How to Write a Great Query Letter/Synopsis

A query letter entices an agent to read more of your book. Because this such an important step, the query letter should include the most vital information about your novel or nonfiction work: the title, word count, and target audience.

Fiction writers: it's a good idea to include the basic plot of the novel in your query letter. This need not be as detailed as the one you include in your synopsis, but it should still be a good overview of the work.

Think of a synopsis like the summary on a book flap. When you open a book at the library or bookstore, the few paragraphs you see on the inside cover are meant to encourage the reader to read on. It describes the book in enough detail that the reader gets an overview of the plot, but not so much detail that the reader is spoiled.

Click here to view a sample query letter.

Click here to view to a sample synopsis.

Artwork by Deborah DeWit-Marchant