Writing the perfect query

[Golak]

I'm currently focused on drafting the best query that would reflect the spirit of my novel and also, who I am as a writer. I've gone through a dozen query examples, the perfect ones, the not-to-write this paragraph ones, and queries have been successful in the first week of their existence.

An editor that I have worked with, suggested that "breaking the rules" sometimes help. So far, I have always stuck to the rule book of a query letter paragraph by paragraph, and I have recently started going a little out of the straight line.

Which bears the question: How much information do you usually include about "yourself" when writing a query letter? How much is too much?
I'm baffled, because who I am and my own life experiences shape the narrative of the book, even though it is a historical fiction.

What do you think? How much of yourself do you usually include in your query?

 

[Unimportant]

@Golak, I'll ask a moderator to move this to Ask the Agent, where you might get more traction, since your question doesn't seem to have anything to do with Goals and Accomplishments. I'll also suggest that you familiarise yourself with the stickies in Query Letter Hell, which will probably answer some of your questions.

 

[kaitie]

I have the same question! I have a query but not a bio yet. I had planned on giving some personal details about myself, but then read that you should only include bio details that are relevant to publishing (like publishing credits, education, etc). Should I just leave off a bio in that case? Just put in one sentence saying what my day job is?

 

[lizmonster]

What do you think? How much of yourself do you usually include in your query?

Contact information and publishing credits.

I'm looking for a business partner, not a buddy.

 

[RichardGarfinkle]

Mod Note:

Asking for help on writing a query or a bio is not the province of Goals and Accomplishments. I'm prepared to move this elsewhere if the OP wishes, otherwise I'm going to have to lock it.

 

[Maryn]

I like the idea of putting it in Ask the Agent. Although it's not my decision, not my board.

 

[Unimportant]

who I am and my own life experiences shape the narrative of the book

IMO that's true for pretty much every book ever written.

 

[JackieMcMahonWriter]

Today's new episode of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing talks about this exact topic.

 

[Brigid Barry]

1. Publishing credits. If no publishing credits...
2. The Thing that makes you the person to write this specific story (it's a medical drama and you're a doctor or whatever). If no relevant experience...
3. Something that will connect you to the agent (you both hate chocolate chip pancakes or have dogs named Brady). If no connection...
4. An amusing and/or interesting fact about yourself.

For 2 through 4, keep it short. One succinct sentence.

 

[Cyia]

An editor that I have worked with, suggested that "breaking the rules" sometimes help. So far, I have always stuck to the rule book of a query letter paragraph by paragraph, and I have recently started going a little out of the straight line.

IF you go this route, then first write a query that ticks all the boxes. Then you can turn it into something less conventional. I did both conventional, and the non-conventional query route. It worked for me (at the time, which was 13 years ago). Mine was structured as a sort of countdown, as the book was a mystery/thriller. When the book was published, my quirky query ended up as the back-matter. My only bio was my contact info.

 

[lizmonster]

3. Something that will connect you to the agent (you both hate chocolate chip pancakes or have dogs named Brady). If no connection...
4. An amusing and/or interesting fact about yourself.

I may be an outlier, but the need for this sort of thing really annoys me. My publishability is going to be judged by whether or not I can schmooze in a 250-word business letter?

 

[Brigid Barry]

 

[lizmonster]

Wasn't meaning to pick on anybody. You tell me this is needed these days, I believe you. I haven't queried in five years, and it'll likely be five more before I consider it again.

It's just that when stuff defies logic, I get puzzled. There are an awful lot of good writers out there who aren't at all good at general socializing stuff. It's a weird filter, is all.

 

[RichardGarfinkle]

Mod note:
I’m locking this. We’ve seriously drifted away from a G&A thread.
If you’d like to have a general discussion about querying. Please start a new thread in a more appropriate board.