If you've done much research into the "art" of the query letter, you may have noticed many (often conflicting) recommendations. However, if you look at some successful query samples, you’ll find many of them break a “rule” or two.
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#writingcommunity #amquerying
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We’ve now interviewed over 100 agents for our Book Broker series. Many have suggested that the query letter rarely kills a submission. In other words, you have to muck up pretty bad for them to skip you without peeking at your sample pages.
It’s much better to have a mediocre query letter and a killer manuscript than the other way around. Your first sentence, first paragraph, and first page are the true test. Ideally, your query letter sparks hope in the agent that they’ve found a diamond in the rough.
Here are some of top tips from our interviews!
“It’s going to be the premise that hooks me initially,” says Sharon Pelletier.
Focus on clear, compelling stakes and characters. Don’t bury the heart of your novel under world-building or backstory—lead with the story’s pulse.
“If the author is clear, it makes my life much easier,” says Broo Doherty. Spell out the who, what, and why: who’s involved, what’s at stake, and why we should care. Clarity is key to showing agents your manuscript’s potential.
“It’s about how quickly you can get the reader excited,” notes Erin Hosier. Start strong and show you understand your story’s heartbeat. From line one, agents want to know they’re dealing with a writer who can draw them in quickly.
Hannah Sheppard suggests a helpful pitch formula:
"When A (inciting incident) happens, B (character) must do C (action) or D (catastrophe)."
Tweak as needed, but make sure to demonstrate who we are rooting for, the obstacles they face, and what’s at risk if they fail.