Example of a successful query letter society of childrens book. I wanted examples and they are hard to find for ya or mg fiction. A literary agent shares a reallife novel pitch that ultimately led to a book. Now, a nonfiction query isnt entirely different from a fiction one, but there are some nuances. Writing a query letter can determine whether a literary agent asks to see more or sends you a cordial form letter intended to let you down easy. How to write a picture book query letter in 6 simple steps. When i see picture book queries and when i write my own picture book pitches. Because most query letters are not read top to bottom. Sixteenyearold hannahs faith was seriously injured by the accident that killed her sister, so when her chance at popularity senior will raditz moves into the basement, she sets aside following god to fit in with boys, friends, and fashion trends. As a hybrid author, she also has published 17 books independently. Friends of mine, old hands at the writing game, admit to still feeling a twinge of anxiety when they have to write a query. First of all, i have to make the distinction between a nonfiction picture book and nonfiction for older readers. Example of a successful query letter society of children. A query letter is a one page letter with three concise paragraphs.
When writing a query letter for a picture book you will basically have. Be sure to read their guidlelines before sending your query. Having gone through the exercise, i figured id share the few paltry samples of good or successful query letters i managed to scrounge up. Science fiction and fantasy novels are often stocked together on the same shelves both online and in brickandmortar bookstoreseven though the genres can be literally worlds apart. The query is still a little long at the top, but if an agent submits the greedy goat manuscript to an acquisitions editor to a childrens book publisher the synopsis like introduction could be modified by the agent saving the agent time creating a pitch from scratch. On the road to traditional publication, your query letter plays a central role in getting literary agents and publishers to notice your book. Query letter sample below reveals how you can double your chances of getting the attention of book agents and publishers. A query letter is a onepage letter sent to literary agents in an effort to get them excited about your book. Query letters for children s book fiction musings archive for april 2003. Query letters that worked sub it club features the letter of author margaret chiu greanias as a successful example of a query. Writers use query letters to pitch article ideas to magazine editors or book ideas to agents and publishers. Through looking at these examples with comments from an agent who specialises in kidlit i was able to gain some insight into how a pictures book plot can be written in a query letter.
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. Many writers want to know how to write a nonfiction query letter for childrens books. Publishers require prospective authors to submit either a proposal a longer document providing additional editorial and marketing information about your book or a query letter a onepage letter of introduction inviting the. Query letters for childrens book fiction musings archive for april 2003. My novel, saving grace 105,000 words, is a multifaceted story of love, turmoil, and perseverance in which two people give up everything, including each other, for their love and for their child. I dont know anyone who really likes writing queries, and most agree. If it is a snail mail query, then use standard business letter formatting. Once again, the intent behind the complete picture book submissions system is to ensure you dont make these same mistakes or any of the many others we cover in the system. The sample query below resulted in a hardcoverpaperback book deal for carol plumucci. A query is a business letter asking permission to send the project described.
How to write a query letter that grabs a literary agents. To fulfill your dreams of traditional publishing, you must create one amazing query letter. How to write a successful query letter example and. Writers use these letters to pitch their ideas to editors and publishers. After all, if your pitch doesnt hit its mark, your book will never leave your desktop. Would someone be willing to share an example of a successful query letter for a children s pb. Query letters that worked a childrens book editors. This article is part of a series called get a literary agent. How to draft proposals to childrens book publishers dummies. A somewhat longer, 12 paragraph, introduction to the book. Picture book query letters, by emma walton hamilton. Picture book query letters, by emma walton hamilton writeoncon 2011. There are lots of query howtos out there, but im hard to educate.
Before i share the ideal structure for book queries with you, i need to make sure you understand something. Underdown includes many sample letters for manuscripts of all genres. Successful query letters and winning examples writing. All of your query letter for picture book questions, answered here. Query letter basics for the childrens book market book editing. A book contract with houghton mifflin harcourt hmh a multibook deal. I am a member of scbwi and the author of a childrens picture book.
If youre hoping to secure a traditional publisher for your next great american novel, youve got to write the best darn. Example of a good query letter clean version dear mr. 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. It is either sent without an accompanying manuscript, or with two or three sample chapters the publishers guidelines will state which form the query should take. When you write your own letter, be sure to only include details which are relevant to your own book and situation. Query tips no one tells writers from literary agent carly watters. We met most recently at your seminar, pitches and queries at the ccwc in hyannis, which was instrumental in helping to craft this query letter. You have one page and 300 words or less to woo a literary agent into falling in love with your story and then requesting your manuscript. The best formats for addressing your letter are attn. When writing a query letter for a picture book you will basically have three main paragraphs, plus your signoff. Query letters are your introduction and a tease of your book. The trick to correctly identifying the genre of your book in your query letter is knowing the ins and outs of book genres even before you start writing. Give a very brief 1sentence summary of the book and your purpose in writing it. 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.
Do not address a query letter to to whom it may concern, as this will more than likely never get read. Literary agent query letter example below will help you improve your pitch to book agents. Query letters for childrens book fiction harold underdown. 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. Children s book editor member poster plus scbwi member. How to write the perfect query letter query letter example. This is the perfect query letter for picture book formula. I have also had stories published in childrens magazines. 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.
Query letter sample literary agents and literary agencies. Sample query letter the query letter sample below will help you create a successful query letter of your own, so you can get a top literary agent, publisher, and book deal. How to write a nonfiction query letter for childrens. It is either sent without an accompanying manuscript, or with two or three sample. And since the literary agents who represent scifi often represent fantasy as well, writers relief is tackling both genres together in our ongoing series of query letter genre. Or perhaps to a site with some good andor successful examples. Presented by jon bard of, the essential resource for children s authors. A query letter is a letter geared toward literary agents or editors asking if they would like to see your manuscript. I mean, come on, how can they tell how i write, just from a query letter. How to format your childrens book manuscript dummies. Learn how to write a rocking picture book query letter in this post, which includes tips from the top childrens book editors in the industry. 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.
Query letters need to be perfect, free of spelling and grammatical errors. How to write a darn good query letter ny book editors. If the query letter stands alone, its your only chance to sell the editor on your book. No need to write an elaborate picture book query letter. If you write fiction or narrative nonfiction, a query letter is your first and. How to write a query letter that gets manuscript requests. From looking like a heel to a picture book deal all. 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. 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. This is only a barebones guide to writing a cover letter. Would someone be willing to share an example of a successful query letter for a childrens pb. Not a fullscale plot summary, thats for the synopsis.
The revised query that got me success is included in our query clinic module as a beforeafter example. The power of a query letter i used to hate publishing houses this can fit for an agent too that only allowed writers to send in a query letter. She is a nonfiction book editor and doctor, proposal consultant, and an author coach and trainer as well as a book and blog coach. If you write fiction or narrative nonfiction, a query letter is your first.
Intro make sure you specifically address the agent you are querying use mr. The query letter has one purpose, and one purpose only. For example, if youre thinking your book idea might be young adult, its time to start avidly reading young adultif youre not already. In my role as coadmin for the query critique forum on 12 x 12, i recently. Query tips from authorartistzoologist jess keating. It features actual query letter examples to literary agents that were successful for authors. Query letter basics for the childrens book market book. Wow children book publishers with perfect query letters. If you write fiction or narrative nonfiction, a query letter is your first and often, your only chance to get an agent interested in. In an equery, you dont need to start with your address, the recipients nametitle address, or date as you would in a traditional snailmail business letter to editorspublishers. All details in the following example are fictitious.
At least give me a chance to show i can write, that i can tell a good story. After all, if you dont send out a query, that story is never going to see the light of day. This article is part of a series called successful queries. In addition to the successful query letter, youll also see the thoughts from the writers literary agent about why the letter worked. This article is part of a 17part series called the best way to get a literary agent. A query letter is a way of introducing your writing to editors or literary agents and publishers. Editors see a gazillion manuscripts every day, and the sight of certain common errors makes them sigh with impatience. Feature film options with movie studios like dreamworks. Tips include formatting the manuscript, finding publisher, writing query letters and more. She is the author of how to blog a book, the author training manual, and creative visualization for writers, all published by writers digest books. If you dont make a good first impression, your childrens book manuscript will likely get sent right back to you accompanied by one of those dreaded rejection letters. Let us guide you through the query letter writing process and find out what a query letter is, why it is important, basic formatting tips, and much more.
For example, if youve written a childrens book, seek out agents who represent childrens authors. Act or perish is amybells motto as the children and napoleon, their cat, run away, camp aboard a halfsunk shrimp boat in the eerie swamps, and search for the ghost light. But most authors simply have wrong ideas about how to truly make their query letter get an agents or agents assistants attention because most of what has been previously written or told about writing an effective query letter is complete nonsense. It is hard to write a good query letter, especially when youre starting out. A query letter for a nonfiction book isnt all that different from a fiction query. Youre about to make a virtual sales call, and your query letter makes the first impression.