WriteOnCon welcomes author Jodi Meadows to the blog! Jodi has read many, many queries in her life. She really knows her stuff. She’s going to give us some awesome advice for the single most important letter you might write in your publishing career.
YOUR CHANCE TO SHINE:
I like queries. No, I love them. They’re such short, humble things, but their importance is undeniable. Queries are the initial step to nabbing an agent. They’re your first impression, and your best chance at getting an agent to pay attention to you.
Considering how drastically queries can affect careers, it always shocks me when writers carelessly throw something together, assuming it will be adequate. Which is not to say I think people should get worked up over things like margins and which paragraph your wordcount/genre should be in. There’s also no point in trying to find magic offer-of-representation-words. They don’t exist. No, you must query responsibly and realistically.
The purpose of a query is to make someone so interested in reading your manuscript they can’t eat or sleep until they read it. And that’s the tricky part.
KNOWING WHAT TO INCLUDE:
If you don’t already know how to format a query letter, get thee to Google. This post isn’t about what font you use. This post is about how to show the extreme awesomeness of your story.
Beginning a query description can be really intimidating! To get started, answer the following questions:
1. Who is the protagonist and what is their goal? (Motivation.)
2. What is keeping the protag from achieving that goal? (Conflict.)
3. How will the protagonist overcome this problem? (Plot.)
4. What happens if the protagonist fails/what choice does the protagonist have to make? (Stakes, and why the reader should care.)
I can’t give you these answers, but I can help you learn how to turn them into a clear, kick-butt query.
FILLING IN THE BLANKS:
My favorite method of query-writing involves three paragraphs and modifying from there. Sometimes you may find you need four or two paragraphs for the best effect. Be open to change if necessary, but for the purpose of this example, I’m going to use my usual three paragraphs. While you’re reading this, keep in mind the questions above.
Paragraph one: This sentence introduces the character and a goal/problem in a hooky way. This sentence expands on that and explains why it’s so important. This one talks about the character’s great idea to solve their problem. This sentence presents a new problem that complicates their original problem and renders their other solution useless.
Paragraph two: This paragraph is more fluid. It might explain worldbuilding, or tell the reader about interesting situations the character gets into. It will use specific details strong enough to influence the reader’s perception of the story/character/world. It will keep the tension rising, and not veer from the problems introduced in paragraph one. It ends, perhaps, with the character deciding on yet another solution to their problems, or realizing something horrible. It will drag the reader into the final paragraph.
Paragraph three: This sentence introduces a big choice or complication that directly relates to the main problem. The final sentence makes the stakes clear and hooks the reader.
The most important thing is to make the reader care desperately about your character, their situation, and the choices the character will have to make.
A FEW POINTERS:
1. Agents are reading lots of queries very quickly. Make this easy for them. Minimal character and place names. Don’t list multiple plot twists and expect anyone to remember them; it’s a hook, not a synopsis.
2. Focus. Your story may be filled with lots of subplots and secondary characters with their own agendas, and that’s cool, but focus. Main character, main plot. Again, hook. Not a synopsis.
3. Action! Things move forward. Things get worse. Choices are difficult and emotional.
4. Snip. Chop out all extra phrases and scaffolding. Make it fast and easy to read. Stay around 150-200 words.
THINGS YOUR QUERY REVEALS:
Writers are often shocked to find out how much agents can tell about a book based on the query, but if you read a couple dozen of them, then peek at the sample pages, you’d be surprised how much the queries reveal.
1. One of the biggest, most obvious things agents see is an author’s writing skill. Not fair to judge an entire manuscript based on one 200-word description? Think about this: Would you want to read a manuscript if the query was filled with typos, scaffolding, and confusing sentences? I doubt it. But I bet you’d want to read something if the query had smart, snappy writing, or prose that made your heart melt.
And if the writing in your query doesn’t reflect the actual manuscript — see above about folks just whipping something together.
2. Plot — whether you’ve got any, whether it’s like everyone else’s, or whether it has the potential to be awesome.
A query for a manuscript with plot shows conflicts and choices; it will answer the questions above. The query does not list every event and give away the end — save that for the synopsis — but it gives enough specific details to show the agent there’s potential in this. A query without conflict and choices is most likely a query for a manuscript without plot.
As for a plot that’s like someone else’s, how would anyone know? Ah hah. But what is the first thing you think of when you see this: Mylight is about a teenage girl who’s fascinated by the boy who sits next to her in class. Unfortunately, he seems to hate her no matter how hard she tries to be nice. But when he saves her life, she begins to unravel his mystery. He’s a hot supernatural love interest and he’s smitten with her. While he fights the urge to kill her because of his nature, she must convince him that true love is more powerful.
3. Characters and their development. Same thing as above. Great characters stand out in queries. So do Mary Sues. Dull characters will have no motivation, no drive to do anything. Who wants to read about boring characters?
THIS SECTION WILL NOT INCLUDE A NUMBERED LIST:
My favorite thing about queries is that they force you to see what your book is really about. You must look at your manuscript like an outsider, paring it down to its most basic — but biggest — elements. Queries can change how you look at your story, sometimes inspiring amazing revisions. (What if the book your query talks about is way better than the one you wrote?)
You may also find query descriptions useful when beginning a new story. Often queries reveal the most interesting things about a manuscript, and they can help writers focus on those things. If you don’t know where the story is heading, writing the query can help you figure out the stakes and choices your characters will face in the end, giving you somewhere to aim.
So there you have it. I know that’s a lot to take in, but with enough practice, it will be second nature. Read other people’s queries. Participate in different query critiques; there are lots available for free on the internet. Soon you’ll be hooking agents right and left.
Questions? Comments? The floor is yours.
Jodi Meadows is represented by Lauren MacLeod of the Strothman Agency. Her debut series, THE NEWSOUL TRILOGY, beginning with ERIN INCARNATE, will be published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Before that she spent a year and a half reading submissions and evaluating requested material for another well known agency. She can be found online at her personal blog and Twitter.
Thank you for this, Jodi! I was lucky enough to have my query critiqued by Joanna Volpe as part of her conference contest, and her advice, coupled with what you have laid out here, will help provide me with all the essential tools to rework my query and make it tight. I’ve wondered myself how it is that an agent can judge a book by a query, but after reading what I have here in the last 12 hours, I can see they totally can, and I have work to do. I will happily rise to meet the challenge, and I thank you for helping me find the right direction.
Great stuff Jodi. Thank you. I’ve heard agents like to have a bit of the target audience/market info included in the queries. What do you think?
This was not only great advice…it was broken down in such a way as to also be easily applied. I love that you took the query paragraph by paragrah and showed us what we needed. The idea of writing a query at the beginning of the process is something I’m going to try.
Great post, thank you so much!
Shellie said: “I’ve heard agents like to have a bit of the target audience/market info included in the queries. What do you think?”
It’s not necessary. If you’ve got a great comparison, go for it. X meets Y can be cool, or fans of so-and-so authors might like this book. But it’s really not necessary. Agents know enough about the market to know where your manuscript will — or won’t — fit in.
If you *do* add in target audience information, make sure you’re right.
Thank you, Jodi!
Wow! Very helpful information, Jodi.
Thanks so much!
I feel like everyone has a different “perfect formula” for the query. And they don’t match up at all. This is probably the most simple, but I can’t see not mentioning subplots in a query. W/o describing subplots, you’re only telling about a portion of a book. Right? (And I thought the idea was to distill the entire story in a few paragraphs.) Hard? Sure. Confusing? Doesn’t have to be. Am I wrong about this? Please set me straight.
Excellent, Jodi, thank you! You broke it down in to very simple, basic steps. Just a response to your comment to Shellie: you don’t think that some agents would automatically send a form rejection because the query requirements were not followed? I’ve seen that “target audience/market info” part before and I’m wondering if no acknowledgement of that would make the agent think that the writer didn’t do his or her homework.
Wonderful advice. I particularly like ‘taking down the scaffolding’. It’s easy to remember and so important. Great post.
Lauren said: “I feel like everyone has a different “perfect formula” for the query. And they don’t match up at all. This is probably the most simple, but I can’t see not mentioning subplots in a query. W/o describing subplots, you’re only telling about a portion of a book. Right? (And I thought the idea was to distill the entire story in a few paragraphs.) Hard? Sure. Confusing? Doesn’t have to be. Am I wrong about this? Please set me straight.”
You don’t have to cut out *all* subplots, but definitely don’t mention every single one. If you want to add one in, make sure it’s the most important — and most relevant. The last thing you want to do is confuse the reader.
That help?
I can’t get enough of what everyone has to offer. So many takes on the industry, so much insight, it’s only day one and I feel like my cup overflows with info!
Thanks so much for your advice Jodi. You make it sound easy.
I have a question, what do you think of using a question for your first sentence (hook)?
I heard some agents don’t like it. But the query letter in the site Preditors and Editors start with a question.
Katheryn said: “you don’t think that some agents would automatically send a form rejection because the query requirements were not followed? I’ve seen that “target audience/market info” part before and I’m wondering if no acknowledgement of that would make the agent think that the writer didn’t do his or her homework.”
Everyone is different. Some will reject you for using “fiction novel”. (Which is an annoyingly redundant phrase, but not — IMO — rejection worthy.)
Generally, the best thing you can do is follow the agent’s guidelines. Give them what they want. But keep in mind, they may only be asking what genre your story is in!
Thank you Jodi. Good point Katheryn.
This is probably the most helpful post I’ve read on writing an effective query. Thank you for all the great advice.
Carmen said: “I have a question, what do you think of using a question for your first sentence (hook)?
I heard some agents don’t like it. But the query letter in the site Preditors and Editors start with a question.”
Some sample queries may be dated. And some may be exceptions. I haven’t taken a poll, but from what I’ve seen around, a lot of agents don’t like a question as a beginning — especially rhetorical questions.
Say a query starts like this:
“Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live on Mars?”
My answer could be: “Sure. In my imagination, it was awesome. It went like this– Oh, your story is about what *you* think it’d be like to live on Mars. I see. You didn’t actually want to know if I had thought about it.”
Or, it could be: “No.”
I always try to caution people against using questions to open with. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done well, though. If you want to open with a question, make sure it’s an *awesome* one that won’t distract or get someone thinking in the wrong direction.
Thanks for this, Jodi. I struggle with queries, and as always, your advice is much appreciated
What a wonderfully detailed post! This is really terrific, Jodi. Thank you for putting it together.
Great post.
Thanks,
@ Jodie.
Totally. Thank you.
Jodi, this post has just saved me from copious amounts of stress eating. Seriously. My WIP has hit a wall, and I am taking your advice- I’m writing a query for it now: paring it down to the most basic, to see where my novel is *truly* going. I have a feeling it’s going to get a lot more fun around here; and my work will be so much the better for it! Thank you!
-amanda
Jodi – thanks for this post. Plug and chug. Love it.
I’m going to start sending out queries in about a month, and this is so very helpful! I already have one written that is in the process of polishing (k, that’s a lie – I have 8 written that I’m choosing between) but now I can make sure it fits this. Thank you so much!
This is a great post on query writing! One of the best I’ve read, thank you so much! The break down of the paragraphs was awesome:)
Thank you, Jodi!
This is so thorough. After reading this, I reread my query to see if it fit this criteria and changed it up a bit. Thank you.
Jodi, thank you for this fantastic post! You’ve taken the stress out of query writing by breaking it down into very simple steps.and giving us a blueprint to follow
Wow. Lots of great information in this post. Thanks so much, Jodi.
What great insights! Thanks so much for sharing your expertise–it will really help me polish up my own query letter.
Great format. I love the sentence-by-sentence breakdown. Of course you’re right, it doesn’t necessarily work for every book or every author, but what a great jumping off point for us to know how to begin crafting a solid query.
Thank you so much, Jodi.
Awesome, Jodi. Excellent advice and information. I like the way you broke down the three paragraphs sentence by sentence.
I greatly enjoyed your insight! It was very informative and even inspiring. But what about a PB query? They should be shorter, right? And is there a big difference, if any at all, between a query directed to an agent vs. a query directed to an editor? Market/reader appeal necessary for one and not the other?
Christie said: “But what about a PB query? They should be shorter, right? And is there a big difference, if any at all, between a query directed to an agent vs. a query directed to an editor? Market/reader appeal necessary for one and not the other?”
I’m afraid these are things I know nothing about. The agency I worked for didn’t represent PBs.
As far as queries to editors, my experience has more to do with the agent side, and agents typically submit to publishing houses that don’t accept manuscripts from unagented writers. If there’s a difference (there might be), I suspect it will be evident in their submission guidelines.
Sorry I can’t help!
I had my query letter open while I read this so I could make changes, and It’s already a much stronger letter.
Thank you, Jodi! We all appreciate the time you took to prepare this for us.
I genuinely believed writing a query would be easy. I had read the advice; I had studied all of the back-posts at QueryShark. I even had helpful snippets of blog posts copied onto sticky notes.
Then I tried to write one.
My story is not overly complex. I have a good one-sentence description already. (“A young lab assistant must recapture his eccentric employer’s steam-driven flying dinosaur after it begins terrifying the inhabitants of 1850s London in this humorous, Steampunkish adventure.”) If I’ve deconstructed the story that far, surely building it up by another nine or ten sentences should be easier than what I’ve been going through.
It all comes down to
– chosing exactly the right words
– to convey the stakes, the action and the problems
– in a rising order of events
that hook the reader into wanting to learn more.
Add to that, my story is -humorous-. Therefore, my query needs to project some of that humor or, at the very least, convey some lightheartedness. A “just the facts, m’am” approach won’t cut it.
Writing ‘funny’ in the story was simple. I just wrote what the voices in my head told me. Unfortunately, there are no voices in my head dictating a query.
Thankfully, I’ve had someone who has been willing to work with me, reading draft after draft, pointing out what doesn’t work–and why–and making recommendations.
My best advice to anyone working on queries: Don’t Go It Alone. If you need people to read & review your manuscripts, you need them even more to review your queries.
Thanks, Jodi. Great post. It’s been bookmarked.
– Tom
What is your take on putting in a word count. Does it have to be there? Mine’s high, and I know it, but also know the *reasons* that it’s high. (And it’s within the word count of recently published MG, just on the very high end.)
Thank you, Jodi. This post cleared away the fog from my brain about queries!
Really good information. Thank you.
This is so helpful. Queries are really hard for me but you’ve given me a shot of courage to go forth and conquer. Thank you, Jodi!
Thanks for the clear and concise query info!
Erin said: “What is your take on putting in a word count. Does it have to be there? Mine’s high, and I know it, but also know the *reasons* that it’s high. (And it’s within the word count of recently published MG, just on the very high end.)”
YES! Absolutely. Always put in the wordcount. If your query is fantabulous, they won’t care if you’re on the long side. But never ever ever try to deceive an agent by not giving them the wordcount right off. (And I’m sure you wouldn’t think of it like that, but that is what they’d assume. Lots of writers do this!)
Jodi, I really appreciate your step-by-step advice. But what to do if my query is for a picture book? If I use three paragraphs to explain the plot and characters, by that point I’ve almost included the whole manuscript. Do you have any suggestions for PB queries?
Heather said: “Jodi, I really appreciate your step-by-step advice. But what to do if my query is for a picture book? If I use three paragraphs to explain the plot and characters, by that point I’ve almost included the whole manuscript. Do you have any suggestions for PB queries?”
I actually answered this question earlier.
I’m sorry to say that I don’t know anything about picture books. The agency I worked for didn’t represent them, and I don’t write them, so they’ve never been on my radar.
I totally agree with the therapeutic benefits of query-writing, for the book at least. Queries have shown me plot holes and one dimensional characters, and helped me fix them.
Thanks for the post!
You know, I totally think Mylight would be a good book. Most definitely.
Seriously though, this post was helpful. I’ll have to bookmark it.
And really, I think Mylgiht could stand on it’s own if he wasn’t a vampire… maybe if he was a cannibal! That would make things interesting.
[...] 3:00 PM: Writing a Query Letter by author Jodi Meadows [...]
Fantastic post. I’m joining the crowd and bookmarking it.
Thanks, Jodi!
Thank you – great post – extremely helpful
This has to be the most helpful material on query writing I’ve ever seen, and I’ve looked far and wide. Thank you so much for this, Jodi. You’ve made me excited about query writing with your formula. You’re so right about the query sometimes being better than the manuscript. Okay, so my query wasn’t better (the first one was terrible), but it did make me think about the main thread in the novel that lead me into serious revisions.