Sell Me On Your Story In Your Query

The key to a query letter is pretty simple. OK, maybe not that simple, but the idea behind it is pretty simple. Your single goal is to sell us (the editor or agent) that your story is what we want, what we are looking for, and what the market is needing right now. This is all about market analysis. This is not a letter about showcasing your writing ability, or to show us how cool you are. It is about the product you are marketing. 

As you know, if you follow this blog, I often reference Shark Tank. It is one of those cheap reality obsessions I love to watch along with my cooking shows. If you think about it, those people have just a few minutes to stand in front of people and who will make or break their careers. And yes, their careers could be broken considering they are putting their faces out their in front of the world and if they look like fools, that publicity is not going to help them. In those few, short minutes (and that time flies by fast), they have to introduce themselves, introduce the project, explain the project and show how that project is not only marketable, but something that millions of people will shell out their hard earned money for. 

And when they get to the Q & A portion, they then have to showcase their knowledge of the market and their market research. Combine that with their professionalism and their business approach. One wrong step, or one wrong word, and the deal is over.

Your query letter is the same thing. You have roughly 3-4 paragraphs. That's it:

1. THE BASICS - What is the title, the genre, the word count, a brief blurb and the high concept. This is also a good place to mention why you are contacting that specific editor or agent and why that story is a PEFECT FIT!
2. THE BOOK - We need to know what the story is about. You essentially have a paragraph to tell me who the characters are, the setting, the general plot and the conflict of the story. 
3. THE BIO - Tell me about your professional writing career THAT RELATES to the genre of writing you are submitting. This would also include an idea of what other projects you are working on that will be something we are interested in. 

That is it!!!!!

If you are doing anything other than that, we don't really care how good your story may be, you are not selling your product or your book. 

I want to also remind you of something a fellow agent from the Irene Goodman Agency once said during a panel discussion we shared. If we have to ask questions about your query, it will be a NO. If it is a maybe, it will be a NO. And more importantly, NEVER give us a reason to say no.

So, before you hit send, consider what you are writing. You might find that you are not putting your best foot forward.