Writing a good book is easier than writing a winning query letter. I'm serious - they're awful. You have to come up with 200-350ish words that captivate a busy agent/editor, describe your book, situate your work in the publishing market, and explain why you are the ideal person to write it. Ideally, your letter will also make each recipient feel that it was written for them and only them. Ugh.
Since I published my first book, a number of writers have asked my advice on these. Frankly, it's not my strong suit. I'm good at writing entertaining noir mysteries about weirdos. I'm less good at distilling them into a couple catchy paragraphs. But as a survivor of this heinous process, I want to do what I can to help other people get through it. What I found most helpful was reading query letters from people who were actually published to see what works. So with this "blog," I plan to ask published writers if they'd be generous enough to share the query that helped them break free of the slush pile. Hopefully after a while, they'll add up to a useful resource.
I'm going to start with my query for What Meets the Eye, which got me a publishing deal as a previously unagented writer. I'm not saying it's anything special - just that it worked (not included: the countless versions that earned rejections and silence).
If you're reading this - congratulations on getting to where you're even able to query and good luck!
QUERY FOR WHAT MEETS THE EYE
Dear Crooked Lane,
I’m writing to submit my murder mystery novel, What Meets the Eye (79,884 words). This book will appeal to fans of art-related thrillers, like Barbara Bourland’s Fake Like Me, Christopher Bollen’s A Beautiful Crime, and Diane Chamberlain’s Big Lies in a Small Town.
Kate Myles was a promising Los Angeles police detective, until an accident and opioid addiction blew up her family and destroyed her career. Struggling to rebuild her life, she decides to try her hand at private detective work.
Margot Starling was a celebrated painter, until a gallery assistant found her dead in her downtown loft. Kate takes on the case and expects to quickly confirm a suicide. But the glamorous artist had many secrets – and a slew of powerful enemies.
As Kate delves into Margot’s secret life, she discovers that a shady art dealer is selling forged works by Margot and another dead artist, Jason Martinez. Kate tracks down Jason’s terrified boyfriend and learns that the forgeries are part of a complex scheme involving money laundering, counterfeit art, and organized crime. Despite her instincts for self-preservation, Kate goes undercover to learn the truth about Margot and Jason, with potentially deadly consequences.
This book combines my interest in oil painting and murder. I practice criminal law in Los Angeles. Before graduating from Penn Law, I sold art by Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall, and other twentieth century masters. I also wrote about art and culture for The Atlantic, Washington City Paper, and California Literary Review.
Below, please find the first two chapters of my novel, as specified on your website. I am also attaching a PDF of these pages. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[name and contact info]
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