Your query
letter can be a deal maker or a deal breaker. So, if your query letter just
lies there, you've killed the sale immediately or your story or novel
immediately. If you want that story -- your baby -- to be read, reach out of
that query letter, grab the publisher, editor or literary agent by the neck and
say, "Hey, you absolutely have to have this story!" Query letters that begin
with "Hello, My name is. . ." have as much chance of selling as vacation trips
to Baghdad. Remember, your query is like a résumé’s cover
letter, and if you're in a competitive industry, that cover will sell you far
more than the resume will. So, you have to grab the reader with your first
sentence. To do this, make him believe that he desperately needs what you're
selling. Following are a few tips on how to do it.
First, begin by
saying why your story will be easy to sell. Publishers have to sell books, so
this is their first priority. Remember, though, you have to do it gracefully.
Don't come off sounding arrogant. When I was selling my novel, The League, I
started my query with I have a novel that has a target audience of over 15
millions rabid fans. This audience is people who play fantasy football, but I
didn't reveal this until a few sentences into the letter. I wanted to pull the
publisher or editor in, the same way I lead my suspense reader forward in my
novel (throw out something fantastic, then slow down and build to your next
exciting piece). Once I get to the part about how every fantasy football fan
will race to buy my book, I follow up by saying that it is the first-ever
published work with a plot that surrounds this exciting game. I also throw in
that in addition to these 15 million fans, all sports and suspense fans will
want to read it because of how unique it is.
Next, toss in a few key
parts of your synopsis, reminding the reader that the entire synopsis is
included or attached, if you're e-mailing your query, which is almost always
acceptable today. Note, what you decide to include should be hot, making the
reader say, Wow.
Finally, finish your query by telling the person how
willing you are to be involved in the promotion of your story. Don't oversell;
just tell her that you will do whatever it takes to make your book successful.
When signing, don't forget a polite closing and all of your contact
information. Remember, no matter how good your story and your query are, it's
still a game of sales. Send out dozens of queries at a time. It won't be long
before people start asking for your story or novel.
ABOUT THE
AUTHORMark Barnes is the author of the new novel, The League, the first
work of fiction, based on fantasy football. He is also an investment real
estate and home loan finance expert. Learn more about his suspense thriller at
http://www.sportsnovels.com. Get his free mortgage finance
course at
http://www.winningthemortgagegame.com 
