Terri Squires
WRT 304
Total word count 3764
Project 2- I search paper
Part I Abstract and Keywords
Literary agents require a properly formatted query letter to pique their interest and read your manuscript. The query letter should be one page long and must instantly grab their attention. All of the information that must be contained in the letter is readily found on the internet, including lists of agents to send it to. The book should be completed prior to sending out letters for representation.
Keywords: agent query letter, pitch
Part II What I know about the topic
I have wanted to be a writer of books since I was a little girl. I got the idea for my story almost a year ago and finally started work on my own novel this year. I know that writing a book entails other kinds of writing that will be specifically aimed at securing an agent to represent me and the finished manuscript. I know query letters are needed, but I do not know how to write them. I have also read that to promote the book, you should create a website and/or a blog to promote it. Even though my book is not completed, I have started a blog and have a fledgling website for it. I do not know what else might be required.
Part III What I want to find out
- Besides writing a compelling story, what other kinds of writing will I need to do to get my book published and/or represented by a literary agent?
- I need to find out how to write a successful query letter.
- Who does it go to?
- What does it include?
- Where do I find a list of agents to send it to?
- When do I send it, before I finish my book, or after?
- Is there any other writing involved?
Part IV My search
The first thing I did was peruse my small collection of books about fiction writing. The genre of my source is a print book. This book was highly rated on Amazon.com which is why I initially bought it. It is written by published authors, one of which is also a literary agent. The purpose of the book is to help new writers get their books published either via self publishing or traditional methods.
The first thing I found in this book when I started reading it was the art of the pitch. The pitch is what you will say when someone asks you what your book is about. This is something I hadn’t really thought about writing. I usually just say a little bit about my book off the top of my head, none of it rehearsed. From The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published authors Eskstut and Sterry write, “the beauty of a major league pitch is that it contains the juicy essence of your book, it’s over in no time at all and it leaves the crowd oohing and aahing in awe. At the end of the pitch you want the person you’re pitching to say, wow, I can’t wait to read that book!” (66). The authors go on to say that there are two kinds of pitches: the elevator pitch and the long form pitch. The elevator pitch is just a few sentences long and should be over before the elevator gets to the next floor. The long form pitch is over in less than a minute and about a paragraph or two (67). They suggest looking at the backs of paperback books to get an idea as to “how concise the copywriters had to be” (67). Just be sure not to plagiarize any (69).
They stress practicing your pitch over and over again to family and friends so that it “eliminates the possibility of getting a no” (71). They want you to get feedback so you can improve. Eventually the pitch will be included in my query letter.
The next thing I learned from this source is that once my book is completed, some agents and publishers want a one or two page synopsis. They may read it to see if the story is the type of book they publish. Not all publishers and agents require this, but it is nice to have available. Once again they suggest reading the backs of paperbacks for ideas (72).
Next up was the advice for the structuring of the query letter to an agent. The query letter should have three paragraphs consisting of: the connection, the pitch, and the bio. Each should be about a paragraph long, with the whole letter fitting on one page (114). The connection aspect of the query letter refers to the specific successful books that the agent you are writing to has represented. Clearly, research is involved here to find an agent that represents the type of book you’ve written. You have to mention why you like the books the agent has represented, and why yours is similar (115). The second paragraph is the pitch. It may need to be refined a bit to the agent that is being queried. And lastly there is the bio paragraph where you should tell the agent a little bit about yourself. You should list any writing previously published and any awards etc. You should also include “interesting tidbits about yourself” (118).
The authors of The Essential Guide… devote a few chapters to using social media and creating a blog to generate buzz and market your book. My subscription to Writers Digest generates daily emails from them. Some of those emails are devoted to marketing your book via the use of a blog as well. They want you to purchase their tutorial on this, as well as on other topics.
Continuing my quest for information, I chose to use google.com to find a sample query letter. The first website I accessed was a publishing company. The publishing company, JamesRussellPublishing.biz stated that it is a conventional book publisher and that they do not charge fees to authors and that they pay royalties. The publishing company website had a page devoted to advice for authors. They also had a page devoted to query letters with excerpts of very bad sample query letters on it. The publishing company seemed to genuinely want to help authors. They also mentioned that they accept query letters directly from authors. The whole point of the query letter is to get the agent or publisher to ask to see your manuscript. They won’t even look at a manuscript if the query letter isn’t up to “industry standards.” They stress that the query letter is the most important letter you write and must be professional. They say it is even more important than the book itself (James Russell Publishing).That doesn’t make too much sense to me and contradicts what the The Essential Guide… says.
The second website I found was called agentquery.com. This website has a search engine for finding agents that was free to use. They offer up pages on how to submit to a literary agent, with query letter writing included. And printed in bold font on their page, “don’t query agents until you’ve finished your full fiction manuscript” (Agent Query LLC). They even have a forum on this website where new authors can post their pitch and get feedback on it.
My next source is delivered to me every month, Writers Digest magazine. Inside this magazine I found an article that lists agents that are seeking new writers. Author Sambuchino says, “most also added tips for writers interested in querying them” (27). This list was very helpful as it included email addresses, submission requirements, and what types of fiction each agent is specifically looking for. As my book falls into the Young Adult category (13 to 17 years old) with a bit of fantasy/magic involved, this is especially important. I don’t want to send a query letter to an agent that doesn’t handle my type of genre.
Another article in the same magazine was written by an agent on how to successfully query them. Kimiko Nakamura writes, “agents look for queries that make us want to turn the pages of your story. That means that you need to think of your query as the first and most important page of your manuscript” (23). She also mentions something that The Essential Guide….failed to. The query letter should mention the manuscript stats on it somewhere and to make sure not to reveal spoilers (23).
Part V Analysis and Evaluation of Samples
Each of the samples from Appendix A taken from James Russell Publishing website were examples of what not to do when querying. The website listed five, one or two line sample query emails they had actually received. None of the authors of those emails did any research on how to execute a proper query. In some cases they didn’t include contact information or used improper terminology. If all of these writers did actually have a book to market, why didn’t they take the time to find out submission guidelines for it?
The sample in Appendix B is a copy of a successful pitch to a literary agent. The pitch was included as part of a query letter. The author uses just a few paragraphs to hook the reader into wanting to read more of her novel. Of course, that assumes you are interested in young adult books about the supernatural. She includes all of the relevant information required by the agent mentioning the word count, genre type, and a brief bio.
Another successful query letter in Appendix C was the most useful to me when I crafted my own letter. It was taken from a blog by Brian Klems and was written by an author seeking representation. Author Dianna Winge starts and ends her query letter with her accomplishments. She quickly brings her reader into the story with her engaging pitch and follows through with details of the word count and short bio.
Part VI Original Composition
Laura Biagi
Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency
216 East 75th Street, Suite 1E
New York, NY 10021
October 27, 2013
Dear Ms. Biagi:
According to the October 2013 issue of Writers Digest, you are currently seeking young adult fiction. I would like to introduce you to my book Marin and Josh.
Thirteen-year-old twins Marin and Josh have inherited a special ability. This ability is so rare and hard to control that their parents died using it. Their adoptive parents have no idea what is in store for them.
Marin and Josh lead pretty normal lives. They are both on the swim team and do well in school. All of that changes when a trip to the beach, and a near death experience for Josh, turns their world upside down.
Can hot tempered Marin and her impulsive brother Josh keep their secret from getting out? And more importantly, will they be able to control this “gift” or will it control them?
The story is set in modern day Jacksonville, Florida and runs about 50,000 words. The “gift” in question is based on a Celtic legend, but the story includes modern day teenage topics such as bullying and drug addiction. Future novels involving Marin and Josh will also handle abuse and depression.
I am a 2014 graduate of Stony Brook University with a minor in writing. As required, I have enclosed the first page of my manuscript. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Very truly yours,
Terri Squires
Enclosure (1)
Marin and Josh
By Terri Squires
Chapter 1
Soaring high above her house, Marin could see her whole neighborhood. Gently flapping her wings and veering to the left, she dropped lower and circled the house. She saw the blue paint that was starting to peel and the roof tiles that needed replacing. She could see her old swing set rusting in the backyard. She saw bicycles stored in the open shed behind her house.
The neighbor’s dog began to bark at her as she dove lower constantly searching. In a blink of her eye she saw movement; a field mouse was out foraging. Claws extended, she used the air currents to propel herself forward toward her prey, reaching, screeching….Marin woke up with a start. The school bus had come to a halt, its brakes whining with the effort.
“Marin wake up,” her twin brother Josh said as he walked past her toward the door. “Did you fall asleep again?”
Marin quickly grabbed her things and exited the bus. Josh and Marin usually raced to see who could get to their house first, but not this time. Marin’s short nap had left her a bit groggy. This was the second time this week that she had fallen asleep on the noisy school bus. She’d been having really strange dreams all week and it had left her exhausted.
Part VII What I learned
Now that I have had a chance to read the opinions of agents, a publishing company, and published authors, I have learned a lot. The publishing company wants the query letter to be the most important thing you write. The published authors in the Essential Guide…say just the opposite, that your novel is the most important thing. And finally the literary agent says something in between, that the query letter should make her want to read your story and request your manuscript.
The dynamics of the query letter are pretty straight forward and all of my sources agreed on its content. Each should be tailored to the agent you are sending it to. It should have a short summary of the book and include a small bio paragraph. I found lists of agents to send out my query letters once my book is ready. Those were in the magazine article and on the agentquery.com website. I found out that I must complete my book first, before I send out any queries. I also found out that it is acceptable to send query letters directly to publishers.
Each agency has its own requirements as far as submissions are concerned. When I went to the website of a literary agency to do my query letter, I saw that the agent in question, Ms. Laura Biagi, requires the first page of the manuscript, as well as the brief summary and your bio. Some agents request the first ten pages and/or the first chapter.
The blog I started, and the website I created for my book, were started too far in advance. They should have been started after the book is completed, to assist with the marketing of it.
I must work on and perfect my pitch. I will need to write it down and then commit it to memory. Then I need to practice saying it out loud to friends and family. I need to hear their feedback and rewrite my pitch.
Once I am done with my book, I will need to write a one or two page synopsis and have it available in case an agent or publisher requests it.
Part VIII Appendices
APPENDIX A
IMPROPER E-MAIL QUERY LETTERS
These are E-mail samples we have received.
- EXAMPLE #1 "I have a book on auto repair and I want a publisher. Interested?" [The sender also had an invalid e-mail address in the mailing header, so no response was given].
- EXAMPLE #2 "We are ready to commit to an agency to sell our book. It's a book about the Internet. Can we send it to you? [The sender is looking for an agent and sends this e-mail to a publisher? Agents would ignore such a letter. There's no information about the book].
- EXAMPLE #3 "If you want to make a lot of money, read this! I have the best manuscript in the world on psychology. A hypnosis section is included, too! I'll send you the book. All you have to do is reply. Thank you!" [This writer will need all the luck in the universe to have this query letter taken seriously!].
- EXAMPLE #4 "I saw your listing in the Writer's Digest 2000 book and I am mailing you to see if your are interested in publishing a book I wrote containing poems. Can you help me?" [This writer sent us this mail and described nothing of him/her self or the actual contents of the subject matter. When we responded with a standard rejection, with a little helpful advice, we then received a scathing scolding for not accepting the book and were told our advice was hogwash, that the writer would make it big without us. Never respond with unprofessionalism as it will give you a bad reputation in this business Also, we do not publish poems, as we are not listed as a publisher of poems in Writer's Digest or other listings. Why the writer contacted us is beyond reason].
- EXAMPLE #5 "I propose to your publishing company my book describing how to buy a new home. May I send the manuscript? [We receive many letters with the word "proposed" in the query. This is improper terminology and indicates an amatuer is submitting. A proposal is an offer to produce a book for a work for hire basis. This author already has the manuscript written, so it is not a proposal at all. Use the word "offer" instead of "propose."
From James Russell Publishing website
APPENDIX B
Hi, everyone!
I'm generally pretty shy, so I haven't posted here much, but I've truly valued all the insight and guidance here at AQC as I went through the process of trying to find an agent. This query (which I think some of you have seen in contests before) led to many full requests and eventually, offers of representation. I accepted an offer of rep yesterday afternoon, and I couldn't be more pleased with my decision!!!
Anyway, here's the query :-)
Dear Agent X,
It’s easy to overlook an old house being reclaimed by the woods; it’s a common sight near Candor, North Carolina, where seventeen-year-old Virginia “Dare” Cleaster lives with her family. But on a sweaty summer night, Dare and her ex-boyfriend Bobby unintentionally wake something sinister that’s been dormant in the crumbling Waters residence for years, and it refuses to be ignored.
Dare doesn’t believe in ghosts, but the tragic spirit of Atheleen Waters appearing to her all over town quickly changes her mind. As Dare and her friends are drawn into the mystery surrounding Atheleen’s life and untimely death, it soon becomes clear that she isn’t a troubled apparition seeking closure. She’s a twisted killer driven mad by love, and death hasn’t made her the least bit remorseful for her crimes.
Now Dare must figure out how to lay her powerful spirit to rest before Atheleen can add to the body count she began over a hundred and fifty years ago.
My young adult novel NO SUCH THING is a blend of Rosemary Clement-Moore's Texas Gothic and Susan Hill's The Woman in Black. It will appeal to older teen readers interested in the supernatural.
***
That letter was followed by a few brief sentences about me and my writing. I think what worked about the letter is that the stakes for the MC come across clearly.
Thanks for letting me share this with you all!!
*Oh, and to clarify, I included word count (60,000) at the top of the query, before the actual pitch, where I gave a specific reason for querying a particular agent. :-)
From forum on Agentquery.com posted by SG_Marsh
APPENDIX C
Example of a Query Letter
Dear Ms. Kole,
[1] According to your agency’s website you’re actively seeking middle-grade fiction, so I’m pleased to introduce my novel, A Smidgen of Sky. [2] This novel won me a scholarship to attend the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua. It was also awarded honorable mention in the Smart Writers W.I.N. Competition.
[3] A Smidgen of Sky is the story of ten-year-old Piper Lee DeLuna, a spunky, impulsive dreamer, whose fierce devotion to her missing father is threatened by her mother’s upcoming remarriage.
[4] Everyone else has long accepted her father’s death, but the fact that his body was never recovered from his wrecked plane leads to Piper’s dream that he might one day reappear and free her from the secret guilt she harbors over his accident. Her stubborn focus leaves no room in her affections for her mother’s fiancé, Ben, or his princess-like daughter, Ginger.
[5] Determined to stop the wedding, Piper Lee schemes up “Operation Finding Tina”—a sure plan to locate Ben’s ex-wife and get the two of them back together. But just as Piper succeeds with step one of her plan, a riot breaks out at the prison where Ben works, and suddenly nothing seems sure.
[6] Since middle-graders care deeply about things and people and love to daydream about their future, I think readers will identify with Piper Lee and find her an appealing heroine as she learns that you can both cherish the past and embrace the future.
[7] This story, set in the coastal region of Georgia, runs about 33,000 words and is somewhat similar in tone to Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie.
[8] I’m a 1990 graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature and my work has been published in U*S* Kids, Child Life, Columbia Kids, True Love, Guide and StoryPlus.
Thanks very much for your time. I have included the first ten pages and look forward to hearing from you.
Truly yours,
Dianna Winge
From Writer’s Digest.com blog by Brian Klems
Part IX- Bio
I expect to have my B.S. degree in Business Management with a minor in writing this May from Stony Brook University. Sometime after that, I hope to complete my manuscript and start the slow arduous process of trying to get it published.
Works Cited
Agent Query. Agent Query LLC. n.d. Web. 19 Oct 2013.
Eckstut, Arielle and David Henry Sterry. The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published. New York: Workman Publishing Company. 2010. Print.
James Russell Publishing. James Russell Publishing Company. n.d. Web. 19 Oct 2013.
Klems, Brian and Dianna Winge. “How to Write the Perfect Query Letter.” Writer’s Digest. 23 July 2013. Web. 27 Oct 2013.
Marsh, Sarah Glenn. Agent Query. 13 July 2013. Web. 27 Oct 2013.
Nakamura, Kimiko. “Your Future Agent’s Wish List: How to be on it.” Writer’s Digest . Oct 2013: 21-25. Print.
Sambuchino, Chuck. “Meet 28 Agents Looking for New Writers.” Writer’s Digest.
Oct 2013: 26-36. Print.