Although
every book agent query letter should be slightly different depending on the author and the book genre (or category), there are certain book agent query letter rules or guidelines that should be followed.
Over the years I've identified more than a hundred different «ingredients» that you can include in
your book agent query letter.
Not exact matches
This
query letter critique was published in the Writer's Digest
Books Guide to Literary
Agents with the sample
query letter.
*
Agent bios for all
agents at KT Public Relations & Literary Services * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to the KT Public Relations & Literary Services website * A map to the office of KT Public Relations & Literary Services * Access to all literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents at KT Public Relations & Literary Services * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to the KT Public Relations & Literary Services website * A map to the office of KT Public Relations & Literary Services * Access to all literary
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
Although literary
agents don't agree on many things when it comes to
query letters, the best
query letter length is something that all
book agents DO agree on.
Don't submit a
query letter to Judith Schell Literary Agent because she's on our list of
book agents who've stopped
agenting, retired, or passed away.
An
agent query is simply a «pitch
letter» that writers submit to literary
agents,
book publishers, and / or magazine editors.
When you're writing a
query letter, you're basically asking
book agents and publishers to invest in you (their time and money) as a «partner» to help your
book become successful.
*
Agent bios for all Tennessee literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Tennessee book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Tennessee * Access to all Tennessee book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Tennessee
book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Tennessee * Access to all Tennessee book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary
Agents Tennessee * Access to all Tennessee book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents Tennessee * Access to all Tennessee
book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
*
Agent bios for all Maryland literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Maryland book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Maryland * Access to all Maryland publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Maryland
book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Maryland * Access to all Maryland publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary
Agents Maryland * Access to all Maryland publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents Maryland * Access to all Maryland publishing
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
Literary
agents have to write
query letters too, because that's how they sell
books.
*
Agent bios for all
agents at McCarthy Creative Services * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to the McCarthy Creative Services website * A map to the office of McCarthy Creative Services * Access to all literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents at McCarthy Creative Services * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to the McCarthy Creative Services website * A map to the office of McCarthy Creative Services * Access to all literary
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
Smart writers and
agents know the value of including outside endorsements with the
query letters and proposals they send to
book publishers.
*
Agent bios for all black publishing
agents * AAR membership status for all black book agents * Personal email addresses for all African American book agents * Mailing addresses for all black publishing agents * Agent photos for all black literary agents * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all African American literary agency websites * A map to the offices of all black book agent offices * Access to all black literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Ag
agents * AAR membership status for all black
book agents * Personal email addresses for all African American book agents * Mailing addresses for all black publishing agents * Agent photos for all black literary agents * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all African American literary agency websites * A map to the offices of all black book agent offices * Access to all black literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Ag
agents * Personal email addresses for all African American
book agents * Mailing addresses for all black publishing agents * Agent photos for all black literary agents * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all African American literary agency websites * A map to the offices of all black book agent offices * Access to all black literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Ag
agents * Mailing addresses for all black publishing
agents * Agent photos for all black literary agents * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all African American literary agency websites * A map to the offices of all black book agent offices * Access to all black literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Ag
agents *
Agent photos for all black literary
agents * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all African American literary agency websites * A map to the offices of all black book agent offices * Access to all black literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Ag
agents * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all African American literary agency websites * A map to the offices of all black
book agent offices * Access to all black literary
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
AgentsAgents ™
*
Agent bios for all Kansas literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Kansas publishing agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Kansas * Access to all Kansas book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Kansas publishing
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Kansas * Access to all Kansas book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary
Agents Kansas * Access to all Kansas book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents Kansas * Access to all Kansas
book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
This article is part of a free 15 - part tutorial about How to Write a
Query Letter, written by Mark Malatesta, a former literary
agent and former Marketing & Licensing Manager of a well - known
book publisher.
This article shows you how, and is part of a free 15 - part training called How to Write an Irresistible
Query Letter written by Mark Malatesta, a former
book agent and former Marketing & Licensing Manager of a well - known
book publisher.
*
Agent bios for all
agents at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to the Sean McCarthy Literary Agency website * A map to the office of Sean McCarthy Literary Agency * Access to all literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents at Sean McCarthy Literary Agency * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to the Sean McCarthy Literary Agency website * A map to the office of Sean McCarthy Literary Agency * Access to all literary
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
It's part of a free 15 - part training guide about How to Write an Effective
Query Letter by Mark Malatesta, a former publishing
agent and former Marketing & Licensing Manager of a well - known
book publisher.
Use the List of Literary
Agents in our directory now to submit your query letter to the best Texas literary agents and get a top publishing agent, publisher, and book
Agents in our directory now to submit your
query letter to the best Texas literary
agents and get a top publishing agent, publisher, and book
agents and get a top publishing
agent, publisher, and
book deal.
In other words, the sole purpose of a
query letter is to «sell» or «promote» your finished
book (or
book idea) to literary
agents.
Home» How to Write a Literary Agent
Query — How to Write A
Query for
Book Agents»
Query Letter Format for Email — How to Write an Agent
Query
*
Agent bios for all Las Vegas literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Las Vegas publishing agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Las Vegas * Access to all Las Vegas book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Las Vegas publishing
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Las Vegas * Access to all Las Vegas book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary
Agents Las Vegas * Access to all Las Vegas book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents Las Vegas * Access to all Las Vegas
book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
This particular story reveals how Siobhan, a thriller fiction author, wrote a
query letter that got the attention of top
book agents — after getting lots of rejections with her original
agent query.
*
Agent bios for all Connecticut literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Connecticut publishing agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Connecticut * Access to all Connecticut book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Connecticut publishing
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Connecticut * Access to all Connecticut book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary
Agents Connecticut * Access to all Connecticut book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents Connecticut * Access to all Connecticut
book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
Where can you find a sample successful
query letter that you can learn from and model — so you can get a top literary
agent, publisher, and
book deal?
These author case studies are part of our free training about How to Write a Successful
Query Letter and
Query Letter Blog written by a former literary
agent, former AAR member, and former Marketing & Licensing Manager for a well - known
book publisher.
Home» How to Write a Literary Agent
Query — How to Write A
Query for
Book Agents»
Query Letter Writing — How to Write an Agent
Query
It's part of a free 15 - part training guide about How to Write a
Query Letter by Mark Malatesta, a former literary
agent and former Marketing & Licensing Manager of a well - known
book publisher.
* Agent biographies for all Texas publishing
agents * Agent photos for all Texas
book agents * Personal email addresses for all literary
agents Texas * Mailing addresses for all Texas publishing
agents * AAR membership status of all Texas
book agents * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * Links to agency websites for all Texas
book agents in the directory * Maps to offices of all Texas publishing
agents in the directory * Access to all US literary
agents including literary
agents Texas (1,000 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (100 + of them)
Book agents and editors will use your synopsis as a sign (just like they do with your query letter)... to help them decide if you're a true professional (and if your book is worth readi
Book agents and editors will use your synopsis as a sign (just like they do with your
query letter)... to help them decide if you're a true professional (and if your
book is worth readi
book is worth reading).
Actually, it encouraged me to learn that someone who got her
agent and her
book deal wasn't able to just sit down and dash off a winning
query letter.
*
Agent bios for all Indiana literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Indiana book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Indiana * Access to all Indiana publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Indiana
book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Indiana * Access to all Indiana publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary
Agents Indiana * Access to all Indiana publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents Indiana * Access to all Indiana publishing
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
*
Agent bios for all Oregon literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Oregon publishing agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Oregon * Access to all Oregon book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Oregon publishing
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Oregon * Access to all Oregon book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary
Agents Oregon * Access to all Oregon book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents Oregon * Access to all Oregon
book agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
Sometimes literary
agents will invite you (on their website) to include a synopsis (see
Query Letter vs Book Synopsis) and / or sample manuscript pages with your q
Query Letter vs
Book Synopsis) and / or sample manuscript pages with your
queryquery.
*
Agent bios for all
agents at The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency website * A map to the office of The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency * Access to all literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents at The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency website * A map to the office of The Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency * Access to all literary
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
*
Agent bios for all
agents at Lynne Rabinoff Associates * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to the Lynne Rabinoff Associates website * A map to the office of Lynne Rabinoff Associates * Access to all literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents at Lynne Rabinoff Associates * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to the Lynne Rabinoff Associates website * A map to the office of Lynne Rabinoff Associates * Access to all literary
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
you already know that a
query letter is a piece of correspondence (sent by email or postal mail) that's designed to get top literary
agents fighting over the opportunity to represent you and your
book (s).
Home» How to Write a Literary Agent
Query — How to Write A
Query for
Book Agents» Examples of
Query Letter — How to Write an Agent
Query
This article explains, and it's part of our free 15 - part guidelines about How to Write a Compelling
Query Letter by Mark Malatesta, a former publishing
agent and former Marketing & Licensing Manager of a well - known
book publisher.
And, if you haven't already done so, make sure you click here to read our free 15 - part How to Write a
Query Letter Training by a former literary
agent, former AAR member, and former Marketing & Licensing Manager for a well - known
book publisher.
Both are explained in this article, which is part of our free 15 - part guidelines on How to Write a Literary
Agent Query Letter by Mark Malatesta, a former publishing
agent and former Marketing & Licensing Manager of a well - known
book publisher.
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
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
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
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
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
query letter of your own, so you can get a top literary agent, publisher, and book
letter of your own, so you can get a top literary
agent, publisher, and
book deal.
*
Agent bios for all Wisconsin literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Wisconsin publishing agents» websites * A map to the offices of all Wisconsin book agents * Access to all Wisconsin literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Wisconsin publishing
agents» websites * A map to the offices of all Wisconsin book agents * Access to all Wisconsin literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of all Wisconsin
book agents * Access to all Wisconsin literary agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * Access to all Wisconsin literary
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
*
Agent bios for all Houston literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Houston book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Houston * Access to all Houston publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all Houston
book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents Houston * Access to all Houston publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary
Agents Houston * Access to all Houston publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents Houston * Access to all Houston publishing
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
Home» How to Write a Literary Agent
Query — How to Write A
Query for
Book Agents»
Query Letter Sample — How to Write an Agent
Query
This particular story reveals how Marni Battista, an author of dating and relationship
books, wrote a
query letter that got the attention of top literary
agents like Harvey Klinger.
* Agent biographies for all literary
agents New York * Agent photos for all literary
agents New York * Personal email addresses for literary
agents New York * Mailing addresses for literary
agents New York * AAR membership status of literary
agents New York * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * Links to agency websites for literary
agents New York * Maps to offices of literary
agents New York * Access to all US and Intl literary
agents (1,000 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (116 of them)
*
Agent bios for all New Jersey literary
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses * Agent photos * Preferred query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all New Jersey book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents New Jersey * Access to all New Jersey publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents * AAR membership status * Personal email addresses * Mailing addresses *
Agent photos * Preferred
query letter methods (email, online form, postal mail) * A link to all New Jersey
book agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary Agents New Jersey * Access to all New Jersey publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
agents» websites * A map to the offices of Literary
Agents New Jersey * Access to all New Jersey publishing agent profiles in the Directory of Literary Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents New Jersey * Access to all New Jersey publishing
agent profiles in the Directory of Literary
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by book genre / category (more than 100 categ
Agents ™ (1,100 +) * Search the directory by
book genre / category (more than 100 categories)
If you're a nonfiction author, you need to write a
query letter AND a
book proposal to get a literary
agent and a publisher (even if your
book is already completed).