The dreaded query letter. No one wants to write this yet it is a very important part of the writing process.
I wanted to get a specific definition for a query so I thought what better way to find it than by doing a Google search and here is what I found: “A query letter is a formal letter sent to magazine editors, literary agents and sometimes publishing houses or companies. Writers write query letters to propose writing ideas.”
A query is basically your first step in the door. That all important first impression. There are books on how to write one of these letters. The following books (and links) were on the first page when I did an Amazon search using the search term ‘query letters’. There was even an mp3 named ‘Query Letter’.
1. FREE http://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Great-Query-Letter-ebook
2. $9.99 http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Digest-Guide-Query-Letters-ebook
3. $1.99 http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Your-Query-Writing-Synopses-ebook
4. FREE http://www.amazon.com/How-Land-Keep-Literary-Agent-ebook
5. $2.99 http://www.amazon.com/Renegade-Writers-Query-Letters-That-ebook
6. $9.35 http://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Irresistible-Query-Letters
7. $8.99 http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Proposals-Letters-ebook
8. $8.72 http://www.amazon.com/Your-Novel-Proposal-Creation-Contract
9. $0.99 http://www.amazon.com/Query-Perfection-Letter-Agents-Writing-ebook
10. $0.99 http://www.amazon.com/Make-It-Catchy-Quintessential-Writing-ebook
11. $9.99 http://www.amazon.com/Write-Query-Letter-Back—Basics-ebook
12. $9.99http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Guide-Getting-Your-Published-ebook
13. $4.50http://www.amazon.com/Dear-Agent-Write-Letter-Sells-ebook
14. $5.50http://www.amazon.com/Write-Attention-Grabbing-Query-Cover-Letters
This one here is actually part of a monthly subscription: http://www.amazon.com/Query-Letter for $0.99/month
Almost every book is an ebook. The prices range from free to $9.99 each, which I listed before each link. The point to all of this is that there are many books on how to write this all important tool.
If you’re looking for a free resource on how to write one, here are the top Google searches:
1. http://www.agentquery.com/writer_hq.aspx
2. http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-write-the-perfect-query-letter
3. http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-10-dos-and-donts-of-writing-a-query-letter
4. http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/successful-queries
5. http://writersrelief.com/write-query-letter-literary-agent/
6. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/query-letter-_n_2434095.html
7. http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2010/03/how-to-format-query-letter.html
8. https://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/23-literary-agent-query-letters-that-worked_b76306
9. http://www.charlottedillon.com/query.html
10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Query_letter
11. http://janefriedman.com/2014/04/11/query-letters/
12. http://tutorials.writersdigest.com/p-358-how-to-hook-an-agent-with-your-query-letter
As of this moment I’ve never written a query letter yet. However, I know that is soon to change as my daughter’s memoir is getting ready to go on the final stage of editing. It’s coming to the point where I will need to write this all important letter and when I do I have no doubt I will be ready a book or two on this subject to make sure I can make mine the best I possibly can.
So have you ever written a query letter before? If you have, I’d love to know how successful you’ve been so far. I’d also love to hear if any of the above links have helped you in any way. My sincerest hope is that I may have helped in some small.
