#142. How To Write A Query Letter That Get Requests
Fiction Writing Made Easy
Savannah Gilbo
4.9 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 14 May 2024
⏱️ 21 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
“I recommend working on your query letter as soon as you feel good enough about the overall shape of your story.” - Savannah Gilbo
Agents and editors must sort through hundreds of query letters to find an outstanding story. So, how do you write a query letter that catches their attention and makes them want to read more? Tune into this episode to learn how to write a query letter that works! Here’s a preview of what’s included:
[01:31] What are query letters and why are they important?
[03:46] How to write a query letter.
[14:49] How to troubleshoot your query letter if it’s too long or not working.
[18:02] A query letter is a 300-500 word document that writers send to literary agents or editors as a way to introduce themself and their work. Personalizing your letter is important to show agents and editors your intention of finding the right fit. Follow up with them if you don’t hear back, but no more than once.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Episode #58: 10 Querying Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
- QueryShark
- QueryTracker
- Read this episode's blog post here!
If you enjoyed this episode of the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast, please rate, review, and follow this show!
Follow me on Instagram @savannah.gilbo
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Before we dive into the episode, I wanted to let you know I have a free on-demand masterclass called |
| 0:05.2 | Five Steps to writing a novel without letting perfectionism or procrastination get in the way. |
| 0:10.0 | In this free training, I cover things like where perfectionism comes from, how it's directly linked to procrastination, |
| 0:16.1 | and what you can do right now to start making real progress with your writing. |
| 0:19.8 | I also talk about the problem with popular plotting methods and how they can do more harm than good, |
| 0:24.8 | especially if you're brand new to writing. |
| 0:27.0 | And last but certainly not least, I share some of the most common mistakes I see writers make |
| 0:31.5 | so you can avoid them and make this the year you finish your novel. |
| 0:34.8 | If this sounds like something you're interested in you can sign up for free at savanna |
| 0:38.7 | gilbo.com forward slash training one more time that's savanna gilboe.com forward slash training to get your hands on this free |
| 0:45.9 | masterclass. One really important thing to pay attention to when constructing this |
| 0:50.0 | section is the personalization factor aka what sets you and your book apart from the |
| 0:55.2 | large majority of writers who don't do their homework when querying. |
| 0:59.9 | When researching which agents to query or when sending out your query letters, make sure you always |
| 1:05.4 | have a specific reason for choosing each of the agents that you query. |
| 1:10.0 | This is important because it shows agents and editors that you've done your homework and that you're not just blasting out query letters hoping that something good is going to come from it. |
| 1:21.0 | Welcome to the Fiction writing made easy podcast. My name is Savannah Gilboe and I'm here to help you write a story that works. |
| 1:28.0 | I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be overwhelming. |
| 1:32.0 | So each week I'll bring you a brand new |
| 1:33.9 | episode with simple, actionable, and step-by-step strategies that you can implement in |
| 1:38.8 | your writing right away. So whether you're brand new to writing or more of a |
| 1:42.2 | seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you. |
... |
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