Chapter Twelve: Query-Weary

The opening paragraph, or more likely just the first sentence, is the most crucial part of a query letter. Since research says that literary agents only spend seconds skimming a query, the opening has to grab that agent's attention or the moment is lost. That's why I've spent months trying to perfect my query.

After rewriting the first paragraph of my query letter backwards and forwards dozens of times, I reached the point I couldn't bear to think about it any longer so I put all its multiple versions away for several weeks. When I took a look at them a few days ago, I realized it simply wasn't right. None of the possibilities worked so I started over and rewrote a new opening paragraph rather quickly - especially for me. After a few minor edits, I decided the new opening not only had a better grabber than my older versions but flowed better too.

I'd sensed the opening paragraph wasn't right but kept trying to fix it. It didn't need to be fixed. It needed to be scrapped. I feel confident my new opening, so different from its predecessor, is now a dynamic and provocative introduction to my teen mystery. Time away from my query letter gave me a new perspective on it and time for ideas to emerge without having to be put down on paper. Never underestimate the value of thinking-time!

The rest of the letter is good and remains as it's been all along. Thank goodness I didn't need to rewrite all that. I'm query-weary!

Let's get published!

Chapter Ten: E-Query Flying On its Own

I've flipped my sentences, shuffled them around within the paragraphs, moved them from one paragraph to another, and flipped paragraphs. After trying virtually every combination, I'm finally satisfied with my query letter and started the process of sending it out this morning.

I copied and pasted my query into the body of an e-mail with ???? as place holders for the agent's name, agency name, and the greeting. My intention was to personalize each letter as I went. With my very first query, before I could fill in the agent's info, the e-mail escaped. At first, I thought I'd just lost it but, indeed, it was sent. I inadvertently bumped a key and away it went.

If agents get annoyed with writers who don't spell their names correctly, one of them is going to have a fit when they open my query. Worse than a misspelling of somebody's name is a string of ???? in lieu of it. I sent an apology right away but I'm not expecting a positive response.

The lesson to be learned is something I remembered after the mishap. Copy and paste the query into a blank email. Do the agent name and address and check everything before typing in the e-mail address - let that be the last thing when everything else is right and ready to go. If the query flies on it's own at that point, it's okay!