161 Examples of Successful Query Letters from Famous Authors

[LJ Beck]

Hi! I found a cool site that has links to a bunch of successful queries from famous authors separated by genre.
I found it really interesting/helpful so thought I'd share.

161 Examples of Successful Query Letters from Famous Authors

On the road to traditional publication, your query letter plays a central role in getting your book noticed. In fact, when it comes to landing literary agents and publishers, a compelling and properly formatted query letter is just as important as a good manuscript. To help inspire you, we’ve...

www.queryletter.com

 

[Hannah F]

The ones I've read here are geared towards the US market. (I'm surprised at The Night Circus. She writes about the circus whereas for me the draw was the two main protagonists. Even though I like circuses minus badly treated animals).

 

[PCFrontier]

Hi LJ Beck, Thanks for posting the web link, an interesting and informative website.
Based on the several I have read so far, I would have turned them all down as having no commercial appeal. Just shows how little I know about query letters and what books should be published.

 

[James Charles]

Hi! I found a cool site that has links to a bunch of successful queries from famous authors separated by genre.
I found it really interesting/helpful so thought I'd share.

161 Examples of Successful Query Letters from Famous Authors

On the road to traditional publication, your query letter plays a central role in getting your book noticed. In fact, when it comes to landing literary agents and publishers, a compelling and properly formatted query letter is just as important as a good manuscript. To help inspire you, we’ve...

www.queryletter.com

I read some, including the one by Jeff Kleinman. I had a consultation with him at the Kauai conference (and knew he was tough-as others were ripped apart there as well) but he told me to read Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. Basically he was saying I can't write.

 

[LJ Beck]

I read some, including the one by Jeff Kleinman. I had a consultation with him at the Kauai conference (and knew he was tough-as others were ripped apart there as well) but he told me to read Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. Basically he was saying I can't write.

Well, first of all, he's full of shit. And sounds like he's a mean bastard, too.

However, he might recommend the book as a generic thing to all writers? It could also mean he's super pedantic, and won't read something unless every comma is in the right place. Who the hell knows. But unless he actually told you you can't write -- in which case, fuck him, he's wrong -- I wouldn't take a book recommendation as that necessarily. I think it says more about his style than yours. It's also super lazy if that's the only feedback he gave you.

As an aside, a while ago I bought The Chicago Manual of Style (big ass book, akin to The Elements of Style) on the recommendation of one of my very supportive and amazing writing teachers. Honestly, it turned out to be a really great reference for me.

 

[Peyton Stafford]

Well, first of all, he's full of shit. And sounds like he's a mean bastard, too.

However, he might recommend the book as a generic thing to all writers? It could also mean he's super pedantic, and won't read something unless every comma is in the right place. Who the hell knows. But unless he actually told you you can't write -- in which case, fuck him, he's wrong -- I wouldn't take a book recommendation as that necessarily. I think it says more about his style than yours. It's also super lazy if that's the only feedback he gave you.

As an aside, a while ago I bought The Chicago Manual of Style (big ass book, akin to The Elements of Style) on the recommendation of one of my very supportive and amazing writing teachers. Honestly, it turned out to be a really great reference for me.

OMG.

1. The Elements of Style is lovely. Have read it over and over.
2. CMOS is thicker than the Bible. Good for help with citations, but...
3. Look at Kate Turabian's for practical help. Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers, Eighth Edition

 

[Dorm Ant]

British writers please note that query letters are an American thing. As to writers in other countries, like Aus, Nz etc. I'm not sure what the recommended approach is.

 

[James Charles]

Well, first of all, he's full of shit. And sounds like he's a mean bastard, too.

However, he might recommend the book as a generic thing to all writers? It could also mean he's super pedantic, and won't read something unless every comma is in the right place. Who the hell knows. But unless he actually told you you can't write -- in which case, fuck him, he's wrong -- I wouldn't take a book recommendation as that necessarily. I think it says more about his style than yours. It's also super lazy if that's the only feedback he gave you.

As an aside, a while ago I bought The Chicago Manual of Style (big ass book, akin to The Elements of Style) on the recommendation of one of my very supportive and amazing writing teachers. Honestly, it turned out to be a really great reference for me.

Thanks all. Feeling the love in Litopia....

 

[LJ Beck]

British writers please note that query letters are an American thing. As to writers in other countries, like Aus, Nz etc. I'm not sure what the recommended approach is.

I'm a little confused. I am finding agents everywhere are asking for query letters or cover letters, which are both the same content, just a different name. Do you mean that the name of the letter is different? Or that you don't need a cover letter to submit to British agents?

Of the 8 British agencies submission guidelines I've researched, all 8 asked for a cover letter. Australian agencies do as well. (I've only found one NZ agencies and they use querymanager.com for subs.)

Some examples:
Agents | Headwater Literary Management (uses querymanager)
Submissions Guideline | AM Heath Literary Agents (asks for a covering letter)
Submissions — Blake Friedmann (asks for a covering letter)
C&W Agency (asks for a covering letter)
Submitting to Mushens Entertainment — Mushens Entertainment (asks for a cover letter)

Here's what Mushens says is the perfect cover letter, which is the same stuff as a query letter, no?

The Perfect Cover Letter — Mushens Entertainment

Juliet Mushens highlights what she looking for in a submission cover letter. For more information about submitting to Mushens Entertainment, see our submissions page.

www.mushens-entertainment.com

Just trying to understand what the difference is in submitting to British vs American agents other than some site specific requests some have? (Like 1st chapter vs first 3 chapters, synopsis or not, etc.)

Thanks!

 

[Dorm Ant]

I'm a little confused. I am finding agents everywhere are asking for query letters or cover letters, which are both the same content, just a different name. Do you mean that the name of the letter is different? Or that you don't need a cover letter to submit to British agents?

Of the British agencies submission guidelines I've researched, and 8 ask for a cover letter. Australian agencies do as well. (I've only found one NZ agencies and they use querymanager.com for subs.)

Some examples:
Agents | Headwater Literary Management (uses querymanager)
Submissions Guideline | AM Heath Literary Agents (asks for a covering letter)
Submissions — Blake Friedmann (asks for a covering letter)
C&W Agency (asks for a covering letter)
Submitting to Mushens Entertainment — Mushens Entertainment (asks for a cover letter)

Here's what Mushens says is the perfect cover letter, which is the same stuff as a query letter, no?

The Perfect Cover Letter — Mushens Entertainment

Juliet Mushens highlights what she looking for in a submission cover letter. For more information about submitting to Mushens Entertainment, see our submissions page.

www.mushens-entertainment.com

Just trying to understand what the difference is in submitting to British vs American agents other than some site specific requests some have? (Like 1st chapter vs first 3 chapters, synopsis or not, etc.)

Thanks!

No, a query letter asks permission to submit. Normal in America. A cover letter accompanies a submission.

 

[JohnBertel]

Most of the links point to other sites that have actually collected these. colony.litopia.com flashes in the URL field, probably because the site wants to disguise that they are deep linking. A lot of them are from here: Successful Queries

 

[E G Logan]

I'm a little confused. I am finding agents everywhere are asking for query letters or cover letters, which are both the same content, just a different name. Do you mean that the name of the letter is different? Or that you don't need a cover letter to submit to British agents?

UK agents only very rarely ask for query letters, which is the very start of the process, asking the agent if she/he/they would like to receive a (full) query/submission, with a letter and a sample. They are much more common in the US. A cover letter is different.
Very roughly speaking, the UK cover letter, which accompanies a submission, is similar to the US covering letter accompanying a (full) query.
But submissions and queries are NOT the same. UK agents, for example, show little agreement over the format of a cover letter, though they do basically look for the same elements of content.
US agents, in general, agree on what the letter accompanying a query should contain.
** Fortunately, there are some agents, both UK and US, who put sample/form letters on their websites.

 

[LJ Beck]

No, a query letter asks permission to submit. Normal in America. A cover letter accompanies a submission.

Hum. All the American submissions I've researched ask for the submission along with the query letter. So letter, chapters and synopsis or whatever, at once. I honestly haven't seen any difference in the submission process for British or American submissions. ??

UK agents only very rarely ask for query letters, which is the very start of the process, asking the agent if she/he/they would like to receive a (full) query/submission, with a letter and a sample. They are much more common in the US. A cover letter is different.

I know in screenwriting, there is a query process where you ask if you can submit, but from what I've researched, that's not the case for novels for both American and British agencies. They ask for the letter and everything at once.

I have a spreadsheet of 80 agents I've researched, and they all ask for similar stuff in similar ways, regardless of where they are. Some kind of cover letter (which seems to be interchangeable for query letter, even if it's not defined as the same thing, it seems to be used as the same thing) and pages of the novel, and some ask for synopsis, all in the initial submission.

I just trying to figure out the discrepancy in what you're saying and what I'm seeing on sites, querymanager, Duotrop, and MSWL's. I'm obviouisly missing something fundamental!

Can you please give me some examples in links of American and British submission guidelines that are different so that I can understand it better?

Thanks!

 

[Hannah F]

From Curtis Brown's Anna Davis:

The synopsis and pitch letter should work well together, and you should avoid repetition. Most pitch letters are too long and all you need are three short paragraphs – here's my blog with more on this.

 

[E G Logan]

they all ask for similar stuff in similar ways, regardless of where they are.

I'd say, there's one unbreakable rule:
Give them what they ask for. EXACTLY what they ask for. If one agent says, put your sample text in Times New Roman double line-spaced, and another says 1.5 line-spaced, same typeface – just do it, double for one, 1.5 for the other.

Sure you can break that rule, if you think what they are asking is petty and ridiculous (it often can be) but be aware that you are creating an excuse for someone saying "I'm not looking at this. It's in 11pt Arial and it's single line-spaced!" You would never know if that happened.

And if they tell you what they want in the letter (never mind what they call it), and the specific order they want to see it – just do it. EXACTLY, as they specified.

That will mean you often have to do a completely different submission/query each and every time, but there are upsides to that downer. It forces you to really think what you want to say, how to make it 'personal' to that agent. And it may save you from the 'sausage machine' (or scatter gun) error, where you crank out the same thing to a handful of people and risk accidentally addressing Susie Smith as Baudelaire Brown.