A query letter is the first piece of your writing a literary agent will read, so it’s important to get it right! But unlike your manuscript, a query letter shouldn’t stand out for it’s creativity or literary language. Instead, it should follow general industry conventions and show that you've done your research and can follow guidelines.
What is a query letter?
A query letter is the cover letter you send to an agent along with your manuscript or sample pages. It introduces you as an author and let's the agent know what they can expect from your submission.
Every agent has different requirements.
It’s important to note that every agent will have slightly different guidelines when it comes to queries. Some may want you to answer questions in a digital form, rather than letter format. Many agents use a program called Query Manager to collect submissions. Some may want your query letter to be pasted into the body of your initial email. Others may request that specific information be included. Read each agent’s guidelines carefully, and follow them to a tee!
Does this take a lot of time and energy? Yes! Welcome to publishing!
What are the parts of a query letter?
Below I’ll outline the basic components of a query letter in the order I recommend using them in your own letter. I’ll also include an example of one of my successful query letters so you can see what I'm talking about!
Greeting
Keep it professional. “Dear Mr. Smith,” is perfectly fine. However, if you aren’t sure whether they go by Mr. or Ms. or Mrs. or something else, you can also just use their first name. “Dear Sam.” The important thing here is to spell the name correctly and to address the letter to a specific agent. Unless an agency’s website specifies differently, queries should be directed to the agent who you think would be a good fit for your work - NOT to the agency as a whole.
Basic Book Information
Agents receive hundreds of queries each WEEK. Yes, you read that right. So, get directly to the point.
In the first line of your query, include:
Manuscript title
Genre
And make sure the agent you are querying actually represents that genre! (Fun fact…the most common mistake new authors make is querying agents who don’t even represent what they write!)
The Pitch
The pitch is a brief blurb about your manuscript that’s meant to...
A.) Make it clear exactly what the story is about, and
B.) Make the agent want to read the full manuscript.
This is the most important element of your query…and the hardest part to get right!
A solid pitch should be workshopped with critique partners almost as much as the story itself! It has to strike the perfect balance of providing enough information without giving away the ending.
Don’t confuse a pitch with a synopsis. A synopsis is usually NOT required for a picture book, because they are so short! But for novels and longer manuscripts, a synopsis is a SUMMARY of a story…with all the twists and turns revealed. Think of a pitch more like the back cover copy of a book. It’s meant to hook you! (or in this case…hook the agent!)
Agent Personalization (optional)
If there is a specific reason you are querying this agent - beyond the fact that they represent children’s books - you can and should note that here. For example, maybe you read a recent interview they gave and something they said really resonated with you. Or maybe their wish list says they love cat books, and that’s what you’re submitting. If there is not a specific reason for your query, that’s okay. ( Whatever you do, don't make something up!) Just skip the personalization.
Comparable Titles
Lovingly referred to as "comps," comparable titles are books that have been published in the past 5 years that are similar to yours in some way. Maybe it’s a picture book that tackles a similar topic. Or that has a similar voice. Or a similar structure. These are books that you’re hoping an agent recognizes, and can use to understand what they can expect when they read your story - and what readers might buy your book!
Many new authors struggle with this part of a query letter. I commonly hear people say, “But my book is totally unique…It’s not like anything out there.”
To that I would say….That is NOT the flex you think it is!
When an agent sees a query letter without comparable titles, their first thought is not that your story is groundbreaking and amazing…it’s that either A.) you don’t read enough. Or B.) the weird thing you’ve written isn’t going to sell.
So, don’t skip this part! Ask a children's librarian, book store owner, or fellow authors for ideas. Google and search Amazon and Goodreads. Dig deep! And if you’re struggling with picture book comps, Justin Colon offers a wonderful comp title service that might be helpful!
Author Bio
Your bio should be short and sweet and only mention details that are relevant to your query.
So, things you SHOULD mention for a children’s book query are:
if you are a parent or grandparent,
if you are a teacher,
if you work with kids,
if you are a member of SCBWI or another professional writing organization,
if you have other publishing credits or experience,
links to your social media accounts or blog, IF you have an impressive number of followers.
Things you should not include are:
your job, if it isn’t related to kids or kid lit,
your hobbies,
your love of writing. (That’s assumed!)
Thank you
Always end by thanking the agent for taking the time to read your query. It’s just good manners!
Closing:
Don’t try to be creative here. Keep it classic:
"Sincerely," is fine.
Here's An Example of a Solid Query Letter
Put it all together, and here’s what a winning query letter should look like.
This is based on the actual query letter that got me my agent when I was starting out. (Although I did change names and a few details for privacy reasons.)
Notice that even I made a mistake! I used a comp title that was WAY more than 5 years old...and I still had success! So don't panic if you make a few mistakes along your querying journey. It happens to the best of us!
And here's the book that was eventually published as a result of that query letter!
It's Worth Paying For Professional Help
There's no rule saying you MUST pay a pro to look over your query letter or help you with the querying process. But, as an agented author who's been in the trenches, I can tell you...this is something that's worth the investment.
If you’re getting ready to start your querying journey, At Home Author can help! We offer a self-guided mini-course that will walk you through the process of querying from research to record keeping to query letters and submissions. Or, if you want more one-on-one guidance, we also offer individual coaching!
Or, if you just want someone to take a critical look at your letter and give you some feedback before you send it out, I offer query letter critiques for $75.
