A query is a one-page cover letter writers send to professionals in the book publishing industry, such as UP Publishing, to introduce yourself and your written work, and to convince the person that publishing your book and/or taking you on as a client is what they need to do.
Your query letter should be concise and well-written using standard English. Your book may be riddled with slang and contain several different dialects, but your query letter should adopt a professional yet informative tone. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, and it’s possible that a sample sentence written in a particular dialect is just what your cover letter needs. Barring that, however, it’s best to stick with standard English.
Your query letter should pull the reader in immediately, cutting straight to the point about why your book is so great that it needs to be published now. So, your first sentence should be your best sentence. Use that first sentence to hook the industry professional and make them want to learn more about your book.
Once you’ve hooked them with your first sentence, you will want to present a concise but very informative summary of your manuscript. The summary itself must be interesting enough to make the industry professional want to keep reading your query letter, and the summary should also describe your book in such a compelling way that it sounds like a must read. This is where you really sell your manuscript.
Your goal in the first paragraph or two of the query letter is to get that publisher or other industry professional to ask you to send them your manuscript. So, employ the same level of skill and attention in writing your query letter that you used in writing your manuscript. And only once you’ve accomplished your purpose of selling your book should you move on to introduce yourself.
The final paragraph or two of your query letter is where you tell the industry professional who you are in a manner that makes them want to work with you. If you have a platform on social media or a strong following in the local community, this would be the place to mention it. Or perhaps you’re in demand as a speaker and recognized as an expert in your field. And if none of these apply to you, don’t worry about it, especially if you wrote a great and summary of your book.