Query Letter Basics

By Executive Editor Ali Shaw

I love hearing an author talk about finishing their manuscript revisions and their excitement to start sending their submissions out to publishers and agents. It’s such an exciting time!

It can also be a bit scary. Convincing someone to love your book based on a one-page query letter is a daunting task. Some are paralyzed by the pressure of it. “Can’t I just call the publisher up and have a conversation with them?” some authors ask me.

No, definitely don’t call the publisher or agent you’re hoping to connect with. Their schedules are full with their existing authors, and they will read through the queries as they have time.

And also, don’t fret too much about the query letter. It’s not as impossible to draft as it may sound. Here’s a basic query letter template:

Dear [Name],

[First paragraph: State your connection or specific interest in this publisher or agent—ex., because they represented another successful book in this genre. Say you are submitting your _(genre)_____________ manuscript, (Title), and a short description of it including the word count.]

[Second paragraph: A brief summary of the book and why it’s unique.]

[Third paragraph: About the audience your book will appeal to. You can compare it to currently popular books if that’s appropriate. A brief look at the marketing venues you plan to use to help reach this audience.]

[Fourth paragraph: About you as the author, including why you wrote the book and your other writing experience.]

Per your guidelines, I am including a synopsis and [three] sample chapters for your review. [Adjust as needed to match their guidelines. They might just ask for a query letter, so this line might read more like “At your request, I’d be happy to send you a synopsis or full manuscript.”]

I look forward to the prospect of working with you. [Or some other professional, respectful sign-off line]

Sincerely,

[Name]

That’s it! Aim for about 300 words—yes, short is definitely sweet here. Paste it right into the body of the email, add a subject line that reads “Query: [Your Title],” click send, and then wait for a reply.

If the waiting gets too hard, start your next book. 😉

And if you find yourself struggling to nail that book description or get your query down below 300 words, feel free to reach out. Our editors are happy to help!

More Tips for Pursuing Traditional Publication

• • Plan to submit only to agents and publishers who represent books that your manuscript fits with. Do your research and make a list of about twenty who are a good fit.
  • Submit to five or six places at a time, starting with your favorites. When you receive a rejection, document that and submit to another company. This tiered approach helps you manage your submissions and also helps avoid the possibility that you’ll receive an acceptance from a company you’re less enthusiastic about while you’re still waiting to hear back from a favorite.
  • Always double-check submission guidelines before you submit, as these can change frequently and you don’t want to make the mistake of submitting when a publisher is no longer accepting submissions or addressing it to an editor who no longer works there.
  • Do not submit to more than one agent within an agency or more than one editor at a publishing company.
  • Follow submission guidelines exactly. Many submissions are rejected without ever being reviewed simply because the author did not follow the guidelines.
  • Take note of their response time, if it’s listed. Many agents and publishers take six months to respond.
  • Do not call or email to follow up on your submission, unless the website explicitly says that you can. If you have not heard back within the standard turnaround time or six months, you can assume it has not been accepted.
  • Keep diligent records of when you submitted, when they responded, and what they said. Do not submit to the same publisher or agent again unless they request it.
  • When you receive an acceptance, review their offer carefully. Details to consider: Are they offering to pay an advance (advance is publishing jargon, but it literally means advance payment of some royalties, typically offered by large publishers upon signing the contract)? Will they pay for all production services, or are you expected to invest as well? What kind of marketing and publicity plan are they offering, and will they pay for it? Do they have traditional publishing distribution with a sales rep to help present your book to bookstores across the region or country? Will they publish an ebook and/or audiobook in addition to the print book? How long does the publisher keep the rights? An agent will manage all these details for you to ensure you are getting the best deal. If you do not have an agent, consider working with a lawyer who specializes in publishing contracts.
  • As soon as you sign a contract with a publisher or agent, immediately notify all other publishers and agents that still have your manuscript to let them know it is no longer available.
  • Many authors like to set a specific time frame for submitting to publishers (at least a year), and if they don’t receive an offer within that time, they choose to publish independently. The choice is yours!

Good luck, and have fun!

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In her work for publishers and as founder of Indigo, Ali Shaw has been reviewing, editing, and workshopping query letters since 2004. She’s seen everything from the very gimmicky (not recommended) to ChatGPT-generated marketing-speak queries (also not recommended). She’s found that when an author is genuinely passionate about their book, knowledgeable about other books on the market, and authentically interested in working with a publisher, their query letters nearly sing. It can take a lot of work to get it just right, but when that happens, it feels like a masterpiece.