Constructing The Query Letter

OK, I promised a quick review of query letters according to John Pipkin, author of Woodsburner. http://web.mac.com/pipkinjohn/iWeb/Site/ This is what I brought away from his class a few weeks ago.

Like the synopsis, this is business and not a test of my creative writing. A ONE PAGE letter, business format, introducing myself and my book to an agent. Simple and to the point, Mr. Pipkin does not subscribe to the theory that I must scour the Internet for agent details, personalizing each query letter. (Yea! And he got 'discovered' and published.) His thought is that everyone involved knows why I'm sending an agent a query--just get to the meat in the first paragraph. (I love it!)

 

       1st Paragraph: the hook (that same summary sentence used in the synopsis, but reworked.)
                                          Be sure to state the title and genre. 
                                   
       2nd Paragraph: summarize the characters and plot.
  
       Optional Paragraph: historical background (optional according to the story), relevance 
                                                  (if not stated earlier), and the potential audience.

       3th Paragraph: the writer's bio. Tell why I am qualified to write on this subject, why I'm
                                           interested.

        4th Paragraph: a formal closing, thank you, and length of manuscript.

For more info on the hook, check out my post on 'Writing That Synopsis'.