What’s the purpose of a query letter? I always say it’s your penned advertisement as a writer. What does a query letter show/prove? That you know how to string words together. What it must perform? It needs to grab the agent or publisher’s attention.
It’s not easy to summarize a whole novel into a few short paragraphs, but the higher ups – or whoever it was that invented the query – requests yet another task for a writer to comply with.
That query not only needs to give the gist of your book, but must also show why you are the best one to write it; your credentials/resume to prove you are able to market it. These tidbits paint your professionalism.
Overall, from a simple query, many agents/publishers can determine if your book is salable to the general public. Yes, folks, that’s the name of the game: SALABILITY. Get used to it. Publishing houses are in the market to sell, so, unfortunately, if you’ve penned the perfect and flawless book, if it’s not salable in today’s market you risk a rejection. Is this fair? I’ve debated on numerous posts about this. I’m swayed to defend both sides:
1- the writer who has taken the necessary time to improve his skills only to be rejected over and over again – totally unfair, then again, a perfect book does not make for an interesting read all the time
2- publishers need to survive and they’ll go with what their surveys tells them readers are seeking – then again it’s a real piss off when you read Mr. or Mrs. Starlet or Mr. Famous now has a book about to be released and it’s reached the best sellers list, and it’s their first penned book. Hmm…can it be the old ‘who you know to open doors for you?’ ploy? Then again, they have paid their dues and have a following behind them that has pushed their book to this new height.
So, as you can see, you can debate and debate and debate as much as you want. There are always two sides to a coin. But I’ve gone off topic…
We writers – many of us, not all of us – fear the query. I believe once we understand what it’s purpose is then maybe we can write it without our hands shaking, without the sweat wetting our paper, and without the sailor words coming out of our mouths. What? Oh, okay, just me then with the sailor mouth.
YOUR TURN:
What is it about a query that has you all in knots?
3 comments:
One query letter can not be all things to all editors. Finding one editor your query will totally grab, seems like something analogous to finding a needle in a haystack. I've read some query letters that some editors claimed were the best they had ever received. Some were indeed very good. Others, not so much from my less than perfect perspective. So assuming the writer does have a very salable book, if his query doesn't sell the editor, end of story.
Kimberly, you are so right. In the past few months I've purchased How To Write Query Letters That Sell and read numerous articles on query writing and have to admit I've scratched my head more than once trying to figure out 'WHY?' some of these queries are marked as 'the best.'
As you said, each editor and agent is different, and they are seeking perhaps a certain genre with a theme knowing a publisher or two are seeking those types of books.
It's basically a lottery ticket.
I like that, it's a lottery ticket. That's how it feels - it's the reason writers shouldn't get discouraged when they received those rejection letters. Just keep plugging away, as with most things in life, there's a lid for every pot.
Karen
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