Query letters have been on my mind a lot lately. I hope to be in a position to start sending out query letters (again) within a few months. Last summer, armed with the certainty that my MS was completely amazing, I sent out about ten query letters. What happened? Say it with me: ten rejections.
I know I should not let a mere ten rejections make me doubt myself. After all, this puts me in good company. JK Rowling’s Sorcerer’s Stone was rejected by twelve publishing houses. Gone with the Wind was rejected 38 times. A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 26 times. (For more life-affirming rejection stories, check out this wonderful link.)
But I knew there was something just not quite right about my query letter. So I put off sending anymore and I’ve read everything I’ve come across since then about query letters. Just last week, there was this helpful Q&A post by literary agent Linda Epstein. One of my favorite sites has become Query Shark.
I’ve also enjoyed my newfound (somewhat obsessive) relationship with Twitter and the agents I’ve found there who drop interesting tidbits from time to time.
I’ve also taken this time to apply more new-found tips and suggestions to my MS and have found a wonderful crit parter who will no doubt help me in making my MS extra shiny before I try to send it out again.
What is the best advice you’ve heard when it comes to query letters? What websites have pointed you in the right direction? Who are some of the best agents to follow on Twitter? Please share your knowledge … I’m needy today!
Agentquery is a good site. Also, publisher’s marketplace. You’ve got to pay for that one, but it’s very helpful. It tells you what each agent has sold and it can help you figure out who represents who. Absolute Write Watercooler has some great message boards, too, that you might want to check out. Good luck!
I have checked out Agentquery but only to look at lists of agents. There is a lot of content on that site that I’ve never checked out. When I have gone there, I’m a little too single-minded.
I had not heard of Absolute Write Watercooler – I’ll definitely check it out! Thanks!
I discovered something just this weekend . . . writing the synopsis first really helped me figure out what goes in the query and what doesn’t.
I’ve also found that putting a query letter through several beta readers, who have never read your novel are better able to tell you if the query has a strong enough hook.
Over the next month or so, I’ll be putting my query letter out there for the first time and I’m sure I’ll be hit with loads of self-esteem crushing rejections. I’m hoping humor will be my savior.
A little humor goes a long way!
Good suggestion about giving the letter to people who haven’t read the book. That would give a great, fresh perspective. Thanks!
Those rejections are never easy, especially since you never know “why” you get rejected. I love the Query Shark, too and have found some great info on agent Rachelle Gardner’s blog. And author Shawn Klomparens has one of the best query writing explanations I’ve seen on his website. http://www.shawnklomparens.com
Still, my latest query has gone through eight revisions. I think it’s finally okay. Good luck! By the way, Kitty, if you ever want another perspective – I like trading critiques.
I don’t even know how many revisions I’ve put my query through. At this point, I might be doing more harm than good! Thanks for the suggestions. And, YES, I wold love to find another person to trade critiques with. It’s great to get multiple view points. I’ll e-mail you!
Have you checked out the blog “Guide to Literary Agents”? It has VERY helpful posts from new agent alerts and advice from agents. There is even a section of “How I Got My Agent” which is swell.
Thanks, Sara! I have not checked that site and I always love to read success stories about people finding agents. It gives me hope.
They are super interesting, too! I hope you find the site helpful.
I think the best piece of advice I got was to write the query using your book’s voice. That is to say, my book is more conversational and fun, so my synopsis part was, too. I got more professional for the bio part because I also wanted to show them that I was older than 16.
Vickie’s blog is really interseting: http://navigatingtheslushpile.blogspot.com/ (she’s a lit agent). Also, check out Cupid Literary Connection. It’s a blog/contest site where you can submit your query and possibly get an agent. While I didn’t get mine through that, I made some amazing contacts and also got to read hundreds of other query letters. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for the tips, Lauren! It is a great idea to use your book’s “voice” in the query letter. What better way to give an agent a taste of the book?! Thanks for stopping by!
Of course! Hope it helps! And good luck!