How To Secure A Literary Agent? Lesson #3: My Query Letter Which Resulted in Three Formal Offers of Representation
This is the question I am most often asked by emerging writers. And there is no "golden key." But there is a key to unlock a path to success, and I'm here to show you how this summer. Join me.
After it took me three years to write my first book, I spent three months writing my query letter.
Was it perfect? No. Was it pretty good? Yes. Did it stand the test of time? I think so.
Most importantly, it got results, which is what a query letter should do. It has one purpose: Entice an agent to read your manuscript and sign you as a client. And that, my writing friends, will open the door to your dreams. Moreover, once you secure an agent, you will never have to write another query again. You will have to do lots of other things — believe me, the work grows — but #1 on the checklist will forever be checked off, and you are an all-caps, bold, exclamation point AUTHOR!
But it all starts with a query that sums up your book — and you — in the most compelling way possible.
Following is my original query, paragraph by paragraph, with my thoughts today on what I did well and what I could have done better. Let this serve as a guide for you as you write your query (or rewrite it for the hundredth time).
Dear Ms. X:
I grew up a