By Kathleen E. Clark
If there was one gift I could share with you all, it would be just a bit more time. Which—of course—I can’t, as my magic wand is in for repairs from stirring up spooky, spicy gumbo. So—I’ll do the best I can with these few tips compiled from the participants at our Query Letter Workshop hosted by the Lansing Area Shop Talk on Zoom. We hope you glean at least one magic ingredient to add to your “Creative Cauldron.”
Make the time to connect with other creatives. One quick and easy step is to sign up for the MichKids listserv, where you can post questions, observations, and look for announcements of upcoming events.
Those with more time-tested experience will tell you that Parts of a Query Letter are important, but not necessarily in a particular order- if you are querying a manuscript you won an award for, mention it early on.
Also consider matching the tone of the letter with the tone of the manuscript.
Follow the guidelines. which shows you did your homework. And if they say to nudge after a certain time period, add one week and nudge.
Do your research on agents, editors, comps, and the market.
We discussed comp titles and their use when highlighting specific elements of your story. Always use current titles (non-bestsellers) when stating where your book fits into the market. But, there is room to choose a more familiar story for shorthand descriptive purposes—such as mash-ups of X meets Y—to get the idea across quickly. Just remember that BALANCE is key. Like in the "Karate Kid," proving you can picture a whole concept using very few words.
Search out good comp title sources: Imagination Soup; librarymom.com; susannahill.com; childrenslibrarylady.com; https://www.edelweissplus.com/.
Double-check ANYTHING you get from AI searches, Co-pilot, etc. Those can give helpful leads, but stick with actual source info.
Adjust your bio to various submissions. What makes YOU the perfect person to share this with the world?
Don’t be shy in seeking help improving your query letter among peers, through your critique group, or professionals offering critique services. Watch for reasonably priced webinars and workshops with bonus offerings, which members have found well worth the investment.
You can keep track in a variety of ways: Card File; MSWL (Manuscript Wish List); QueryTracker (which you can filter); handwritten; assigning File Names that are significant to you; spreadsheets. One member uses a lovely shade of blue to denote a “no” on his spreadsheet (much more cheerful than red!).
This member also shared that he chooses a day for the task of querying—going to a local establishment, and treating himself. Thus, combining a not-so-fun task with a reward. We all appreciated THAT tip!
We also discussed the choice of mentioning- Back Matter; Questions for Reader engagement; and Teacher/Librarian Materials in our query letters, and/ or just including those in the manuscript itself.
At the close of our meeting, this wonderful tip and bit of encouragement was shared. As we all, at times, struggle with the business side of this creative life, remember to “Keep Writing What You Love.” Yes, query letters can be a time-consuming and draining necessity, but keep creating with your heart and mind focused on your goals and dreams. Time doing what you love is never wasted.
In these crisp October days of simmering soups, as we bundle up and buckle down, back in the querying trenches, we encourage you to move that pot from the back burner and dish out those query letters—seasoned with just the right spice to whet the appetites of agents and editors alike. We would love to hear YOUR tip, bit of advice, or word of encouragement. Just add it to the “Comment Crucible” below.
Bon appétit,
Kathleen E. Clark
Kathleen Clark enjoys country life on a sesquicentennial farm with her family, where the adventures never cease and where there is always a story just waiting to be written. Never outgrowing her love for children's books, she now finds herself helping the next generation of young readers check out their favorites at the local library. You can follow her on
on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest @kathleeneclarkauthor.
