What is the difference between a cover letter and a query letter?
The query letter is a “sales document” intended to motivate the agent to ask for a manuscript submission. Some agents skip right over the query letter, and, as a first step, request writers to submit part of their manuscript with a cover letter. Its purpose is to inspire the agent to want to read whatever you have submitted. How to do this? Just like in the query letter, write a sizzling first paragraph that tells the plot of your story. Include the name of your protagonist, their goal, the obstacle (s) standing in the way, and a strong “tease” ending to motivate the agent to eagerly begin reading your accompanying manuscript. Keep your second paragraph brief and give the title, word count, and genre if it’s not obvious. Be sure to thank the agent for their time and consideration.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
love your kind encouragement: it is indeed a minefield: I slaved over my query letter - after months of chopping, changing - started all over; researched the agent I thought was right for me, checked her website, her interests & finally sent it off thinking NOW I've managed to do something that might get my novel noticed;even suggesting it fit somewhere in the genre zone betw. 'magical realism' & spiritual; only to be told (immediately) her interests were YA! I had read & reread thru all the labels & nowhere was there an instruction manual on what constitutes 'older readers', 'middle years' Where I read 'older' to mean adult, she meant 'older youth'. Aaarggh. The age-old adage of US and Brits: two cultures divided by a common language! Any help you can give on GENRES , too, would be hugely appreciated. Thanks for what you do.
ReplyDelete