How to Write a Magic Query

Disclaimer: No real magic is involved, even if it might seem that way to newcomers.

The perfect (and often elusive) query is a blend of art and science. You may wish there was a magical shortcut by the time you’re finished, but the work you put into this step is critical. The perfect query is the one that gets a book deal. There are dozens of such queries succeeding every single day.

Let’s dive into some dos and don’ts regarding queries.

Do not self-publish first without reading:
Choosing Between Traditional and Self-Publishing

Don’t focus your query on yourself! Generally, it doesn’t matter who you are, your age, education, or professional background, unless you’re writing a self-help book, where it might be relevant. Your book needs to be viable, not your personal details.

No illustrations of any kind (unless you’re submitting a picture book). No pictures, graphs, or charts.

Do not pull the trigger before you are ready. For fiction, have a completed manuscript, and for non-fiction, a completed proposal.

Do not display a bad attitude. Avoid making negative comments about agents, the traditional publishing route, or yourself. Review your query, and if anything might come across as having a bad attitude, remove or revise it.

No boosting. You must demonstrate within your query that your book is marketable. Making statements like, “This is bound to be a best-seller,” is considered boosting, not proof.

Never ask for free advice. If your query resonates with an agent but isn’t quite the right fit, they may share what they liked or disliked. If they do, be thankful, but avoid asking for anything else. Use that feedback to refine your query and move on to the next agent. They have enough to handle, and engaging in a back-and-forth could prevent them from considering you for your next book.

Never lie. Not about anything, ever. No one wants to work with someone they can’t trust. When you’re caught in a lie, your deal will die.

No typos. Review your query carefully. No matter how good your query may be, if there is a typo or misspelling, nothing else will be considered. You are a writer, for goodness’ sake, and this is your chance to prove it. Typos look unprofessional.

Avoid questions. You really shouldn’t include any questions in a query, especially not questions like, “Are you ready for a great book?” Your answer will be “no.”

Here are the things you need to accomplish with your query:

Keep it under 300 words. Convincing someone that your book is bankable in 300 words or fewer initially seems impossible, but the more quickly you get comfortable with that challenge, the closer you are to perfection. Have you ever seen ads on social media that entice you to click and learn more about a product or service? That’s the effect your query needs to have on an agent. Just a few words that make them want more.

The hook. The most important part of the query. Here are a few examples of hooks that won over agents:

• “A woman disguises herself as a man to fight in the Civil War, seeking her husband.”  ~ Erin Lindsay McCabe – There Will I Be Buried
• “A woman disappears on her fifth wedding anniversary, leaving her husband as the prime suspect in a twisted game of deception.”  ~ Gillian Flynn – Gone Girl
• “An alcoholic commuter becomes obsessed with a couple she watches from the train, only to witness a crime that unravels her life.”  ~ Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train
• “A bullied teen discovers she has telekinetic powers, unleashing chaos at her prom.”  ~ Stephen King – Carrie

NOTE: It’s worth mentioning that Stephen King was rejected 30 times before an agent accepted Carrie.

Get to the point! The more concise you are, the better. Don’t try to use 300 words when you can say it in 275 or fewer. Nothing matters beyond the book being bankable. It doesn’t even matter if you intend this to be part of a series – things like that can be discussed later.

Include the standard details. Always include genre, word count, and comparable book titles.

NOTE: Remember, it’s not about you or your work; it is about your book as a bankable product. Stick to that thought and make every single word in your query earn its weight. A great query takes a lot of time and effort. You put all that work into your book, so make it pay off by putting all the work you possibly can into your query.

Key Formatting Elements for Agent Submissions

Header: Include your contact info (name, address, email, phone), and the date, aligned left or centered, followed by the agent’s details.

Salutation: Address the agent by name (e.g., “Dear Ms. Forland”) — personalization is essential.

Introduction: Indicate you are seeking representation, include your word count, genre, title, and 2–3 comparable titles (recent bestsellers or classics within the genre).

Body: Present your hook in 1–2 sentences, then provide a synopsis of 150–200 words that reveals the ending, and finish with a brief bio including your credentials and platform if applicable.

Closing: Reference attachments (e.g., sample pages, synopsis) as per guidelines, thank the agent, and encourage discussion. Keep it brief—one page. You don’t have to include the Header in your 300-word limit, but again… shorter is better.

Signature: Close with “Sincerely” or “Best regards,” followed by your name.

NOTE: This format adheres to industry standards, offering a professional, concise, and tailored approach.

Query Example

Public Data Limits: Exact submitted letters are rarely made public; this reconstruction is based on what was shared after success.

[Author Name] [Author Address] [City, State, ZIP] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Date] [Agent’s Name] [Agency Name] [Agency Address] [City, State, ZIP]

Dear [Agent’s Name],

I am seeking representation for my 145,000-word psychological thriller, Gone Girl, which I believe would appeal to fans of The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison and Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson.

A woman disappears on her fifth wedding anniversary, leaving her husband as the prime suspect in a twisted game of deception. As Nick Dunne scrambles to clear his name, the media paints him as a monster, while his wife, Amy, orchestrates a chilling return from the shadows. Told through their dueling perspectives, the novel unravels a marriage built on lies, culminating in a shocking twist that redefines their fates.

I am a former journalist with short story publications in Chicago Magazine, bringing a keen eye for narrative tension to this debut. Per your submission guidelines, I have attached the first 10 pages and a synopsis. Thank you for considering this project—I’d be thrilled to discuss how Gone Girl fits your list.

Sincerely,
Gillian Flynn

NOTE: Before anyone says, “You said not to include personal information, and Flynn did!” There can be exceptions to the rules, but you’d better be damn sure you’re breaking a rule and ONLY because it’s directly relevant to making the book marketable. Flynn was a published author in a high-level publication. If you have a million followers on social media, that can be an exception because you can actively promote your book to your followers at no extra cost to the publisher. If you have fewer than half a million followers, it probably won’t matter for your query, and you can save that information for a later conversation.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Twice this week, someone has brought up Chicken Soup for the Soul. It seems that whenever you talk with people about the publishing process, this book comes up as a motivator to never give up. Take motivation wherever you can, but I believe Chicken Soup for the Soul is mostly a fish story. Yes, it was rejected many times, but just like that 15-pound bass someone fought to get into the boat, that fish magically grew to 25 pounds over time as the story was retold.

There are still lessons to learn from the Chicken Soup saga. When those guys scored, they went all-in, writing spin-offs and merchandising to capitalize on the name they built. In my humble opinion, they had a great run, but ending in bankruptcy isn’t exactly a happy ending. If you’re fortunate enough to succeed, don’t milk one profitable title for decades.

A broken clock is right twice a day—you know, those old wall clocks that most young people can’t read in this digital age. Chicken Soup for the Soul was clearly a marketable book and worth publishing. It’s good that they didn’t give up before reaching success, but really talented writers can cover a wide range of topics and have no trouble crossing genres. These guys had a great idea, but they lacked strong writing skills. A skilled writer can turn a mediocre idea into a captivating book.

My personal takeaway from Chicken Soup for the Soul is that persistence is key to success, along with finding alternative ways to make things work in your favor. If someone who isn’t actually a writer but is only a one-hit wonder because of a clever idea, then there is real hope for good writers to land deals.

If you want to learn more about the entire Chicken Soup Saga, check out a great article at Business Insider. It’s behind a paywall, so a summary is provided here in case you aren’t a subscriber.

Summary of the Business Insider Article

The article details the remarkable origin of Chicken Soup for the Soul, co-authored by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, which experienced significant rejection before achieving success. Key points include:

Rejection Phase: Canfield and Hansen pitched the book—a collection of inspirational true stories—to many publishers, with estimates of 33 to 144 rejections (the article cites the higher number as part of their persistence story). Major New York publishers rejected it as too niche or lacking literary quality, reflecting their skepticism about self-help anthologies in the early 1990s.

Breakthrough with HCI: After years of rejection, a small self-help publisher in Florida, Health Communications Inc. (HCI), took a chance in 1993. The duo’s strategy of securing 20,000 pre-orders through motivational seminars and grassroots marketing convinced HCI to move forward, despite initial doubts.

Publication and Success: Released in July 1993, the book sold over 2 million copies in two years, eventually surpassing 500 million worldwide across its series. The article emphasizes how its accessible, feel-good format connected with readers during a period of economic uncertainty, propelling it to bestseller status.

Contextual Narrative: The piece portrays this success as a testament to the authors’ resilience, contrasting it with the brand’s later diversification (e.g., pet food, entertainment) and eventual decline, including the 2024 bankruptcy of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment.