Ah, the infamous query letter.

Basically a cover letter for your manuscript, a query letter covers the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your book. It summarizes all of the core finesse, drama, and magic that is your novel, short story collection, or whatever you’ve chosen to create. Query letters are pitched to publishers, literary agents, and editors and are often pivotal to gaining representation and getting your manuscript published. Those who receive query letters often get hundreds a day, so it’s important to make yours stand out! Here are some ways to write your query letter and make it stand out from the pack, giving you a greater chance of publication.

Don’t be afraid to humble brag

Don’t open with a giant paragraph about how you’re the best writer ever and if this person does not choose your novel they are making the biggest mistake of their life. BUT, on that same note, do not be afraid to mention any kind of attention your writing has received previously. Has your work won any significant contests? Are you the recipient of any fellowships? Mentioning these achievements can draw attention to your query letter and let its readers know that you are a strong writer.

Explore the interior of your characters

The old writing adage goes, “what does your protagonist want, and what are they willing to do to get it?” In terms of a query letter, this definitely applies! Plot summary is important but what’s more important is getting the prospective agent or publisher to become invested in your protagonist in a short period of time. Get into the crux of what your protagonist wants most in the world, and show who they are instead of just describing them flatly.

Talk conflict

Every compelling story needs to have stakes and conflict. In your query letter, don’t be afraid to go into the main conflict of your novel. It has the potential to intrigue those who are reading, and sometimes reveal even more about your characters. Don’t reveal the resolution, though. That’s what the actual novel is for!

Know your audience

Don’t do a mass send-out of a generic version of your letter beginning with “Dear Agent,” or “Dear Editor.” Rather, make it a little personalized and show that you’ve done your research in terms of who you are sending your query to. Use a personalized greeting by mentioning the agent by name, and address something personalized towards their interests, and how that relates to their novel. For example, if this agent or publisher specializes in YA scifi, but is currently looking to branch out to YA thriller, and your novel just so happens to be an engaging YA thriller.

Keep it brief

One of the main mistakes that writers make when it comes to query letters is making them way too long. This can cause agents and publishers to either lose interest after the first few paragraphs or toss the letter altogether. For this reason, it’s best to keep query letters short and sweet, about 300-350 words. This may seem difficult considering all that you want to tackle in your letter, but do your best to keep it streamlined. It’ll increase your chances of your query letter being read and hopefully published.

Writing a query letter can seem daunting, but it’s important to do in terms of doing your work justice. Think of all of the time and energy that you put into your manuscript, and then shift it towards your query letter. The payoff will be just as great, promise.