Query Letter

I have been nearly worthless since just before Thanksgiving through the Christmas and New Year holidays having a grand time with my kids.

 

I said "nearly" not totally worthless. I did write a blog post, check email, and the odd book order or two from the printer.

 

With a dose of Catholic school gilt (yes, Sister, it still works after all of these years), I decided to ease into the week by reading a few query letters this evening. Considering the abandonment and fun-having, my brain was in a bit of a lull.

 

I've said it a million and one times, if you want your ms sample chapters read, write a great query letter.

 

So this guy writes a query letter. It starts with a remark that seems benign, but at the same time has a bit of intellectual tongue-in-cheek humor. I don't recommend this if it doesn't come naturally. But the guy had me. I read the letter and I'm not sure I would be otherwise interested in the ms if his query letter hadn't been so well written. It was professional. It was to the point. It was slightly relaxed, too. It made me like him. And most importantly, it did its job. It made me read his sample chapters when I wasn't really-truly going to work since it is Sunday evening.

 

The point is that it is important to put effort into learning how to write a killer query letter. How else are you going to get someone to read that fantastic manuscript that you wrote?

 

Search the Internet for query letter samples or search this blog for what I've said about them in the past.  It is worth your time and effort to bang out a great query letter.

Happy writing...