My reaction to writing my query letter:
Ughhhhhhhhh...
I've put off writing my query letter while I've hammered out my rough draft because---well---I'm avoiding it like the plague. Does anybody else feel like this? Maybe it's just me. For some reason, the query letter intimidates the hell outta me. I mean, I can spend a year and a half writing and editing and re-writing my novel, but if I have a mediocre query letter then no agent will want to represent me. Late at night, I often wonder to myself---do I have it in me to write a truly engaging and wonderful query letter?
Goodness, I just hope to write something decent and hope for the best. (And maybe you gals can help me out?!)
What has been your experience writing your query letters and synopses? How long did it take you to write them?
I have written a query letter, but haven't sent it off yet. Right now, I am working on a Pitch for the amazon breakthrough novel contest. I think that is just as bad. It's like a query, but yet different ;). I have been working on it (procrastinating, mostly) for 2 weeks and now I am actually considering not entering--partly b/c of that.
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I have reached a point where agents request my manuscript based on my query letter. I research agents and what type of work they are looking for in a digest book and then follow up by looking at their website. Then, I research which agents represented the books I like either by looking in the jacket covers or bio pages of books similar to mine or by their website. I've had more success from getting info from the books. Then, I keep it simple. First paragraph, what research I've done, and what about my story is similar to what they have already represented. Second paragraph - One catchy, overview sentence with two more specific sentences. Third paragraph creditials which as you can see have no literary merit so I just say where I went to college and what degrees I have and what type of work I've done. No matter how tempting, I don't tell anymore of the story than those three in the second paragraph and the one in the first paragraph where I say what about my character or story-line will interest the agent. Also, I ask whether they are accepting queries at the time because sometimes they're not and I think it's polite to ask first.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an official memeber of the group, but I read an interview from an agent who suggested she only works with authors who include sample chapters. I think this takes the pressure off the query letter--especially if you have a strong voice and a great hook.
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