Queries, Part 2: Writing Your Query Letter

Photo by Zion

For something so simple, a single page, queries can seem remarkably complicated. And, for something so simple, they're very important because they may be the only opportunity you have to connect with an agent.

Last post, we talked about how to prepare before writing a query. This week, we're going to talk about how to write that query.

What kinds of things should you include when writing a query letter? In my opinion, it's a great idea to start with the basic three paragraphs, and then add more if you choose.

Introduction

This can include why you queried the agent or mention of a recommendation you might have from a client of that particular agent. Also, you can add here if you've met the agent, how your books are like others the agent may know, or even put a hook. In addition, don't forget to include your genre, word count, and it doesn't hurt to let them know your manuscript is complete.

Book Summary

This is a brief summary about your book, introducing your character, highlighting the conflict, and making the agent want to read more.

Bio

You can tell the agent about yourself here, anything that qualifies you to write the book you wrote. Also, you can include any writing organizations you're with or any writing awards you've won, as well as a blog or website readers connect with you at.

Sounds simple enough, right? Well, simpler is better. You get one page to grab that agent, so anything that's going to make them notice you (in a professional way) is great.

Here are two sample query letters, one by myself and one by our lovely Pepper, for you to see how we've both taken the basics and added our own style to them (while still staying within one page).

Query #1

Dear (name of agent),

I’m seeking representation for my completed 88,000-word romantic comedy, A Lot Like Life, which finaled in this years Genesis contest, and also finaled in the RWA Gotcha contest. Sharing the humor and quirky characters of such novelists as Jenny B. Jones and Janice Thompson, A Lot Like Life focuses on a main character who finds love, family, and faith in a town that’s been known to search the night skies for UFOs.

Mia Langford paints life as she sees it. Her current painting, Dumped and Fired, is just another reminder her life is way off course. When her father dies, she’s summoned to the unusual town of Whimsy, where the religious north side is constantly at battle with the superstitious south side. Her estranged twin sister welcomes her and reveals they’ve jointly inherited the tattered inn their father intended to fix up and open, giving Mia another reason to run from her life. But when her sister offers to buy her share if Mia stays five months to renovate the inn, the only things stopping her from leaving are escape from financial debt and the chance to pursue her art. That, and the mailman, of course.

Lucas Scott’s parents are the epitome of the north side—religious, perfectionists, and not at all happy with Lucas’s choice to deliver mail for a living. So when he meets Mia, rebellious and uninhibited by her beliefs, he’s drawn to the woman who accepts him as he is. But Mia’s secretive past reveals a woman quick to run from commitment and his not so secretive past taught him not to trust women. However, the more time they spend together, the more their views mesh, and they begin to fall in love. When the sisters start receiving warnings to stop fixing up the inn, both sides of town clash, and Lucas struggles to protect Mia from an unknown threat—as well as his true feelings. After the inn opens, Bigfoot sightings and a kidnapping stop Mia from leaving, but will their connection endure once Mia and Lucas solve the mystery?

I am a member of ACFW and have two well-established critique partners. In addition to a group blog, The Writer’s Alley, I manage my own blog. I have the opportunity to use those two avenues, as well as other social media to help market the book.

This is a simultaneous submission. Would you be interested in seeing more of A Lot Like Life?

Query #2 

It was a pleasure to meet you at ACFW, especially after having sent my Contemporary Romance proposal to you earlier. Now I am pleased to introduce you to my Speculative Fiction, Heartless.

Sophia Quinn is an Ancient – a 300 year old Healer from Celtic descent who has two primary purposes: Save those she can and destroy all the others. Sent to infiltrate a new cult of vampires hidden in the hollows of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Sophia meets Ethan Taylor, her contact and a hybrid vampire. Torn between wanting to kill him and other less hostile feelings, Sophia and Ethan embark on a perilous mission to battle the cult father and a psychotic scientist bent on immortality. Joined by her siblings and a fifteen year old Appalachian girl, they battle against forces much darker than the moonless Appalachian sky – maybe even the guide she’s grown to trust. How can Sophia trust her heart to someone who doesn’t have one? Is she willing to sacrifice the duty of family calling for a life outside of that legacy? Will Ethan be the key to a one-thousand year old prophecy or a spy for the undead?

ACFW’s Genesis contest was the first time I submitted this novel for someone’s critique and it ended up finaling in the contest. Although vampires in Christian fiction have been fairly taboo in the past, with successful novels like The Jerusalem Undead Trilogy by Eric Wilson, the doors and hearts of some readers are opening to the possibilities. Due to the very ‘spiritual’ history of vampires in general, their stories become perfect opportunities to discuss the pull of darkness against the ‘call’ of the light.

Set among the mountains and valleys of my home in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the novel combines the mystery and mysticism of the Celtic culture passed down to their Appalachian ancestors. It is 75 % complete, presently at 60,000 words and will be completed within two months. It is geared toward the fast-growing YA audience i.e. “Breath of Angel”, Karen Henley, Waterbrook Press, but would also fit within the adult supernatural/speculative fiction realm.

I’ve completed the Christian Writers Guild-Journeyman course, started a thriving group writer’s blog, attended the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference annually, and had the privilege of attending my second ACFW conference this year where we met. I hope to write many books in various genres in the future.

On a personal note, I am a pastor’s wife, mother of five, speech-language pathologist, and university instructor who has an abiding love for dark chocolate, jazz music, and any movie that makes me laugh or cry. Laughter is necessary for maintaining my sanity. God’s grace is necessary for maintaining my faith. Chocolate is…well…just necessary.

I hope to develop a long-term relationship with an agent and am open to his/her guidance in not only the marketing process, but the writing also. I look forward to hearing from you.

How do YOU write queries? Are you quick and to the point, or the kind that takes the whole page? And if you haven't written a query yet, what are some questions or concerns you have?

***********************************************************************************

Cindy is a Colorado native, living near the mountains with her husband and three beautiful daughters. She writes contemporary Christian romance, seeking to enrich lives with her stories of faith, love, and a touch of humor.

To learn more about Cindy, visit her at her personal blog, www.cindyrwilson.com

Queries, Part 1: Before You Query

So, you're ready to start querying agents or editors. Congratulations! This is a huge step. This is where your writing goes from "I want to do this" to "Now I'm going to prove it." (Of course, writing a whole manuscript is a pretty good sign, too.)

I've been on the query road before. I've made the mistakes, which include but aren't limited to, querying too early, not getting feedback (from other writers or a mentor) before I queried, and not doing my research as well as I should have. The list could go on.

Which means today, and for the next few posts, I'm going to share some knowledge with you that I, and others, have learned along the way.

What should you do before you query?

Finish Your Manuscript

Yes, agents and editors will expect this (unless you're multi-published already, which most of us aren't). They want to know you can finish a manuscript. They want to know you've put time into it and didn't just jot off a rough draft and start sending. Make sure your manuscript is finished! (And don't forget to celebrate, because that in itself is a wonderful accomplishment!)


Polish Your Pages

Agents get dozens of queries a day. Or more! They're inundated with queries and partials and even fulls. And YOU might only get one chance to impress them, at least with this particular manuscript. So make the most of it! Get feedback on your story. Polish. At the VERY least, make sure your first chapter is as good as you can get it. You might need to send in some of these pages with your query.

Research, Research, Research!

There's a lot of research that can be done before you query. Research agents and research queries. When I say research agents, I mean find out who reps what you write. Find out their guidelines. Hang out around their blog and learn from them. The more you know about what they want, the better chance you'll have of being able to give it to them.

And queries? Research those, too. If you're familiar with how to write a great query and it comes naturally, great! If not, check the agency guidelines first to make sure you're including any specifics they want. Then make sure your query is polished and don't hesitate to have a writer friend or someone who knows what they're doing look it over. It doesn't hurt to tweak your summary if it means the agent or editor might be more interested.

I know that's a lot of work to put into a query before you actually even write the thing, but it's worth it, trust me. If you're a knowledgeable query writer, agents will see that in your query, and anything to up your chances of an agent or editor being interested is good!

If you tune in for the next post in the series, we'll actually talk about writing the query and what to include. Yay!

How about you, do you prepare before you query? What advice would you give to newer writers ready to start searching for an agent?

***********************************************************************************

Cindy is a Colorado native, living near the mountains with her husband and three beautiful daughters. She writes contemporary Christian romance, seeking to enrich lives with her stories of faith, love, and a touch of humor.

To learn more about Cindy, visit her at her personal blog, www.cindyrwilson.com

A TV Guide Approach to Hooking Your Reader

Ever read those little TV Guide blurbs? When I was little, I used to love flipping the television to the TV Guide channel and watching all the shows scroll past. I think it’s because I’ve always liked to know all my options. :)

Some of those blurbs have made me wonder, “Who wrote this and what in the world were they thinking?” Ever had that moment? Last week I saw a Boy Meets World episode that had recovered on my DVR (yes, I still watch Boy Meets World) and the caption was, “Corey and Eric find lingerie in their mother’s bowling bag.” Seriously? First off, who came up with the idea to make a whole episode out of this? Secondly, please tell me there’s something else going on in the episode! And perhaps most embarrassing of all, I actually remember this episode from when it first aired! So clearly something about it was worth remembering.

A well-crafted blurb will make you tune in to something you would’ve never otherwise considered watching or reading. A cupcake baking marathon under water with only Reese’s pieces, butter and squash as the ingredients? What channel is that on? A reunion of the old ABC Family Night casts? Sign me up! Don’t laugh—you know this has happened to you too!

So how do we use this power of interest to our advantage when it comes to catching the attention of agents, editors, and even, eventually, readers? I’m glad you asked. To help with this question, I’ve made a list of things to ask your book. These should apply to all hooks you might need to craft, whether they be pitches, query letters, or even proposals.

1) What do my characters have to lose? What are they most afraid of? If we’re only reading/hearing one or two sentences, we need a reason to worry about your characters. “A baker is robbed at gunpoint while icing sugar cookies” is a lot more interesting than “a woman pursues her dream of becoming a baker.” Because we all want to know . . . what happened to the cookies?

2) What rhythm, voice, and tone do I want to achieve? One of my favorite examples of this point is Kristin Billerbeck’s Spa Girls Series: “Three Friends. One Spa. And an infinite amount of oversharing.” See how she gets straight to the point with only a few words and how her voice really sparkles? If you’re working on a pitch, query, or proposal, you have a very limited amount of space to show off your unique writing voice. Use every little bit of that space to your advantage! You want to pick words, tones, and rhythms that are “you,” because you’re selling your voice every bit as much as you’re selling your plot.

3) What are the most important elements of my story? Often, editors get a bad rep for being grouchy, but let’s face it—you’d probably be cynical yourself if you were getting thousands of e-mails a day with queries like, “Sandra struggles with a broken ankle on her twenty-third birthday, but when her cousin twice-removed challenges her to a hockey match anyway, she runs into the cute cashier she saw at the grocery store three days before, and sparks fly as he helps her redo her bandage.” When you walk into a library, a book has to prove to you that it’s worth reading, right? Think of your own work in the same way. Pull out only the most important and interesting details. There will be time for all that other stuff later.

What do you think? Do you have any hooks you’re working on that you’d like to share with the group for feedback? Can you come up with some examples of hooks—television or literary—that work well? I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

*Bird photo from http://davidpowersking.blogspot.com/2011/03/aspiring-advice-pay-attention-to.html

********************************************************************************

Ashley Clark writes romantic comedy with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story time. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog and her Tumblr. She's also on Facebook and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

After You Hit SEND

Recently, I sent off a proposal. It was a big feat for me, since I had just come off of a writing break. While I worked on getting the proposal together, things came into place—I am scared of proposal writing, so when I stepped back and realized I had completed all the elements of my proposal (with a huge help from my crit partner!) I was thrilled! I read through it several times, thanked God for each error I found and corrected, then took the plunge and pressed SEND. AAAAHHHHHH!

Now, I am facing pressing SEND for Genesis, and I am sure many of you are too. Over the past year of querying and sending, I have learned a few things about what to do after you SEND:

1.Don't Look Back-- Remember how I said I read through my proposal several times before hitting send?? Well, when I went back and read through it again, I cringed at some minor, but obvious typos that decided to hide themselves from my eyes before. I can't do anything about them, just pray, pray, pray. The only thing looking back did for me is chip away at my confidence. Sure, if you use the same proposal or entry for another agent or contest, DO look back...but just like when you're climbing a ladder you shouldn't look down, don't look back to find mistakes that you can't fix.

2.Keep on Writing-- Sometimes the euphoria of hope in your submission catching an eye, or your entry moving to semi-finals, makes you puff out your writing feathers and strut around waiting for the phone call. Don't forget, writing is a journey! You don't want to hang out at the pit stop and munch on pork rinds and hot tamales thinking your “it” before you are. KEEP WRITING AND LEARNING. It's not etched in stone, it's not finished, you can always improve your game...hey, maybe I just negated point #1...but if you feel yourself getting this way, then do look back!

3. Remember Who You Are-- Yes, you are a writer, but before that, before any dream, you are a child of God. He cares for you regardless of the competition, regardless of the stellar agent signing you on. Nothing can change His love for you, and if you don't win or sign a contract, remember, everything happens for your good and His glory. You are right where He wants you to be, and if you're not, He's big enough to get you there!

I have struggled with these points, and it's been a lot of thinking and praying to get me to understand the importance of these tips. I'd like to share a song with you that every writer needs to hear after pressing SEND.

****************************************************************************
Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across cultures. She is an ACFW member and CEO of a family of six.

Braving the Query Quest

I just sent out my first query. What, you ask? You are part of a writing blog and haven't even sent out a query? I know, I know! I feel kinda lame admitting such a thing, but there you have it. I'm a writer who is not as far along on the journey as others, but am loving every minute of it and want to share what I've learned.

I had several Alley Cats show me their queries and listened to their admonitions that no two queries are alike. Okay...so what do I do? What are the steps to writing a query?

First: Go to the agent/publisher website and research their submission guidelines. This is a must. You must know if the agent or publisher you are targeting are even looking for your genre. Plus, each agent or publisher will have different guidelines in sending in a query. Some might want you to skip the query altogether and send in a chapter and synopsis. You just never know; so be smart, do your homework, and only send in what is asked for.

Second: Whittle your story down to one paragraph. Yes, I said one paragraph. To me, this is one of the hardest things I have ever done. But if I can do it, then so can you. Introduce your main character, include their goal and the obstacles preventing them from reaching their goal. And above all else, leave them wanting more. Think back cover copy here. Summarize your book, whetting the appetite, and leaving the reader hanging--begging for more.

Third: Here's where you talk details about your book, like word count, genre, and type of market your book is geared toward. Tell a little about yourself and give your credentials: number of years writing, conferences attended, memberships, contest wins, etc. They want to know that you are invested in the writing journey and not one to melt under the pressure of publication.

Last: Make sure you thank the agent/publisher for their time and consideration. It's the polite thing to do.

In doing my research on query letters, I found that that there is no "correct way" to do it right. You research, you write it, then you send it off. Personalities and "bad days" will play into whether or not you will get rejected or accepted. You just need to remember that God is really the one holding your future in His hands. His timing is everything!

For all you seasoned writers out there:  What did I leave out? 


*****************************************************************************

This post is brought to you by
 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is wife to "Pastor John" and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she writes historical romance filled with fun, faith, and forever love.

Why the Rejection?

Most of us are either preparing to enter that query/submission stage, are in it right now, or have been recently. Agents and editors know what they're looking for, and when they don't feel a connection or they see something missing, the end result will probably be a rejection. And, while rejections are hard, most can ultimately help us to reach our goal of being agented and getting published.

So what are some reasons our manuscripts might be rejected?

Weak Queries

One of the prominent ways of submitting to agents or editors is through queries. Yes, some of us will get requests in other ways but for the most part, we will still, at some point, have to send out a query letter.

There are a number of things that weaken a query, including too much showing not telling, poor grammar or addressing the query incorrectly, sometimes even being too long-winded. And the list goes on.

So what can be done to help this?

* Study other query letters - there are a plethora of good ones on-line or at agent sites (including and endless list on QueryShark)
* Have a critique partner, other writers, or even some kind of query help service look over your letter for feedback
* Follow the rules agents and editors give you when submitting (plenty of times they'll tell you exactly what to put in the query letter or give you some examples)

The Agent/Editor

Sometimes it's not so much about what we're doing on our end, but what's going on at the other end.

Sometimes agents are inundated with clients right now or too busy to look at your work right away or even within a few months. Sometimes they don't have a connection with your work, or if they do, they aren't certain they can sell it in this market. While a rejection still feels personal and really hurts, we can still consider (especially if we're getting interest elsewhere) that there may be other reasons for the rejection.

So what can be done to help prevent rejections because of this?

* Research agents or publishers and make sure you know what they're looking for
* Attend conferences if possible and give an agent or editor more of a reason to take a look at your query or submission
* Research what's hot in the market, or at least genres that are more popular, to give agents and editors more of a reason to be interested
* Make sure your manuscript shines in every way possible

The Manuscript

There are times when an agent or editor will ask for pages of your manuscript either with the query or after reading through the query. At this point, they get a chance to see your writing, get a chance to be hooked, and have that opportunity to decide whether or not your work will go anywhere. Unfortunately, they might make their decision within the first page or two. And if they're not interested? One possibility is that your opening isn't strong enough or, there isn't a distinct voice, or overall, your writing is just not ready.

So what can we do to help this?

* Don't submit or query until the manuscript is as polished as it can be (as well as completed), also don't query too soon. If it's your first manuscript, of course there's a chance it will get snatched up, but usually there's more to learn and writing more than one manuscript is a great way to get that experience
* Utilize critique partners, beta readers, contests, or even an editing service if you can afford it to make sure you're going in the right direction and your writing is getting stronger
* Follow the rules. Not just the guidelines agents or editors lay down but basic rules we hear as new writers, such as not using too many passive verbs, showing not telling, etc. Yes, there is a time for breaking out of that comfort zone or wowing agents or editors with unique techniques but for the most part, especially if we're seeking an agent or editor for the first time, we need to try to follow the rules

There will always be other reasons for being rejected, but for the most part, the major ones are outlined above. Some of the best things we can do as writers looking to get published are research the industry, agents, and the craft, act professional, and get ourselves out there. Don't be afraid to learn from other writers or even agents. Whether it feels like it or not, many of them do notice if you're trying.

So where are you all at in the submission process or what have you learned from your own experiences?