Query-Writing 102: Query DOs and DON'Ts

On yesterday's blog "Writing a Basic Query," I laid out the basic structure for writing novel query letter. Today, I'm providing you with a checklist of dos and don'ts, complied from multiple blog posts, interviews, and tweets, to make sure your query is effective and doesn't get immediately rejected without so much as a second glance.

DO:

Before querying --

• DO check the agency's guidelines before querying... and follow them!
• DO have someone who has not read your manuscript read over your query to make sure it makes sense
• DO proofread for typos
• DO make sure that your manuscript is 100% ready to go before you begin querying
• DO use the word "QUERY" and your novel's title in the email subject line (unless otherwise noted in the agent's guidelines)
• DO keep your query short and sweet (250-300 words on average); agents are going to be looking for tight, concise writing
• DO query one project at a time

In the salutation/personalization --

• DO address the agent personally
• DO mention in your query if you met the agent, if you have a referral from one of their clients, or if they have requested materials from you for previous manuscripts

In the pitch section --

• DO use specific details in your query -- think about what in particular sets your story apart from others in the same genre
• DO choose specific words that will give the agent a feel for the tone/voice of your novel
• DO try to bring out what makes your manuscript unique
• DO stick with the story's major plotline (particularly what happens in Act I)

In the "housekeeping" section --

• DO include comp titles that have been published within the last five years
• DO include relevant biographical information
• DO pick one category (MG, YA, NA, or Adult) to pitch your novel
• DO include the genre where your book would appear in a bookstore
• DO include the word count of your novel, rounded to the nearest thousand
• DO make sure that your book is an appropriate length for your genre (no 200,000 word middle grade novels! no 35,000 word sci-fi novels!)

In general --

• DO act professionally and politely AT ALL TIMES
• DO query widely; it might take dozens of rejections before you find the agent who's looking for a writer like you.
• DO be patient in waiting for responses. Many agents will note in their guidelines how long it takes to respond to queries, but during certain times of the year may take longer.
• DO stay positive!
• DO write something else while querying. It's a great way to take your mind off the process, and if you do get an agent, s/he will want to know what you're currently working on.

DON'T:

Before querying --

• DON'T self-publish your work to "test the market"
• DON'T query agent who do not represent your category or genre
• DON'T query agents who state they are closed to submissions
• DON'T pitch to agents on social media
• DON'T cc: or bcc: multiple agents in the same email
• DON'T pay a third party to query for you (it's a scam!)
• DON'T use fancy formatting, fonts, colors, borders, or backgrounds.
• DON'T query multiple agents at the same agency simultaneously
• DON'T send "exclusive" queries
• DON'T send queries from an unprofessional-sounding email address or one that you share with anyone else
• DON'T send submissions to small presses while you're also querying agents

In the salutation/personalization --

• DON'T address the query "Dear Agent"
• DON'T try to fake a referral (or, really, any aspect of your query)
• DON'T comment on an agent's appearance

In the pitch section --

• DON'T use gimmicks; agents have seen them all before, and they only make your query stand out in a bad way.
• DON'T write your query from the 1st person perspective of your character
• DON'T use more than three proper names (any more than this can be incredibly confusing)
• DON'T use too many world-related/"invented" words in your query
• DON'T spell out the novel's themes
• DON'T use rhetorical questions
• DON'T use cliche phrases like:
• "her life was normal until"
• "that will change her life forever"
• "must choose between love and [something important]"
• "turns his life upside down"
• "change his world forever"
• "[character] never expected that"
• "To make matters worse"
• "Time is running out"
• "She finds herself drawn to"
• "an incredible journey"
• "before [something] falls into the wrong hands"
• "face her past"
• "a group of unlikely heroes"
• "a chain reaction"

In the "housekeeping" section --

• DON'T mention "This is my first novel" or "I've been writing since I was..." or "I'm an avid reader"
• DON'T mention how long it took you to write your book (this is irrelevant)
• DON'T call your story a "fiction novel" -- this is redundant and looks amateur
• DON'T toot your own horn by speculating about how you'll be "the next Stephen King" or "a surefire bestseller," or editorialize with comments like, "you'll laugh! you'll cry!"
• DON'T try to pass your story off as a genre which is it is not (usually done to try to fit a trend or to avoid "dead" genres) -- this will only make it look as if you don't know what genre your book really is.
• DON'T include reviews, blurbs, or comments from beta readers, family, friends, pets, or agents who have rejected you
• DON'T include irrelevant biographical information (age, number of cats owned, etc)
• DON'T include a photo
• DON'T use classics or MAJOR bestsellers (Harry Potter, Twilight, LOTR, etc) as comp titles
• DON'T claim that there "are no books like mine on the market"

In general --

• DON'T bad-mouth other agents, writers, or others in the industry or their works
• DON'T respond to rejections
• DON'T complain about querying on social media
• DON'T cherry-pick your sample pages from the middle of your novel (always use the opening pages)
• DON'T include attachments (unless the agency specifies to do so)

Optional hints, tips, and advice

• Send queries in small batches (5-10 at a time) in case you decide to change things up or revise your query later on.
• Check agent blogs, Twitter feeds, and the #MSWL hashtag to find agents who are looking for something similar to what you write
• Keep track of the queries you have sent and those that have been responded to using a spreadsheet or QueryTracker.com
• Be careful using metaphors in your query, particularly if your book contains speculative elements--you'll have the agent wondering if your character really turned into a bear or if they just got a bit grouchy

Special thanks to @TECarter7, @micscotti, @RachelDRainey, @LabyrinthRat, @Aggy_C, @SH_Marr_Writes, @AnnaKaling and @sharischwarz for your contributions via Twitter!

Query-Writing 101: Writing a Basic Query

Writing a query is tough.

You've just spent months agonizing over a manuscript of 50, 75, or 100,000 words and now you're expected to reduce that down to a succinct, attention-grabbing pitch of just 250 words? No wonder writers stress out about it!

There are many blog posts and articles out there about how to write a good novel* query, including:

• "The Complete Guide to Query Letters that Get Manuscript Requests," by Jane Friedman
• "How to Write a Query Letter," by agent Rachelle Gardner
• "Example of a Good Query Letter," by agent Nathan Bradford
• The entire Query Shark blog (yes, read the whole blog) by agent Janet Reid
• "The Complete Nobody's Guide to Writing a Query Letter," by Lynn Flewelling
• "Ask a Literary Agent: What Do You Look for in a Query Letter," by Lauren Sharp
• and for you visual learners, "How to Write a Query Letter," video by writer Emily Lowrey

With so much information, it can be kind of overwhelming. Today, to ease some writer anxiety, I'm going to try to break it down as simply as possible.

1. SALUTATION

Take the time to research the agents you're querying and open with "Dear [insert agent name here]:"

2. PERSONALIZATION [if applicable]

• IF you have a referral from another industry professional whom this agent knows personally...
• IF you met the agent at a conference or other event...
• IF the agent has requested materials from you for a prior manuscript...

then put that information here. Otherwise skip this and dive right into telling them about your manuscript.**

3. PITCH
3A. Your main character & their goal

The first paragraph should tell the agent who your main character is and what s/he wants at the beginning of the novel. I find it useful in the "pitch" section to write this information in the absolute simplest form first and then add more detail.

• SIMPLE: Emma wants to be a matchmaker.
• DETAILS: Twenty-year-old Emma Woodhouse doesn't mind a life of spinsterhood. She has a loving father, plentiful wealth, and finds great pleasure in bettering the lives of her neighbors and friends. After successfully finding a husband for her beloved governess, she sets her sights on helping the others in her life find their perfect marital happiness as well.

3B. The inciting incident & conflict

Your inciting incident (which should take place in the first chapter or two of your novel) should create some sort of conflict for your main character.

• SIMPLE: Emma tries to set up Harriet with Mr. Elton, BUT Mr. Elton likes her.
• DETAILS: When she meets Harriet Smith, a plain girl from unknown parentage, Emma decides that Harriet is the perfect match for the village rector and sets out to ensure that they fall in love. To do so, she must keep Harriet from the humble farmer who's already begun to win her affection and introduce her new friend into higher, more worthy society. It all seems to be falling into place, until Emma discovers that the rector whom she intended for Harriet has taken a liking to her instead.

3C. The stakes

The stakes are what the characters stand to lose, what they will miss out on or what will be destroyed if they do not achieve their goal.

• SIMPLE: Emma must admit her mistake or they all will be unhappy.
• DETAILS: As her attempts at matchmaking only cause more and more awkward misunderstandings between the pair of women and the men whose affection they've won, Emma must give up her matchmaking and admit her errors, or there will be no happy endings for anyone involved.

4. BOOKKEEPING

Here's where you want to put the "business details"

• category (MG, YA, NA, Adult) 
• genre
• word count (rounded to the nearest thousand)
• any relevant biographical information (membership in a national writers organization, participation in a major writers' workshop such as Clarion, education or experience relating to writing)

5. CLOSING

Include your contact information here

• your legal name ("writing as [pen name]," if applicable)
• your mailing address
• your phone number
• your website (if applicable)

Once you've got your basic structure, you're ready to add details, polish it up, and get some fellow writers to critique it. Check in tomorrow for my checklist of query dos and don'ts!

*queries/pitches for nonfiction and children's literature follows different formats
** Some agents prefer the "bookkeeping" info up front; others prefer it last. If they say one way or the other in their guidelines, then follow their guidelines. If not, then it can go either place. For the sake of this simple outline, I include it at the end.