The Query letter is one of the more crazy things in publishing. I mean - right up there with your pitch. It's so crazy that most writers hate it...or so I've been told. The problem is - as crazy as it seems ....it's vitally important to do and to do it well. But when we get rejected - it can be painful. We need to find a solution to avoid getting rejected.
I believe there is an art to Query letters - and a formula. Stick to the formula and you are playing it safe. Add some splashing colors and you could drown out your canvas or make it glorious. Break all the rules and you will usually implode - unless you shine above the others.The funny thing is that the query letter is written so differently than the actual story. But almost no one will even read your story if you don't knock the query letter out of the stadium.
I just finished my 9th round of editing. It is time to move on. The next logical step is the query letter. I think that I've written it 10 different ways and I can't get a handle on which one is better or worse. I've read a ton of other query letters and some of the ones that succeeded - I didn't like and some that failed - I loved. It's all a matter of opinion and what gets you on a certain day.
It's important to be honest and make your query letter yours. Research as much as possible and read as many as possible but in the end - write what you need but do it well.
What really seemed to hit me is that the final ingredient in a query letter - must be a dash of luck!
Originally seen at EarthsDivide
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