The Proper Query -- The Query Freak
Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 04:36PM
It's really very easy to format the proper query -- perhaps it is very difficult to write the text, but the formatting is a piece of cake.
What To Do . . .
Address it to a specific person. "Dear Paul Everlund," or "Dear Ms. Wimpole." If you don't have a name, get one. Do the research. "Dear Agent," or "Dear Submissions Editor" (whatever that is) won't win you a friend.
Use a normal font. Times New Roman and Arial, while boring, are simple and easy to read. Even if you don't like them, use them. The query letter is not about YOU. It's not about looking all fancy and full of hoo-haw. It's about getting the agent's attention and selling the novel. If you would prefer to get rejected, Comic Sans, Blackadder or Forte will work wonders. (Oh, and do not bold everything. This says "amateur" as quickly as Comic Sans.)
Use a normal font size. Yes, you might feel compelled to shrink the font in order to squeeze in more text, but that throws the readability out the window. Do you want the agent to read it or not? Font size 10 or 12.
One page. That's it. If you can't tell (sell) your story in one page . . . well, you have to. That's all there is to it. And this includes email. (If the agent has to scroll more than once, it's too long.)
Single space.
Left align paragraphs. Centered or "justified" looks dumb.
Tell the story. Don't give character bios -- offer a character snippet. In a paragraph or two, tell what happens -- the Big Picture. What choice is the hero faced with? What are the consequences?
If you have writing credits, include them. If not, don't.
If you have life experience that relates to, and helped to shape the book, include it. If not, don't.
Name, address, phone, email. If you leave these out, you don't want to be contacted, and you really don't want to be published.
Include your book-related website. If you don't have a book-related website . . . why not?
What Not To Do . . .
Don't be redundant, obvious or superfluous. "I would like to submit my novel . . ." is a silly thing to say. Of course you would. You're a writer, you're querying an agent.
Other examples of redundancy, obviousness or superflouity (I hope that's a word) . . .
"Approximately 87,532 words . . ."
". . . fiction novel . . ."
"I have written a page-turning mystery . . ."
"I hope you would like to represent my novel . . ."
"It is 43 chapters long . . ."
"The novel has been revised and is complete . . ."
"The manuscript was edited by the Super-Great Book Editor, John Johnson . . ."
"I can be reached at MyDadsAMonkey @ aol.com or you can call me on my cell phone at . . ."
If you haven't been published, don't say you haven't been published. The agent will figure it out. And if you have been published, but it was in the Reader's Digest in 1997 and has nothing to do with your book, don't bother.
Don't include a bio if it has nothing to do with what you wrote. If you're a college student or a retired customer service associate and your book is about a vampire . . . well, what's the point? (However, if you're an gastroenterologist and writing a medical thriller, that might be relevant.)
No blurbs. The agent won't care what your friends or college creative writing group thinks.
Avoid hyperbole. Terms like "My thrilling novel", or "This exciting mystery" are empty filler. Tell the story, not the side-effects.
Don't be jokey. Unless you've written a humor novel (not a novel with humor). Be professional and to the point.
No colored fonts. What are you? Six?