YOU’VE WRITTEN A BOOK…

After months, maybe years, of drafting, revising, and editing, you’re ready to share your work with the world. That’s a real accomplishment.

So, what's next?

If you’re new to publishing, you might imagine submitting your manuscript directly to publishing houses, crossing your fingers, and hoping that someone will recognize its potential.

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

Many major publishing houses don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts. Instead, they rely on literary agents to identify promising work and connect authors with publishers.

Getting an agent’s attention often begins with a query letter.

WHAT IS A QUERY LETTER?

A query letter is a concise, professional introduction to your manuscript, typically around 250-400 words. 

And it presents a whole new challenge: convincing someone else that it's worth reading.

Consider this: after spending countless hours and writing tens of thousands of words, you have roughly 300 words to capture someone’s attention. That’s a tall order, but it’s a learnable skill, and every published author has done it.

In a query letter, EVERY. WORD. COUNTS.

A strong query introduces your manuscript, communicates what makes your story compelling, and tells the agent who you are as a writer. It it works, the agent may request sample pages or even your complete manuscript.

WHERE DO YOU BEGIN?

Start with a clear understanding of your manuscript, what makes it worth reading, and how to communicate those qualities clearly.

This workbook is designed to guide you through the process. Across five guided sections, you'll learn the conventions of query letters and complete exercises that will help you develop the key pieces of your own.

By the end, you’ll have building blocks that you can revise, assemble, and tailor to the submission requirements of each agent you approach.