writersguide

    "In a perfect world," a writing buddy said to me the other day, "I'd never have to write another query letter."
    I almost agreed. After all, in my perfect world, lots of similarly great things would be true. Editors would buy everything I sent them the instant they ripped open the submission envelope. Days would magically become twenty-eight hours long, so I'd have time to get everything done. I'd always have 'good hair' days. And Hershey bars would be calorie-free.
    But I'd still want to write query letters.
    Yes...want to.
    Now, before you decide my perfect world could use a little shot of sanity, let me explain: a query letter is your friend. It's also your salesperson on the spot and your entrée into an editor's to-be-read pile. It's the better, brighter, wittier you on paper, and it's meant to convince that jaded but hopeful editor that the manuscript you've been working on for months is something she just can't miss.
    How? By meeting her needs.
    Too simple, you say? Not really. Editors want to buy books—maybe even your book, if it suits their publishing program, imprint, or line. Your job is to convey everything that shows how well your manuscript fits in (yet stands out), while minimizing those things that might not fit in (stands out too far). Wondering what to include? Start with the essentials:

The editor's name and title. Check and double-check this; in publishing, titles change frequently and editors change houses at least as often. Call first, if you're not sure.

Your book's title and genre or sub-genre—short contemporary romance, historical romance, inspirational romance, romantic suspense, etc.

Length (approximate word count), and status (completed, in progress, etc.)

Name of the line or imprint your manuscript is targeted for (e.g., Harlequin Temptation, Pinnacle Arabesque, Avon Historical Romance, etc.)

A one-paragraph description of your book's premise. Include what your heroine wants, why she wants it, and why she can't have it; do the same for your hero. Shorthand character descriptions can be useful here: "Hardboiled detective Chad Chiselchest, cast in an unwilling partnership with spoiled debutante Goody Twoshoes, wants to catch the bad guys . . ."

Your publishing credits (if applicable) or other credentials (contest wins, etc.)

An offer to submit the completed manuscript/partial manuscript/proposal

Make sure your letter is neat, has been proofread, and is no more than one page long. That's right—one page. A busy editor doesn't have time to read anything longer. And if you've done your job right, she won't have to. If you need to whittle your query letter down to SIZE, here are some things to eliminate:

Superlatives: "A thrilling, spectacular novel, destined for the bestseller list!" No one wants their opinion force-fed to them; let the editor decide for herself.

Rambling: "After my honeymoon in Tahiti, I decided it would be the perfect setting for my novel. It took me a while to write it, since I wanted to have children first, but..." If your background uniquely qualifies you to write the book you're querying about—you're a nurse writing medical thrillers, for instance—then include it. Otherwise, chatting wastes the editor's time.

Prodding: "My mother/critique group/published friend/husband says mine is the best book ever!" As harsh as it seems, unless your proponents are other editors at the same publishing house—and maybe not even then—their opinions are irrelevant.

Penny-pushing: "Naturally, I'd expect a minimum advance of $10,000. This would be a bargain, compared with what you probably pay your current lead author, Ima Bestseller." The time to discuss terms is after an offer has been made, not before.

Synopsizing: "As the story opens, my hero..." The place for details is the synopsis. It serves a different purpose than the query letter, and in most cases they're not interchangeable. Don't cut-and-paste your synopsis into the middle of a letter and call it a query.

Threatening: "If you don't reply within four weeks, I'll assume you're not interested in my manuscript. I'll have no choice, of course, but to submit it to Your Direct Competitor instead." Why risk alienating the editor? Most answer queries as quickly as they can. Patience is key.

If you've never written a query letter before, give it a try. You don't have to wait until your book is finished; write a rough query anyway. It can sharpen your focus on the marketable elements of your idea. Or, if you don't want to risk being sidetracked with thoughts of plot problems and flagging motivation, try writing a query letter for the book you just read. It's great practice.
If you stick with it, you're sure to be rewarded...unfortunately, not with those calorie-free Hershey bars I mentioned, but with editorial interest and encouragement (actually, that might be even better!). If you approach writing query letters with a positive attitude and these hints at hand, they really can be part of your perfect world. Try it. You'll see!

Lisa Plumley feels lucky to have the greatest job on earth: creating stories that touch readers' hearts, spark their imaginations . . . and tickle their funny bones, too! Look for her books—Lawman (Zebra, 11/99) and My Best Friend's Baby (Kensington Precious Gem #190, 3/99). And don't miss her article, "You Ought To Be In Print: How To Get Your Writing Career Started," in the new revised edition of Kathryn Falk's book, How to Write a Romance for the New Market and Get Published (Genesis, May 1999). For updates, new release information and more, visit Lisa's website at www.lisaplumley.com.