How to Write a Query Letter

Hi Friends,

It’s our last day of the Agents & Books 2025 Guide series and I’ve saved the best for last. I probably get the most questions about query letters, whether here for paid subscribers for our Q&A Thursdays, at conferences, or online. I get it. Query letters are hard! I’ve had to write them myself! But here is just about everything I know about query letters (plus some stuff you’ll have to wait for my book to read). :)

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How To Write a Query Letter

Hi friends,

Agents and BooksKate McKean

A Query Letter Format: Part 1

I have seen every single trick you can think of that queriers have used to get my attention in query letters. Gifs. Purple fonts. Self-deprecation (DO NOT DO THIS.) Outright hostility. Begging. Promises of bestsellerdom. Offering me 50% commission (DO NOT DO THIS EITHER.) And I can tell you that zero of these things have worked.

Agents and BooksKate McKean

A Query Letter Format: Part 2

Last week we talked about the first parts of a query letter: salutation, manuscript basics, and book summary. Today, it’s all about Author Bio and Platform.

Agents and BooksKate McKean

Query Letters for Non-Fiction

Hi friends,

Agents and BooksKate McKean

It Doesn't Matter When You Query

Hi Friends!

Agents and BooksKate McKean

I Picked This Out of the Slush Pile

Below, you will find a real query letter an adult literary novel from my slush pile—reprinted with permission of the author—that I requested, read, for which I offered representation, (and she accepted). We then went through a round of edits and then I submitted it. It sold to Henry Holt at the end of last year.

Agents and BooksKate McKean

When To Follow Up

Hi friends,

Agents and BooksKate McKean

Longtime readers, what is the ONE TRUE QUERY LETTER FACT I missed? If you want to hunt for more gems, you can search the archive here! Thanks for reading all these and coming on this ride with me. Back to our regularly scheduled Tues/Thurs programming. Tell your friends!

OXOXOOXOX,

Kate