The Heart of Your Query

Stay focused on the purpose of your query. Remember to include these eight ingredients:

1. Gain your reader's attention with an opening most appropriate for your story.
2. Awaken a need for your idea.
3. Tell how readers will benefit from your story.
4. Use facts, opinions and statistics from experts or other reliable sources.
5. Don't overdo details in your letter. Those are for your story.
6. Give the reader a reason to respond. Then make a confident request.
7. Don't assume your reader is convinced by prefacing your statements with, "As you know," or "I'm sure you agree."
8. Reveal your plan by with an outline of your story idea.

This is a chapter well worth the time and energy to study it in Queries and Submissions by Thomas Clark. In my next post, I'll discuss how to end your query. Until then, happy writing.