Dear Agent:
I am seeking representation for my novel, [INSERT AWESOME TITLE HERE], which is complete at XX,000 words.
Don't start with this. It's not the most enticing part of your query letter. It's the housekeeping part: the word count, that it's finished. Put it at the end. And you can leave out that you want me to consider this. Of course you do.
I want you to keep breathing, and have a long and happy life, but I don't start my letter to you with that.
~literary agent, Janet Reid, quoted from Query Shark
Great point. I've only queried once, thus far, but I do like to present the story right up front. Thank you for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteROFL! *wipes tear* Thanks for sharing this one!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'll be Sucker Punch tonight! Woot!
So true. Everything I've read has said to put the word count at the end, after you set up the story.
ReplyDeleteYou really don't need to say complete either. If you're querying fiction, it damn well better be complete.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this line is the query letter "kiss of death." I think agents probably just skip it if they don't like it being at the top - but surely wouldn't reject a query based on the letter containing that line.
ReplyDelete(I started my query with "I am seeking representation for [title], an historical murder mystery set in 1890 London: [body of query]," and it got me representation in my first fortnight of querying.)
Not to say that we shouldn't take Reid's advice, of course! Our query should surely be as sexy as we can make it before we send it out :)
ReplyDelete