When a submission guideline says –250– words; is this for the entire query including salutation and closing–or just for the body? Also, how is it possible to submit an informative query in 250 words for a 110,000 word novel given the same amount of words as a 90,000 word novel? It's like being given the same amount of time to complete a 110 question multiple choice exam as a 90 question exam.
Length of query letters
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Yes- 250 give or take for the entire letter. Its not a synopsis- book length should not matter. Hook them, tease them and get out of there. It's not easy but it can be done. Go to Query letter Hell in share your work and read some of the queries there or go to Queryshark.com where agent Janet Reid disects queries on her blog.
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Pepperman, if you haven't yet, I strongly suggest reading the "Successful Queries" sticky in QLH. It's not the length of the novel that matters, it's choosing the right words (and answering katiemac's three questions, in whatever form you need to).
Either way, you have about 30 seconds to capture an agent's attention. So the power of the first couple of sentences in a Q can't be emphasized enough.
Either way, you have about 30 seconds to capture an agent's attention. So the power of the first couple of sentences in a Q can't be emphasized enough.
A query letter needs to fit on one page, including salutations, mini-bio, credentials, plot summary, and so on. This one-pager must not look like it was forced onto one page by using: tiny font, weirdly narrow margins, awkward spacing between paragraphs, addresses that are all on one line.
One page is the rule, regardless of the length or complexity of the book itself, and 250 words seems to be a good guideline to follow to make that happen.
One page is the rule, regardless of the length or complexity of the book itself, and 250 words seems to be a good guideline to follow to make that happen.
A one page query letter has more than enough room to query a novel of any length, be it a thirty thousand word MG, or a three hundred thousand word doorstop.
A query letter is not a full synopsis or an outline. All it need do is interest the agent or editor. This is done more by quality of writing than by length.
But even if a query letter were a synopsis, and part of it usually is, length of the novel in question doesn't matter.
If you don't have both on your shelves, go online and find a thirty thousand word MG novel, and a 300,000 thousand word Stephen King novel. Read the jacket copy on both.
Both will have a synopsis on the jacket written by the publisher. The goal of this synopsis is to make readers buy the novel. It will be close to the same length on both novels, even though the King novel is ten times as long as the MG novel.
Describing a long list of events is not what grabs an agent or editor. How well and how exciting you write does. One beautiful, well-written, exciting, surprising sentence can make an agent or editor ask for a full.
The back-cover is the same size on a 200,000 word novel and a 20,000 word novel. They manage to sell both lengths of book with the back-cover copy.
That's exactly what you're trying to do. Sell the book. You don't have to explain the book or make a synopsis. The query letter is simply a tease, to get the agent interested. Most of them don't cover material beyond the first 50-100 pages anyhow. Just the set-up, main characters, conflict, and how your manuscript is unique (ie. why should they read yours as opposed to any of the other hundred queries they got that day).
It is an appetiser, not a sample of the main course.
That's exactly what you're trying to do. Sell the book. You don't have to explain the book or make a synopsis. The query letter is simply a tease, to get the agent interested. Most of them don't cover material beyond the first 50-100 pages anyhow. Just the set-up, main characters, conflict, and how your manuscript is unique (ie. why should they read yours as opposed to any of the other hundred queries they got that day).
It is an appetiser, not a sample of the main course.
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