It’s surprising how many people are capable of writing a great novel, but fall down when it comes to the query letter. Perhaps it’s because the query is a different sort of writing; rather than trying to impress anybody with wordplay and creativity, the query letter should be a short, formal business letter.

The following advice is for querying an agent, but most of it also applies to querying an editor at a publishing house (although many publishers now only accept submissions through agents).

The basic format of a query letter

A query letter should be short and to the point. If you get onto page two, you’ve almost certainly written too much. Start with your contact details, and then a line explaining exactly what you’re offering. Something like:

Andrew Writer
1 My Road
My City
More Address
Post code / zip code

Tel. 01234567890
Email. andrew@andrewwriter.com
web. www.andrewwriter.com

Dear Alex Agent,

I am seeking representation for Joe and the Spaceman, a 68,000 word science-fiction comedy aimed at the young adult market.

Next, give a very brief summary of the plot:

When Joe gets home from school, he finds a letter on his doormat, inviting him to travel into space and help fight off the Martian invaders. He accepts, and soon finds himself flying a spaceship and battling the Martians. But the evil Martian overlord has plans of his own for Joe, and sets a series of diabolical traps for him, deep in space. Joe must avoid the overlord’s traps, keep his crew together, woo his beautiful co-pilot… and get home before his parents find out he’s away.

Let the agent know why you’re writing specifically to them:

As you’re active in the young adult science-fiction field, and represent authors like Jim Guy and Alex Author, I think this could be a good match for your list.

Who you are, if relevant (see below: keep personal details to a minimum):

I have had three stories published in Sci-Fi Quarterly, one of which was shortlisted for the “Golden X-Wing” award.

Now sign off, before you have the chance to bore anybody:

As requested on your website, I enclose a synopsis, my first three chapters and an SAE.

Thank you very much for your time.

Yours sincerely,

A. Writer.

Tailor your submission to each agent

There’s no such thing as a “one size fits all” query letter. While much of the text can remain the same for each submission, you’ll want to edit it each time you send it off. Make sure it’s always clear that you’ve done your research and can give reasons as to why this particular manuscript is appropriate for this particular agent. Remember that five well-targeted submissions are better than fifty untargeted ones, so take the extra time.

Make sure that you always send exactly what the agent wants to see. (This information is often available on the agent’s website.) Some like just a query letter, others a letter and synopsis, others a letter, a synopsis and three chapters. Don’t work out the average and send that to everybody. It’s better to tailor each package so that each agent gets exactly what they ask for. So many people don’t bother to do this, that simply following the instructions may be enough to move your submission closer to the top of the pile.

Always address the agent by name, and never, ever send a photocopied letter.

Keep personal details to a minimum

There’s no need to include a CV or resume, or to write down everything you’ve done since you left school. At this stage, the agent is only interested in the quality of your novel. Leave out the personal information for now. There are two exceptions to this, but both should be brief—no more than a line or two:

Relevant background – If your novel is about deep-sea fishermen, and you spent three years on a trawler, mention it. Does your spy novel draw on your own experiences working for MI5 or the CIA? That’s worth knowing. Any previous publications can go here too, but don’t mention unpublished writing.

Useful marketing information – Have you spent the last thirty years in jail for assassinating a president? Were you the guitarist in Blondie? Have you hiked to the North Pole? These things can be worth mentioning, but keep them brief, and only add it if it really is impressive. If there’s nothing, write nothing. Remember, this isn’t the place for hobbies and swimming certificates.

Don’t mention copyright

Or, more specifically, don’t accuse your prospective agent of planning to steal your copyright. Copyright theft is actually very rare in the industry. Reputable agents aren’t interested in stealing your ideas. If your manuscript excites them, they’ll want to work with you. If it doesn’t, they won’t want anything to do with it at all. While it’s theoretically possible that a disreputable agent might have some plan for stealing novel ideas, it’s not something I’ve heard of. And besides, why are you sending your manuscript to a disreputable agent? (See our page on finding a good agent.)

Expressing concerns about copyright theft also makes a bad first impression; essentially, you’re accusing the agent of being a potential thief. It also seems aggressive (one editor I work with told me that, when she’s asked about copyright in an initial email, she always knows that writer is going to be difficult to work with). And if you’re not extremely famous already, no agent or editor is going to sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to look at your work.

(These are general observations about the industry, but I am not a lawyer. If you’re concerned about your copyright, you should seek professional legal advice.)

Don’t rant

It can be taken as read that you think your novel’s great. Phrases like “This novel is the best thing ever written” or “I’m an awesome writer, and I make J K Rowling look like Donald Duck” are just going to make the agent suspect the opposite.

In a similar vein, don’t try to tell the agent his job. “You need to publish this,” “this is your great opportunity to get rich,” “don’t miss out on this novel,”… well, how would you feel if a complete stranger wrote to you, telling you how to do your job?

Formatting a query letter

Here are some guidelines for formatting your query:

  • Don’t use fancy fonts – Twelve-point Times New Roman is all you need.
  • Single space the text – Nobody’s going to be annotating your query letter, so there’s no need for double-spacing.
  • Keep it on one page – If it doesn’t fit on a single page, it’s probably too long. Don’t try to squeeze it on by shrinking the text size or the margins; edit it down instead.

Useful resources

  • In the USA, the book Writer’s Market has a handy “Query Letter Clinic” section, which highlights some of the mistakes writers make in their letters. The latest edition of Writer’s Market is a must-have for American writers anyway, so i you haven’t got it, you should invest in a copy. (UK writers should get the latest Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook.)
  • US agent Miss Snark stopped updating her blog in 2007, but the archives are still up, and full of useful information on querying agents.