The Psychology of Writing a Query LetterHow to Open a Query Letter For most writers drafting a query letter is a boring waste of time and a nuisance that has to be dealt with. Why? Because most writers, and especially the fiction authors, regard writing query letters as a "non-creative" writing, and thus a chore which is "beneath them." In their minds the creative writers can’t wait to "get over the hump," this "obstacle" of querying, so that the agent or the editor can start reading their work and marvel at their artistry… not realizing that 99 times out of 100 their query letter is the ONLY thing that will be ever read by that agent or editor. That's why, if you also regard a query letter as some sort of "necessary evil" that has to be "dealt with" by holding your nose, you'd certainly benefit from changing your attitude. Always remember: all that hard work that went into your book or article will amount to nothing if you send a poorly written query letter that ends up in a trash basket. One thing is clear: a query letter is MARKETING copy. There is no question about that. Just like a resume tries to get you through the door for that crucial interview, the query letter's main goal is to motivate the agent or the editor to read more of your work. But the door to "more reading" is opened only by that one-page query letter. That's the key. Make sure you approach it with the respect and positive attitude that it deserves. If you follow the rules explained in this web site there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to compose a great query letter that meets all expectations of a professional agent or editor and gets you the invitation to "send more." Recommended e-book: Write Winning Query Letters Have a Great Tip, Photo or Comment About This Topic?Do you have a great tip or photo about this? Something that you believe we should read or see? Contribute and share it today! |