A query letter is a way of introducing your writing to editors or literary agents and publishers. How to write a query letter nonfiction the authors team. How to write the perfect query letter query letter. No need to write an elaborate picture book query letter. If you can write a novel, you can write that letter. If you know what your book is about and you know why someone should want to read your bookwhat benefits it will provide and why it is uniqueyou should be able to write something pithy in 50 words or less that describes your book perfectly. To write a killer query, you need a onepage letter with three basic sections or paragraphs. Include the key points, follow these steps, and then mail it out based on the listed requirements of your preferred agent or publisher to receive the best possible results. Before i share the ideal structure for book queries with you, i need to. Sell a nonfiction article by writing a winning query.
Successful query letters and winning examples the goal of query letter is to elicit an invitation from an agent or editor to send in sample chapters or the whole manuscript. In addition to posting these query letter samples, we will also get to hear thoughts from the writers literary agent as to why the letter worked. Sample query letter actual letter that landed a book deal hi name of person, i would love to speak with you about my new book kick start your success and its ability to become a market phenomenon. The following is an excerpt from write a book without lifting a finger by mahesh grossman, available at.
If you can send the book proposal along with the query, you should. How to write a cover letter andor a query letter for. On the road to traditional publication, your query letter plays a central role in getting literary agents and publishers to notice your book. This is the perfect query letter for picture book formula. Whether youre writing a fiction novel or nonfiction book, youre going to need to know how to write a query letter. Nonfiction query basics part 1 picture books sub it club. The 77th installment in this series is with agent sarah yake francis collins literary for nadine darlings contemporary womens fiction novel, she came from beyond. The book was recommended to me by a colleague for the very reason that it contains numerous sample fiction queries. I am a member of scbwi and the author of a childrens picture book. Just present the main characters, the main problem, and the resolution, then work in a hook great friendship hook, above, and sign off like you normally would with a novel query. You can write a killer query letter in three stepsby composing a hook, a pitch, and a bio.
Much of the advice out there about how to write a query letter is oriented toward novels. Not a fullscale plot summary, thats for the synopsis. Get an agent interested before you write the proposal october 7, 2017 by lynette padwa lots of firsttime nonfiction authors are thrilled to learn they dont have to write an entire manuscript to acquire an agent and hopefully a publisher they just have to write a book proposal. Not only is she a smart and successful writer, shes a hoot to interview. Query letters that worked a childrens book editors. A query letter is a onepage letter sent to literary agents in an effort to get them excited about your book. Writers use these letters to pitch their ideas to editors and publishers. How to write a nonfiction query letter for childrens. Set in a small seaside town north of byron bay, yellow is a murder mystery with supernatural elements, but at heart its a coming of age tale about the redemptive powers of kindness. The query letter has one purpose, and one purpose only.
Nonfiction query basics part 1 picture books barbara kingsolver once likened writing fiction to planting a garden in the desert. A query letter is a one page letter with three concise paragraphs. Now, a nonfiction query isnt entirely different from a fiction one, but there are some nuances. Sample query letter nonfiction authors association. The appropriate length for a nonfiction query is somewhere between 1 and 1.
Imagine my delighted surprise when the category you got up to present best gay memoirbiography was the one in which my book, oneman show. Agent query letters that actually worked for nonfiction. Book proposals are essentially a set of architectural plans melded with a movie pitch and a marketing strategy, plus one or two sample chapters. Follow this stepbystep template to craft a great blurb or summary and the ultimate persuasive pitch 1. Agent query letters that actually worked for nonfiction galleycat.
So today im sharing the query i sent to literary agents with the hopes that it will help you create your own pitch letter. Yes, a query should be a professional business letter, but honestly, writing a query in the same manner as a regular cover letter is a recipe for snoozeville. Start by explaining the main problem that your book addresses. The query letter is so much of a sales piece that its quite possible to write one without having written a word of the manuscript. To help inspire you, weve collected 116 examples of successful query letters from famous authors spanning various genres, from crime fiction, to fantasy, to young adult.
Most literary agents will not even consider a query letter with more than one page or front and back. Query letter, query letters, learn how to write a great query letter and get published. A great query should not only tell an agent what your book is about, but it should also match your books tone. If you write fiction or narrative nonfiction, a query letter is your first and often, your only chance to get an agent interested in reading and, with hope, signing your work. Every aspiring writer needs to master the art of the query letter, and know the difference between it and the easiertowrite cover letter cover letters are a breeze.
Please find enclosed the synopsis and first three chapters of my 67 000 word young adult novel yellow. How to write a query letter for nonfiction tck publishing. Guess whats the most important thing youll ever write. The query letter that literary agents love to read godly. But if youre writing nonfiction, this is query letter 101. Actually, its rude to go over one page in a query letter, not to mention unprofessional. Writing a pitch shouldnt be too difficult after going through the steps ive outlined previously. How not to write a darn good query letterdont go beyond one page. Nonfiction query sample regular blog readers probably remember the queries i posted in january and if you missed them, check them out. Writing a query letter for your selfhelp or howto book. Since they were all for fiction, one of my readers made a special request to include a nonfiction query, so here it. After all, a query letter is a way to make connections with agents and editors and garner interest in your work.
I created this book to compel people to take the right action for their successnow. Are you struggling to write a nonfiction query letter to literary agents. How to write a nonfiction query letter eschler editing. The life and art of bernard perlin, was a finalist. Without further ado, here is emilys very strong query letter. But its the result of a lot of research into how to write a good query, and several people who know what theyre talking about helped me mold it into its. One of the easiest ways to learn what makes a good, standard query letter is simply to see an example of one that does its job well. The query letter that literary agents love to read. A somewhat longer, 12 paragraph, introduction to the book. How to write a winning book pitch write nonfiction now. Queries defined lead model query letter body closing style types and uses. Find out who is publishing the majority of books in your. I want some feedback, so dont be shy about making comments. But literary agents do not have the time to read every set of sample pages they receive.
Once you find an agent you would like to represent your book, the pitch. I read and recommended to my agent boss queries for fiction, nonfiction, childrens, ya, howto, investigative journalism, category fiction, literary fiction, etc. Dear mitchell, we met last monday evening at the lammys. Thus, id recommend condensing the second couple of paragraphs into one. Writing a query letter for a nonfiction book can be challenging because, unlike when youre querying fiction, theres no triedandtrue formula for writing a nonfiction query letter. Query letter sample literary agents and literary agencies. All it requires is a firm grasp of your story premise. Near the bottom of each query youll find a link to the authors website and a link to buy the book the query is for. A query letter for a nonfiction book isnt all that different from a fiction query. In fact, some literary agents accept only query letters and request sample pages only from writers who present a strong query letter. In such cases, the query really ends up being a cover letter and doesnt have to be labored over that much. Writing a memoir query letter can be difficult, but it will generally contain all of the elements of a fictional query letter.
Many writers want to know how to write a nonfiction query letter for childrens books. Like writing in general, when it comes to writing a query letter, the more you write, the easier it gets. Query letter example nonfiction quips and tips book idea. Sample query letter the best way to locate these is to examine books in your genre. You can search online and view samples of different kinds of query letters to guide you in writing the best query letter for nonfiction magazine writing. Oh and if you need more than a sample letter to literary agents, read the writers digest guide to query letters by wendy burtthomas. Thus, tackle writing your query letter in three steps. So heres a sample query letter i did for a nonfiction book idea brought to me by a new author. Give a very brief 1sentence summary of the book and your purpose in writing it. Dear best literary agent in the world, i dont know where to. In a single page, the writer aims to make the editorpublisher get interested in reading or publishing the entire story. But in the book publishing industry, query letter describes. That said, if you break down the perfect nonfiction query letter into its component parts, youll be able to understand what worksand what doesnt work. How to write a query letter that gets manuscript requests.
After all, if you dont send out a query, that story is never going to see the light of day. Meanwhile, writing nonfiction is weeding an overgrown hillside into something beautiful. Chapter seven provides 15 examples of actual letters. Read a sample literary agent query letter with hints. Successful query letters and winning examples writing. First of all, i have to make the distinction between a nonfiction picture book and nonfiction for older readers. Were waiting for the results on this, but i think the letter is pretty good. Chapter six defines the query and offers stepbystep instructions for writing one. Writing a winning nonfiction book proposal 32 30 from my experience, a great book proposal needs to include five distinct elements see fig.
In the freelance writing industry, the term query letter can be used to refer to a letter that is pitching a nonfiction article to an editor at a news magazine or other periodical. I hope these samples take some of the fear and doubt away so you can get that letter finished and put your best foot forward. Let us guide you through the query letter writing process. I have also had stories published in childrens magazines.
1549 531 975 483 848 690 39 712 1484 808 1586 986 1235 732 1542 1385 412 1376 62 544 601 653 636 435 130 1465 1287 5 1555 1380 847 720 1207 981 822 78 125 408 495 179 938 1248