Writing a query: The hook, the heart, the end.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a writer with a query to pen is in want of a stiff drink. Or three.

I've never hidden my feelings about query letters from you all. In fact, I've whined frequently about them (Galloping Nowhere and The Pebble in your Shoe are two examples of my whining skills).

Here we see the writer
 cringing in the corner.
photo by Thomas Norsted

Queries are the second most evil force to reckon with on the road to publication. 

The first is the synopsis.

Before attempting my first query, I did research. Lots. Of. Research. That's the kind of gal I am. In college, I once had three binders full of research notes before my roommate threatened to drown me in my sleep if I didn't write the paper already!

I'm partial to The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries (2010) from Writer's Digest as a starting place for research. There used to be one page that linked them all, but alas, it is gone now - much like the horse drawn buggy.

I've done the leg work for you and provided all the links you need.

The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #1
The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #2
The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #3
The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #4
The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #5
The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #6
The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #7
The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #8
The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #9
The Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries #10

This series gave me the backbone of information I needed to get to work on my own query. However, this was just the tip of my research iceberg.

Once I was ready to try a draft of a query, I started with a basic three paragraph format, or what I called the hook, the heart, and the end.

1. The Hook.
The hook of your story is your central conflict boiled down to 1-2 sentences. Your hook needs to be specific, enticing, and fresh.

2. The Heart.
In the second paragraph, expand your pitch to include some major plot points. You're not telling the whole story, but you're not being flippantly vague either. Your story's tone and voice should be evident in this section (I know. I know. Easier said than done!).

3. The End.
The third paragraph is the concluding paragraph. It's where your bio goes. Keep it short and stick to essentials. While your mother is pleased as punch that you won the Budding Writer Award in seventh grade, no one else is.

List your comp titles, and what sets your story apart from those (this was a lesson I learned the hard way). Indicate the requested story pages that are included, and sign off with a pleasant, "I look forward to hearing from you," kind of statement.

Your draft is done! Easy peasy.

*Back to hiding in my corner, protecting my vital organs from the pointy objects being thrown at me.*

Next time: Writing a Query: The Hook