the necessary time to
create a knockout query letter. Now you have to present it to
the editor in the correct fashion or else risk being dismissed
as an amateur. It's important to print your query letter in
black ink on 8 1/2 x 11, high quality, plain white paper using a
LaserJet printer (no dot-matrix). If you have a letterhead, use
it. But don't get too fancy. Don't use border patterns. Anything
that detracts from the substance of your letter could trigger a
rejection. When it comes time to mail your letter, use FedEx.
This serves two purposes. First, because of the expense
involved, it signals that you are a professional who obviously
isn't sending mass queries to publishers all over the globe.
Second, and most importantly, it gets opened. A FedEx envelope
simply doesn't get thrown into the "slush pile". Other than
concise, professional writing, using FedEx is the #1 way to
differentiate yourself from the thousands of authors who query a
publisher in any given year. Finally, don't use "gimmicks" or
send gifts along with your query letter. Bribery and clever
stunts can not replace great writing or a unique product idea.
If you compose your letter correctly, you should be confident it
will merit the response it deserves.
Utilize each of the 8 points above while drafting your query
letter, and I guarantee it will be better than 99.5% of the
queries a publisher receives in any given year. In addition, if
a market exists for your book, a query letter crafted to the
specifications of this outline will almost always generate a
request for a book proposal or sample chapters within one week.
At that point, you've got an editor interested in your book, and
you're already halfway toward seeing it in print. So start
working on your knockout query letter today!